Facts about Cherries
The cherry is a popular fruit, because they embody sweet flavor of
summer. Cherries are available in varieties of sweet and sour from
cherry plants of all sizes. The cherry months are short and heralds
the start of stone fruit months. Cherries have among the shortest
growing months, from end of May to June.
Cherry trees vary from 6-30 feet. They have leaves in dark green
with fruit and bark in red.
The most famous sweet varieties include Bing, Brooks and Rainier.
Montmorency and Morello are the two main varieties of sour cherries.
Rainier cherries have a striking look, with light pink and yellow
fruit flesh. Other varieties of sweet cherries are generally in dark
red.
Health Benefits of Cherries
- Cherries help activate the release of digestive juices as well as
the urine and are generally powerful cleansers of the kidneys and
liver.
- Consuming large amount of cherries, from 1/2 lb or more every day
lessens the pain related to arthritis. It additionally provides
relief to people with gout, a condition that is known to have caused
by an excessive amount of uric acid present in the body.
- Cherries are the exclusive organic sources of a compound known as
Melatonin, which is important for strong immune system and a normal
sleeping pattern in people. Research indicates that individuals who
encounter heart attacks generally have low melatonin levels.
Besides, low melatonin levels also cause insomnia and irritation for
children experiencing Autism Spectrum Disorders or ASD. Research
also indicates that high amounts of melatonin, which is normally
produced only by our body may be associated with a slower process of
aging as it is a strong antioxidant.
- Frequent consumption of cherry fruit or cherry juice can help
protect against cancer in organs as well as glands that have
epithelial tissue due to the great beta carotene content.
- Research conducted recently by the University of Michigan shows new
proof relating cherries to health benefits of heart. The research
discovered that a cherry-enriched diet reduced total weight, excess
fat (particularly the belly fat), inflammation as well as
cholesterol levels -- all the risk factors related to cardiovascular
disease. Being obese, particularly when the body weight is gathered
at the center, is usually a key risk factor for cardiovascular
disease.
- Cherries are excellent antioxidant fruit as they have an essential
antioxidant known as Anthocyanin that helps reduce LDL cholesterol
and also vascular headaches, thus lowering the chance of getting
heart problems. Anthocyanin also helps lower oxidative stress by
wiping out free radicals within your body. The presence of free
radicals may result in numerous chronic and autoimmune illnesses.
- Besides the previously listed cherry health benefits, numerous
scientific research on the prospective benefits of frequent cherry
consumption has been done simultaneously by various research
institutes and also the Cherry Research Committee, which is the
health study unit of the Cherry Marketing Institute, located in
Lansing Michigan.
How to Choose and Buy Cherries?
- Select cherries with firm, smooth and shiny skins. Generally the
deeper the red, the higher the quality (which is the sign of ripeness
for the majority cherry varieties).
- Also examine the stems, they
have to be green and versatile; they become woody and brown in color
when kept in storage.
How to Store Cherries?
- Pack unwashed cherries loosely in a plastic bag or arrange them in
one layer in a pan and seal with plastic wrap to avoid bruising.
- Cherries can be kept in the fridge for up to one week. Examine the
fruit from time to time and take out the cherries that turn bad.
- You may freeze cherries by washing and draining properly, scattering
them in one layer on a baking sheet and keeping in the freezer until
the next day. After the cherries are completely frozen, put them
into a plastic bag. The fruit can then be kept for a year.
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