Not only do cherries taste great, they contain many vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds which can be enormously beneficial for our health. The best thing? They’re in season now, so you can buy yours today and benefit from all their delicious goodness…
Cherries contain:
- Fibre – makes you feel fuller, helps digestion and bowel regularity.
- Vitamin C – is extremely important for your immune system and skin health.
- Potassium – regulates fluid balance and muscle contraction.
- High levels of polyphenols – plant chemicals that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antioxidants protect your body against free radicals, which are produced during the breakdown of food, as well as when you are exercising. Free radicals can contribute towards heart disease and cancer, as well as post-workout stiffness, so, incorporating cherries or other foods high in polyphenols into your daily diet can help reduce your chronic disease risk level and also help you recover faster from physical activity.
- Melatonin – which regulates your sleep-wake cycle, and can help improve your quality of sleep.
Cherries and their Associated Health Benefits
The benefits of cherries have been heavily researched within sports nutrition as they have been shown to improve both performance and recovery. One of the key researches in this field, Joanne Bowtell of Exeter University, has found:
- To improve sporting performance in endurance activities and repeated sprints, you need to consume 300mg of polyphenols (approximately 100g of cherries) 1-2 hours prior to exercise. This will improve muscle perfusion, allowing oxygen to get to the muscles more easily.
- To improve your recovery from physical activity, you’ll need to consume more than 1000mg of polyphenols per day for 3+ days pre-exercise, which is equivalent to 300g cherries per day, 450g of blueberries, or 120g of blackcurrants. This probably sounds like a lot of fruit! Just remember to strike a balance – be aware that lots of fruit can upset your stomach, and it’s also important to get the nutrients your body needs from a range of foods, so try to mix up your polyphenol dietary sources for a varied and nutritious diet.
New studies are also showing significant health benefits of consuming cherries, in particular in relation to reducing the risk of heart disease.
A breakfast berry smoothie with cherries is a quick and easy way to incorporate extra vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds into your diet.
If you’re short of time, you can even make your berry smoothie the evening before in preparation for the next day. Consider using frozen fruits, which keep for longer and still contain all the goodness.
Polyphenol-Packed Cherry Berry Smoothie Recipe:
- 3x heaped tablespoons of flavoured or plain yoghurt
- 50g frozen raspberries
- 100g frozen cherries
- 100g frozen blueberries
- Add some honey if you have a sweet tooth
- Spinach (beneficial for endurance exercise, and the taste is hidden by the fruit)
- 1x banana
Put the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Feel free to adapt this recipe to your taste and portion preferences. For extra protein, add oats, protein powder, or some nut butter.
If you fancy a sweet treat, you can even freeze this smoothie for a healthy yet delicious cheat’s ice cream!
If smoothies aren’t to your taste, you could:
- Snack on fresh cherries throughout the day.
- Make a healthy fruit compote to put on top of yoghurt, granola, porridge, or muesli by simmering chopped fresh cherries with a little water and some honey or maple syrup for added sweetness.
- Dot cherries into a healthy banana pancake recipe or breakfast muffins.
- Try Cherry Active, which consists of concentrated Montmorency cherries, shown to help with sleep, gout, arthritis, gut health, etc.
- Cherry Active is packed full of antioxidant power, which helps us deal with toxins.
- The best way to measure antioxidant power is through measuring its ORAC (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) potential. This is an objective measure of how good a food is at dealing with the oxidant ‘exhaust fumes’ of life.
- The oldest living people consume at least 6,000 ORACs a day.
- One of the simplest and easiest ways to achieve 6,000 ORACs is to have a daily shot of Cherry Active, diluted with water. This measures 8,260 on the ORAC scale, which is equivalent to around 23 portions of regular fruit and vegetables!
In Conclusion
In conclusion, cherries offer substantial health benefits, particularly in the realms of sports nutrition and cardiovascular health. The consumption of cherries has been extensively researched, revealing their significant impact on improving athletic performance and aiding in recovery.
The high polyphenol content in cherries contributes to their effectiveness in enhancing muscle oxygenation and reducing exercise-induced inflammation. Furthermore, beyond their sports-related advantages, cherries are increasingly recognised for their role in promoting heart health, potentially lowering the risk of heart disease.
For such a tiny fruit, the health benefits on offer are significant. So, this summer, while cherries are still in season, it might be time to think about how even just a handful a day could positively impact your exercise routine, cardiovascular health, and cancer risk level. It’s time to get stuck in – just don’t forget to take the stones out!
