5 Incredible Health Benefits of Eating Cherries

Nothing says summer like fresh-picked cherries warmed by the sun. The many varieties grown in Canada can be divided into sweet (mostly eaten raw) and sour (often baked into crisps and pies). All are packed with impressive nutrients. Here are just some of the amazing health benefits of this delicious summer fruit:

1. Ease aching joints

Cherries’ rich red colour comes from anthocyanins, the antioxidants found in grapes (and red wine) that inhibit enzymes associated with inflammation, and may help soothe soreness linked to muscle and joint pain.

2. Guard your colon

These mighty fruits also contain quercetin, which is a flavonoid with anti-carcinogenic activity. New research in the Journal of Nutrition found it helps prevent damaging lesions thought to be a predictor of tumours from forming in the colon.

3. Control cholesterol

All cherries are high in pectin’a soluble fibre that helps to prevent heart disease by lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol.

4. Help your eyesight

Sour cherries contain 19 times the amount of beta-carotene found in blueberries. A precursor to vitamin A, it helps maintain eyesight and healthy skin.

5. Improve your sleep

Cherries, part of the stone fruit family that includes apricots, peaches and plums, are one of the few known food sources of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythms and our sleep patterns.

Convinced? Get started with our collection of healthy cherry recipes.