There are two basic groups of cherries - sweet and sour. The most common sweet cherries we eat like candy include bing, black, and Ranier. The sour cherries - montmorency, are usually used for pies and fruit sauces. It is challenging to find the sour cherries. The sour cherries are slightly lower on the glycemic load index therefore raising your blood glucose a little less than the sweet ones.
Both groups are full of health benefits, however the sour cherries are more abundant in the quantity of the nutrients. The benefits can be obtained from cherry juice as well but keep in moderation as cherries are high in sugar to begin with and in the juice you are not getting the advantages of the fiber. A few benefits include:
- Antioxidants - vitamins A & C, melatonin, and beta carotene, which help fight the free radicals in the body which can damage and destroy cells.
- Anti-inflammatory and increased memory effects because of the abundance of anthocyanins.
- Anti-carcinogenic properties due to quercetin
- Contain the minerals magnesium, iron, folate, potassium, boron, and fiber.
The best recipe I have for fresh cherries is to rinse and eat. Much easier than trying to cut around the pit or using a cherry pitter. Frozen cherries - put in yogurt or ricotta cheese to make a deliciously sweet breakfast and add a little amaretto and slivered almonds. Also, puree the frozen cherries in a blender or food processor for a sorbet like dessert. Perfect for the end of summer.
Antiodxidant-fruits. 2009. Web. 09 Aug 2015. http://www.antioxidant-fruits.com/
Berkeley Wellness. Remedy Health Media, UC Berkeley. 2015. Web. 09 Aug 2015. http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food/article/types-cherries
Self Nutrition Data. CondeNaste, 2014. Web. 09 Aug 2015. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1867/2 and http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1861/2
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