Cherry fruits are part of the rose family, which also includes almonds, peaches, apricots and plums. Cherries are small and fleshy, red or reddish-black fruits that contain a hard pit. Cherries are also known to have a very short fruiting season and ripen quickly.
The Romans are believed to have discovered the sweet cherry fruit in Malaysia around 70 BC. Cultivation of these fruits first began in Mesopotamia in the 8th century BC. Later, in the first century AD, the Romans brought cherries to Britain.
Cherries (Prunus avium., Rosaceae) are available in many varieties, but generally only two types are most commonly consumed - the wild cherry and the sour cherry (Prunus cerasus). Sour cherries grow in many areas and are cousins of sweet cherries and vary greatly in taste. There are also white cherries, but they are less common and pretentious plants. But white cherry jam is a great delicacy. Sweet cherries, on the other hand, are notoriously difficult to grow.
Composition of cherries
The main advantage of cherries is that they are rich in flavonoids, which are such important antioxidants for our body. Cherries contain a lot of organic acids and quercetin, which is a strong anti-inflammatory substance with a proven pain-relieving effect on joint pain and eye protection. Anthocyanins are also an important ingredient in them. Cherries are a very good natural source of ellagic acid, which is said to have anti-carcinogenic properties.
Delicious cherries are a good source of vitamins, especially vitamin C. The doses of minerals in cherries are rather moderate to low, with potassium being prominent. Cherries have a low glycemic index (22), and 100 g of them contain only 63 kcal.
Selection and storage of cherries
Since cherry fruits are easily injured, they must be well picked. When buying cherries, it is necessary to choose those with a bright color. The cherries, which are round in shape and firm, have a very good taste. For the best quality cherries, it is necessary to select those with their green stems.
Cherries are short-lived and rarely ripen after harvest. In order to store cherries, they must be refrigerated immediately after purchase. Cherries can stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least two days.
Culinary use of cherries
As a delicious fruit, cherries are best eaten fresh and as soon as possible after being plucked from the tree. However, their unique taste combines perfectly with so many other fruits, vegetables, spices and products that you can often put cherries in your culinary masterpieces.
Sweet delights such as fruit cakes, gluten-free cakes, cherry cakes and egg-free creams are uniquely delicious with the addition of cherries. Even the popular Black Forest cake is marked by the taste of these red berries. Try making cherry sorbet, which will almost certainly bring you salvation in the summer heat. Cherries are popular for making fruit juices, homemade nectars and especially fruit jams, which taste divine. Cherry jam goes great with fluffy pancakes, American pancakes, or mekitsi. Incorporating the juicy fruit into fruit pies, no-bake cheesecake, cream tarts, crostata and other Italian desserts is a culinary classic.
Benefits of cherries
When you eat cherries, you don't just enjoy an incredibly good taste. Cherries contain antioxidants and have many health benefits, being helpful for insomnia, joint pain and belly fat. Cherries may be the medicine you need. The benefits of cherries are numerous.
Research shows that cherries have many health benefits. They are known to relieve pain in people who suffer from arthritis. It has been proven that if you eat at least 20 sour cherries a day, you can effectively fight inflammation.
Red cherries are very high in melatonin. Melatonin helps to destroy toxins that cause various diseases. Cherries are also rich in antioxidants that help fight cancer and heart disease.
Cherries are low in cholesterol, fat and sodium. They are also a very good source of fiber and vitamin C.
The Alzheimer's Association of America includes cherries on its list of foods for good memory because they are rich in antioxidants.
Sweet cherries, as well as cherry juice, are known to reduce uranium levels in the body. They also help reduce muscle aches and back pain. The beneficial effect of cherries on health is preserved even if they are frozen, in the form of juice or canned. Sweet cherries and sour cherries also contain very high levels of anthocyanins. It's the red pigment in cherries that helps reduce inflammation.
Cherries prevent weight gain. The researchers found that rats fed cherry powder on a high-fat diet did not absorb as much fat as rats that did not eat cherry powder.
Cherry fruit extract contains the antioxidant flavonoids and is used in many tablets and capsules. These capsules are used to support the body's pH levels.
Can't sleep at night? Cherry juice comes to the rescue! Drink a glass of cherry juice in the evening, 30 minutes before each meal. In one study, participants increased melatonin production following this medication. Cherries are a good source of melatonin and can help regulate sleep cycles. For the same reason, they are a good remedy for problems caused by time zone differences.
Cherries have the highest level of antioxidants among fruits. Antioxidants fight free radicals in the body that make us look old. Daily consumption of cherry juice slows down the aging process, according to Michigan State University researchers. Cherry juice is also recommended as an alternative treatment for other skin conditions.
Cherries are beneficial in the prevention of colon cancer.
Harms from cherries
These delicious fruit, although healthy, can sometimes cause us inconvenience and discomfort. Especially if you indulge in the delicious fruits and eat more than you should. In such cases, the abdomen swells, and pain and gas may also appear.
Another important potential harm from cherries can come for people with an allergy to them. If there is an allergic reaction, it is good to avoid sour cherries, even in thermally processed products, such as various pastries.
Cherry diet
As with the strawberry diet, for the cherry diet up to a kilogram of cherries per day is recommended, consumed as breakfast, snack, but also in the morning, on an empty stomach. Portions of 200-250 grams can also be enough for the body to fully benefit from the intake of vitamins and beneficial effects.
If you eat more, however, the diuretic and laxative effects of cherries will be accentuated. Depending on your daily schedule and your body's reactions, you can decide how much you want to eat. A week of a kilo of cherries a day should be enough to lose weight. It is ideal to alternate them with other seasonal fruits, such as strawberries and apricots.
Between meals with cherries, vegetables and seasonal salads are specifically indicated, and proteins preferably in small quantities during these days. Cherries can also be integrated into smoothies and shakes if you prefer. You can combine them with bananas, pineapples, apples, pears, apricots, sweetened if you like with a little honey or maple syrup.
A hearty breakfast has its advantages in a healthy lifestyle, as well as the habit of not having dinner late in the evening, until 19:00.
If you really want to try a diet based exclusively on cherries, do not follow it for more than three days and follow the body's reactions. It is good not to eat cherries randomly, but to distribute them in several meals, at approximately the same time. You can choose equal portions or steadily increase the amount you eat.
It is also important to choose fresh cherries and not cherry compote.
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