It’s the height of summer, and tart cherry season is beginning to wind down—and if you’re anything like me, you’re hoarding them as long as possible! We all know cherries are delicious, but did you know that tart cherries have all kinds of health benefits associated with them?
First of all, tart cherries are rich in antioxidants. So what? Well, we’re basically rusting and disintegrating very, very slowly throughout our lives, and antioxidants help to slow that oxidation of our cell tissue. Sounds like a good deal to me!
Cherries are also a source of abundant Phytonutrients known as Anthocyanins, which can be found in red and blue fruits and veggies like raspberries, cranberries, and kidney beans. While the science on exactly what Anthocyanins do and how they do it is up and coming, we know they react to stressors to protect the plant. In preliminary studies and experiments, these little helper superfoods have been found to lead to all sorts of boosts and benefits!
1. End the Pain
Not only do cherries contain anti-inflammatory properties that soothe pain, they also prevent it from happening in the first place. Several studies on runners, weight-lifters, and other athletes have shown a significant correlation between consuming tart cherries and a significantly lower amount of during- and post-workout pain. A study done on osteoarthritis patients saw a significant decrease in their disease-related pain!
2. Soothe Insomnia
Tart cherries contain melatonin, one of the hormones that helps regulate our sleep cycle. Several studies have found that one serving in the morning and one in the evening added an average of 90 minutes to the subjects’ sleep cycles. Not enough to convince you? Tart cherries also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that aids in the production of melatonin. But wait! There’s more! Those handy little Anthocyanins help slow the breakdown of tryptophan, the acid that helps produce more melatonin which helps you sleep. The result? You’ll be off to dreamland in no time.
3. Lower blood pressure
Cherries are high in potassium, a compound that helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure. In one study, researchers observed a drop in blood pressure after consuming tart cherries comparable to that achieved by pharmaceuticals!
4. Take a stand against Heart Disease
Remember antioxidants? One in particular (quercetin) works to prevent damage caused by bad cholesterol, which is more likely to form on artery walls when oxidizes.
5. Defend against Cancer
Those little stress-reducers I mentioned earlier team up with three powerful anti-transformation chemicals in cherries (perillyl alcohol, limonene and ellagic acid) to stop cancer in its tracks. Like they protect the stressed plant from changing to a damaged form, these compounds inhibit and discourage the wild growth of damaged cells that lead to tumor formation. They have proven to be especially preventative for breast, liver, lung, and skin cancers. Tart cherries are the only fruit that contains all three of these chemicals!
Now go drink your cherry juice! Or, if you’re the baking type, make these outrageously delicious tart cherry pies using our gluten-free pie crust recipe
