Life is a (nutritious) bowl of cherries!
Who says food that tastes good isn't good for you? Fresh cherries are certainly an exception. A whole cup of sweet cherries has only 90 calories and is a good source of fiber and vitamin C.
And cherries are rich in phytonutrients, compounds found in plant foods that research shows may offer powerful health benefits. Two phytonutrients found in cherries are quercetin and anthocyanidins.
People who have the highest intakes of quercetin-containing foods (including fresh cherries) were found to have a lower risk of asthma and a lower incidence of lung cancer.
Anthocyanidins produce the rich-red hue found in fresh cherries (and other red/blue fruits and vegetables). Including plenty of red fruits like cherries in your diet can help maintain heart health and memory function. Cherries can also contribute to maintaining urinary tract health and lowering the risk of some cancers.
Arthritis hurts...but fresh cherries can help
Results of a preliminary study by U.S. Agriculture Research Service scientists and their university colleagues suggest that some natural compounds in plump, juicy Bing cherries may reduce painful arthritic inflammation. Eating cherries may also help lessen the severity of other inflammatory conditions, such as cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Fresh cherries may help lower blood sugar
Researchers have identified a group of naturally occurring chemicals abundant in cherries that could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. In early laboratory studies using animal pancreatic cells, the chemicals, called anthocyanins, increased insulin production by 50 percent, according to study leader Muralee Nair, PhD, a natural products chemist at Michigan State University in East Lansing. But you might want to limit the candied maraschino cherries, as they contain extra sugar and fewer beneficial cherry pigments, the researcher says.