According to the USDA, there are numerous health benefits to consuming sweet Bing cherries.
– Cherries can help reduce inflammation. Cherries are full of anthocyanins, antioxidants that help fight inflammation by shutting down the enzymes that cause tissue inflammation – the exact same way ibuprofen and naproxen do.
– Cherries may help gout sufferers. Gout, a painful form of arthritis, is associated with elevated levels of uric acid. A study at the University of California at Davis showed that participants had reduced levels of uric acid after eating sweet cherries.
– Cherries may help fight diabetes. Research at Michigan State University showed that the anthocyanins found in cherries lowered blood sugar in animals. The researchers speculate that the same effect occurs in humans.
– Cherries can help improve sleep. Cherries are an excellent natural source of melatonin, the chemical that controls the body’s internal clock to regulate sleep. Melatonin helps reduce jet lag and promotes overall healthy sleep patterns.
– Cherries contain agents that may help fight cancer. The flavonoids isoqueritrin and queritrin, and the phenol, ellagic acid3, were verified in cherries. The flavonoids are known to be antioxidants, and ellagic acid appears to be a potent inhibitor to the growth of cancer cells.
– Cherries boost your fiber quota. Americans are at a fiber deficit, falling far short of the 25-35-gram daily recommendation. The latest Dietary Guidelines recommend 2 cups of fruit daily, and cherries help to meet that recommendation.
– Cherries may help to promote weight loss. With a glycemic index of only 22, cherries may help promote weight loss. While foods with GI above 70 cause blood glucose to soar, then quickly crash causing hunger, foods with a low GI release glucose into the body slowly and evenly leaving you feeling full.
Learn more about the health benefits of cherries at www.nwcherries.com or follow @NWCherryGrowers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.