The health benefits of cherries are given below. However, individuals should remember to consume it only in healthy proportions.
1. Rich in Anti-inflammatory Compounds and Antioxidants
Cherries are rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants. It can help you release oxidative stress, often linked to premature ageing and chronic diseases. It is packed with polyphenols and potassium. Polyphenol is an antioxidant useful for preventing oxidative damage. It can fight against cellular damage, promote wellbeing and reduce inflammation.
Diet rich in polyphenol can help deal with diabetes and heart diseases. According to research, consuming cherries can be useful for reducing inflammation in 11 out of 16 studies. In addition, about 100 gms of cherries contain 5% of a person’s Daily Value (DV) of potassium.
2. Reduces Post-exercise Muscle Pain
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you must face the challenges of muscle pain after exercising and working out every day. Here, you can consider the benefits of eating cherries. Tart cherries are more than just having a sweet and delicious taste. These are helpful for athletes in muscle recovery, preventing strength loss, and decreasing exercise-induced muscle pain. Particularly, marathon runners and cyclists can benefit from these.
Apart from that, cherries can also enhance your performance while exercising. According to a study, the findings showed that the athletes who consumed powdered tart cherries in portions of 480 mg daily for 10 days before taking part in a marathon were 13% faster than the others. Another study conducted among non-athlete women revealed lesser muscle damage and soreness when they indulged in exercise.
3. Improves Heart’s Health
Protecting heart health has become a mandatory requirement in recent times. Cherries are known for containing nutrients and compounds which can improve heart health. For instance, its polyphenol antioxidant and potassium contents can benefit the heart. About 154 gms of cherries 10% of the DV for potassium.
Furthermore, this fruit helps remove excess sodium from the body and can help you keep up a regular heartbeat. These are packed with flavonols, catechins, and anthocyanins, which can protect your heart against inflammation and cellular damage. In addition, consumption of polyphenols in high amounts is known to reduce the risks of heart diseases.
4. Enhances Sleep Quality
In this busy lifestyle, you must recognise the importance of good sleep at night. Cherries come with plant compounds in high concentrations. Moreover, it contains melatonin, which can contribute to regulating your sleep-wake cycle. A study reveals that regular consumption of melatonin enhances the quality and duration of sleep.
There has not been any research to prove that eating fresh cherries before sleep can be useful. However, researchers have suggested that eating 100 tart cherries a day or drinking a concentrated cherry juice can fight insomnia.
5. Helps to Recover from Arthritis and Gouts
The anti-inflammatory effects of cherries often improve health conditions and quality of life by getting rid of arthritis and gouts among individuals. A build-up of uric acid can cause these conditions in your body, resulting in swelling, inflammation, and pain in the joints.
Cherries help inhibit oxidative stress and reduce inflammation by suppressing inflammatory proteins. These can be beneficial for reducing the chances of getting arthritis or gouts. For example, a study revealed that women who consumed about 280 gms of sweet cherries daily had lower inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and reduced uric acid levels.
6. Reduces Hypertension
Cherries are a good source of potassium, which helps to flush the excess sodium from our body. This helps to regulate hypertension in our body, which automatically controls our blood pressure.
7. Promotes Weight Loss
Cherries are very low in calorie content, and if you consume one cup of it, it will give you around less than 100 calories. Also, there is enough vitamin content that strengthens your metabolism, and also the water content flushes excess toxins from the body. All these acts in unison, to promote weight loss.
8. Abates Insomnia
Cherry is a reliable source of melatonin, which promotes good sleep. So, to relieve insomnia, consuming cherries can be fruitful. For best results, consider enjoying cherries as part of your evening routine. Incorporating cherries into your diet may help regulate sleep patterns and improve overall sleep quality.
9. Maintains pH Balance
Cherries are alkaline; so whenever there is a rise in acid content within the body, cherry helps to regulate it. This helps to keep your stomach healthy by reducing the chances of acidity or indigestion. By balancing the body's pH levels, cherries can support overall digestive health and prevent discomfort associated with high acidity.
10. Helps to Look Good
There is a huge quantity of Vitamin B and Vitamin C in cherries. This content promotes healthy hair. Additionally, these juicy fruits are also beneficial to promote healthy skin, and bring the natural glow of the skin. Regular consumption of cherries can help in reducing signs of ageing.
11. Boosts Immunity
Cherries are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help boost the immune system. The vitamin C in cherries plays a crucial role in the production of white blood cells, which are essential for fighting off infections.
12. Supports Brain Health
Cherries contain anthocyanins and other compounds that have been shown to improve cognitive function and protect the brain from age-related diseases. Regular consumption of cherries may help enhance memory and prevent neurodegenerative conditions.
13. Aids Digestion
The dietary fibre in cherries helps to promote healthy digestion by adding bulk to stool and preventing constipation. It also supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
14. Provides Skin Benefits
Cherries have a high content of antioxidants and vitamins that can help reduce signs of ageing, such as wrinkles and fine lines. The vitamin C in cherries promotes collagen production, which is vital for maintaining skin elasticity.
15. Reduces Risk of Certain Cancers
The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in cherries can help reduce the risk of certain types of cancer by protecting cells from damage and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells.