Phyto Facts- Cherry
Cherries were thought to have spread from a land in Ancient Greece and Cerasus in Turkey and then exported to Europe. Truly a fruit from a Magical Land!
Carotenoids in Cherries are Powerful Phytonutrients!
Carotenoids give red, orange and yellow to fruits and vegetables. Cherries have high medicinal value with their potent phytonutrients. The Carotenoids give it its brilliant red colour, and they look like they are the fruit of the gods.
They are considered the perfect summer food in Ayurveda.Every summer, our cherry tree blooms rich with cherries and I’m absolutely thrilled! Each day, we get a bucket full of cherries and then everything that we eat is naturally inspired by this star ingredient
1-CAROTENOIDS
Cherries convert the betacarotene to retinol more easily in our bodies. We need that for healthy eyes, skin and hair
2-FLAVONOIDS
Flavonoids are potent antioxidants that fight oxidative stress in our bodies. Quercetin in cherries has anti histamine benefits
3-ANTHOCYANIDINS
They are powerful anti- inflammatory and anti bacterial compounds. They can aid recovery after excessive exercise and relive arthritic pains
Benefits of Cherries
- High Antioxidant-can help Cancer
- Good for eyes, skin and hair
- Anti inflammatory-can help arthritis
- Excellent to induce sleep
- Helps anxiety, depression, brain fog
- Immune powerhouse
“The cherry’s only fault:The crowds that gather when they bloom”– Saigyo
Melatonin!
Montmorency cherries are considered a super food, but any tart and sour cherry is as good. Melatonin helps us sleep. In an age where sleep is like an endangered species, we all need some help with sleep. How can we improve Melatonin? Eat more cherries! The time when our cherry tree blossoms, my breakfast has to have some cherries.
And then I wondered to myself, as I yawned my way through my yoga teaching, why am I so sleepy?! For the first few times I ate our cherries, I actually worried. I felt sedated and walked around in a stupor.Now this is no reason to stay away from the cherry. Far from it! If sleep is a fleeting shadow for you, grab those cherries each summer, restore some Circadian rhythm, and cherries should be the only sleeping pill you ever use! So, let’s get picking!
Pluck cherries fresh from the tree. This preserves the carotenoids in the cherry
Spread them loose in a tray. This prevents them going bad too quickly
Store them outside in a cool space. If you don’t have such a space, refrigerate them
Never chew the pits as they can be toxic!
11 Comments
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Deepa Kannan
Thank you Shyam. When it makes a difference to people, it inspires me to offer more
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Prabha Kannan
Your blog about cherries was really interesting :) and needless to say all the goodness comes from fresh cherries plucked from trees, not from a tin! But Deepa , you have a tree - what about those don’t? Would a box of fresh cherries from a fruit shop help?
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Deepa Kannan
Yes absolutely! They are loaded with phytnutrients which are pretty stable compared to some other fruits. Just see that you buy them organic and pesticide free and buy them somewhere when they are still quite fresh! That brilliant colour comes from potent carotenoids and that's not going to change if you do not have a tree:-)
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Jagadish
Excellent and informative post . Thanks for sharing this valuable info.
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Deepa Kannan
My pleasure:-) So glad you liked it!!!
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Rathy Raghunathan
So nice of you to share such a good information. Thanks.
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Deepa Kannan
I'm so glad you enjoyed reafding it!
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Esi
Deepa, Your blog provide valuable nutritional information. I am so glad you take your time to compile these info for your client/us. Thank you
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Deepa Kannan
Thank you Esi ? so happy to know that you think so!
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Rama Sampath Kumar
Lovely piece on cherries- a fruit I love. Thanks Deepa for sharing with us. Would like to know more about pits..,those which are good for health. Apple seeds too are toxic? Certain seeds like the water melon etc are they good and is there a limit on the quantity one can consume! Keep up the spirit and a Big God Bless!
Shyam
Thats a fantastic information for those who seek simple answers. Thanks deepa for sharing to the world.