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Cherry fruit nutrition facts

This miniature wonder, cherry fruit is packed with full of health benefiting nutrients and unique antioxidants. Cherries are native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor regions.
Botanically, they belong to the family of rosaceae of genus, prunus, which also includes “drupe” family of fruits like plums, peaches, apricots etc.. Although several species of cherries exist, two important cultivars; wild or sweet cherry and sour or tart cherry are widely popular. Wild or sweet cherry belongs to the species; prunus avium, and tart cherry belongs to that of prunus cerasus.






Cherries. Tart cherries


Cherries are drupe fruits with central “stony-hard” seed surrounded fleshy fruit measuring 2 cm in diameter. Externally the fruits have bright "shiny" red or purple color with very thin skin.
The West Indian cherry fruit known as aserola (Malpighia emarginata) is native to West Indian islands and grown in Mexico, Texas regions in North America. Acerola belongs to tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae and contain 2-3 small seeds. Acerola contain exceptionally high levels of vitamin-C and vitamin-A than North American and European cherries.

Health benefits of cherry fruit

• Cherries are one of the very low calorie fruits; yet are rich source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Both sweet as well as tart Cherries are packed with numerous health benefiting compounds that are essential for wellbeing.
• Cherries are pigment rich fruits. These pigments are in fact polyphenolic flavonoid compounds known as anthocyanin glycosides. Anthocyanins are red, purple or blue pigments found in many fruits and vegetables, especially concentrated in their skin, known to have powerful anti-oxidant properties.
• Scientific studies have shown that anthocyanins in the cherries are found to act like anti-inflammatory agents by blocking the actions of cycloxygenase-1 and 2 enzymes. Thus consumption of cherries has potential health effects against chronic painful episodes such as gout arthritis, fibromyalgia (painful muscle condition) and sports injuries.
• Research studies also suggest that tart cherries are help body to fight against cancers, aging and neurological diseases and pre-diabetes.
• Cherry fruits are very rich in stable anti-oxidant melatonin. Melatonin can cross the blood-brain barrier easily and produces soothing effects on the brain neurons, calming down nervous system irritability which helps relieve neurosis, insomnia and headache conditions.
• They are also good source of minerals such as potassium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese. Potassium is a heart-healthy mineral; an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
• The fruits, especially tart cherries are exceptionally rich in many health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic anti-oxidants such as lutein, zeaxanthin and beta carotene. These compounds act as protective scavengers against harmful free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease process.
• Cherries’ anti-inflammatory functions, effective in reducing heart disease risk factors by scavenging action against free radicals.
• Acerola or West Indian cherry has exceptionally very high levels of vitamin-C (1677.6 mg per 100 g or 2796 % of RDA) and vitamin-A (767 IU per 100 g).

http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cherry-fruit.html

[Voitramma]

Cherries sound good! Think I'll have one...cheers!

[JorgiOLusinio]

My friend had gout with a lot of pain so when I looked into cherries ,I was amazed at the wide ranging health benefits available from this fruit

[borasolit]

Cherry enemas all around!!!

[Acciblyfluila]

Cherry enemas all around!!!

You better break out some of the good bourbon first...with a cherry in it!

[gunhijala]

These are good: