Healthier skin, reduced stress, and better sleep! These aren’t impressive results from a new drug trial. Rather, these are the proven virtues of consuming more sweet cherries, a seasonal fruit available in many local grocery stores.
These super sweet, bite-sized fruits offer great flavor and many health benefits.
Low in calories and packed with powerful ingredients, sweet cherries may be the ultimate superfood to help consumers stay healthy. Sweet cherries are rich in vitamin C, fiber, vitamin A, magnesium, and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammatory stress in diets.
“Sweet cherries are a rich source of several antioxidants. These compounds lower the body’s markers of day-to-day damage, like oxidative stress, inflammation, and free radical production,” says Catherine Karnatz, MPH, RD, anti-diet culture dietitian and owner of Nutrition Education RD.
This high antioxidant content helps reduce the risk of multiple chronic diseases, like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and premature aging. One medical review found that eating cherries reduced inflammation in 11 out of 16 studies and markers of oxidative stress in 8 out of 10 trials.
The Cherry Glow
A person’s outward appearance is often connected to what they take internally. Sweet cherries give skin a boost of nourishment, and significantly darker varieties, like Bing cherries, are rich in antioxidants. That darker pigment signifies both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. For example, sweet cherries contain anthocyanins, a beneficial compound that give foods a deep red color. These antioxidants can help stabilize free radicals that can otherwise lead to cellular stress, which can accelerate skin aging.
Those antioxidants can pack quite a punch. In a study examining adults over age 45, those who consumed high-antioxidant foods often experienced fewer signs of skin aging over 15 years than those who ate low-antioxidant foods. As a bonus, cherries are also rich in vitamin C, which works to promote collagen production and benefit overall skin health.
Reduced Stress
Cherries are great for physical health and are associated with improved mental health. Sweet cherries are a natural source of serotonin, which studies have found essential in reducing stress and improving mood. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, is often called the body’s natural “feel good” chemical. When serotonin is at normal levels, individuals are more focused, calmer, and emotionally stable. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression.
“For people looking for food-first, natural ways to help send stress and depression packing, building more cherries into meals and snacks is a great goal,” says Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, registered dietitian nutritionist.
Sweet cherries have been shown to decrease cortisol levels and improve anxiety. High cortisol levels over weeks or months can impact sleep, mood, and energy levels. Chronic levels of high cortisol can also lead to health issues such as weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In addition to health-promoting behaviors like stress management, exercise, and breath work, diet can influence cortisol levels. Cherries and other whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, lentils, whole grains, and healthy fats have also been shown to manage cortisol.
Adding cherries to your shopping list can alleviate another type of stress– finding a delicious and healthy snack that will please the entire family.
Better Sleep
In addition to serotonin, cherries contain high levels of tryptophan and melatonin, molecules that are involved in mood regulation and a good night’s rest. In studies, consuming sweet cherries has been shown to improve both the quantity and quality of sleep. Karnatz confirms, “Eating sweet cherries for your evening snack may help you fall and stay asleep more easily.”
Cherries are one of the few foods that naturally contain melatonin. If you’re struggling with sleep, incorporating more sweet cherries or cherry juice into your diet may improve troubled sleep.
Easy to Add to a Daily Diet
With only 90 calories per cup, cherries are a low-calorie snack that provides 3 g of filling fiber per serving. While cherry pie is a classic summer treat, cherries can also be enjoyed in other sweet and savory foods. Try roasting cherries with a splash of balsamic vinegar, then topping whipped ricotta or cottage cheese for a simple summer appetizer with whole grain crackers or toasted bread.
If you prefer a bowl of oatmeal in the morning, consider adding cherries as a topping. Dieters can also make fresh fruit parfaits with plain Greek yogurt, fresh cherries, and chopped nuts. Cherries also combine well with other in-season fruits and vegetables.
Try an arugula salad with fresh peaches, mozzarella cheese, cherries, and a basil vinaigrette, or add cherries to a Caprese pasta salad instead of tomatoes. Sweet cherry season lasts until mid-August, so it’s the perfect time for shoppers to add this succulent superfood to their carts.
This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.