All food contains all of the nutrients we need to be healthy, it is necessary to eat various foods in sufficient amounts. A good diet will include many different foods, and sufficient in quantity and quality to meet an individual’s need for food energy and other micro nutrients.

Honey

Ice Cream

Jams

Jicama

Juices

CHERRIES

Typical serving size:

½ cup, fresh (2
5 oz or 70 g), or ¼ cup, dried (1
2 oz or 35 g)

HOW THEY HARM

Allergies

WHAT THEY HEAL

Inflammation Cancer Cholesterol Gout Arthritis CHERRY FACTS

The most popular sweet cherries in North America are Bing and other dark-colored varieties, and Lamberts, which are a bright crimson
Queen Annes are yellow with tinges of red, large, and very sweet

Commercial maraschino cherries are made by bleaching the fruit (usually the yellow Queen Anne variety) in a sulfur dioxide brine, then toughening it with lime or calcium salt
The cherries are then dyed bright red, sweetened, flavored, and packed in jars
A member of the plant family that includes plums, apricots, peaches, and nectarines, cherries are generally lower in vitamins and minerals than their larger cousins
Still, recent research suggests that the small fruit can impart important

Health Benefits

Both sweet and sour cherries are a source of beta- carotene, vitamin C, and potassium, but sour cherries are much higher in beta-carotene
The flavor and low calorie content of the cherry varieties make them an ideal snack or dessert during the short time they are in season
Sour cherries, which are more nutritious than the sweet types, are used mostly for making jams and other preserves, or they are baked into pies and other pastries

Health Benefits

Fights inflammation
Both sweet and sour cherries are rich in beta-carotene, a heart-healthy compound, and vitamin C, an antioxidant that fights free radical activity
One study showed that adults who ate 1 ½ cups of tart cherries had increased levels of antioxidants in their bodies, specifically anthocyanins, which help prevent heart disease and other inflammatory conditions
May prevent cancer
Sour cherries are an abundant source of quercetin, a flavonoid with anticarcinogenic and antioxidant activities
Evens blood cholesterol levels
Cherries are a good source of pectin, a soluble fiber that helps control blood cholesterol
Treats gout
Alternative health practitioners often advocate sour cherries to treat gout
Research suggests that a substance in cherries called cyanidin has anti-inflammatory properties, an attribute that might help reduce the swelling and pain of gout
Eases arthritis pain
Limited research also shows that sour cherries have the potential to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis

Health Risks

Allergic reactions
People who are allergic to apricots and other members of the plum family may also suffer a reaction to cherries
The most likely symptoms are hives and a tingling or itching sensation in or around the mouth

Allergies

Add quartered sweet cherries to pancakes

Scatter sweet cherries over skinless chicken thighs before roasting

Make a sauce with cherries and pomegranate juice thickened with arrowroot

Buying Tip

s

Look for plump, firm fruit with green stems

Imported cherries are not as flavorful as the local fruit that is picked and marketed at the height of its ripeness

Storing Tips

Keep cherries unwashed, with the stems attached, in an open bag or container in the refrigerator

Cherries spoil quickly, so eat them as soon as possible