Five ways cherries make lives happier

Thursday, August 01, 2013 by: Yanjun
Tags: cherries, health benefits, nutrition

(NaturalNews) A powerful punch in a compact red fruit, the cherry is a vital part of our health. According to Fox News, cherries have the ability to do everything from reducing inflammation to aiding in weight loss.

Discover how these sweet little morsels can keep your body on the mend with these five health benefits.

• Antioxidants are Cancer Fighters

Cherries are stuffed with super food antioxidants that are believed to help fight off cancer by destroying cancerous cells. As noted in Livestrong, cherries remove free radicals from the body, which helps in reducing aging and disease. A 2009 study from the University of Michigan, as reported in Medical News Today, noted that eating one and a half cups of tart cherries had a significant increase in the levels of anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that give cherries their brilliant red glow.

• Weight Loss Aid

This little red fruit features 2.7 grams of dietary fiber per cup. Fiber is essential for generating a full feeling when eating, and it fills up the stomach to reduce the instance of overeating. Additionally, since fiber is not absorbed in the body, but rather pushed through into the stool, a person will absorb less calories per serving. Furthermore, as noted by Huffington Post, a cup of cherries has only 100 calories, making for a low calorie snack that is packed with nutrients.

• Skip the Vitamin Supplement

When you eat a cup of cherries, you are getting a substantial boost in iron, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Cherries are also great sources of B vitamins including vitamin B6, riboflavin and thiamin. Additionally, this fruit contains no sodium or saturated fat, so you are getting all of the healthy benefits without any negative affects. Skip the bowl of sugar laden cereal for breakfast and instead get your vitamin fix from a bowl full of cherries.

• Save Your Heart

High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease, which is the number one cause of death for Americans as noted by the CDC. Include cherries in your regular diet as a way to protect yourself from this debilitating disease. Fox News reports that a single cup of cherries has as much potassium as a banana, without the added starch and sugar. Potassium is essential for lowering blood pressure as it removes excess sodium from the body. Balancing sodium and potassium levels is priority for prevention of hypertension, aka high blood pressure.

• Arthritis Relief for Dessert

If you suffer from arthritis, you'll appreciate the ability of Bing cherries in reducing caustic uric acid. This acid causes painful inflammation that leaves arthritic individuals in misery. Eat two cups of Bing cherries in order to reduce the level of uric acid in the body by up to 15 percent. Additionally, cherries can reduce the levels of C-reactive protein produced by the body, which is another factor related to arthritis. Give your joints a boost with a bowl full of cherries after each meal.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.cdc.gov

http://www.foxnews.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

About the author:
Sofiya has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments,health insurance, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.