Benefits of cherry juice

Drinking cherry juice is a great way to stay healthy without having to worry about the calories, fats and other things that pose a threat to a slim figure. Cherry juice can be found in every grocery store and supermarket, but the problem with those juices is that one can never be sure how much sugars, colors and preservatives were added to it, so it is always better to make the juice at home, using fresh, hand-picked cherries and using only safe ingredients.

About cherry juice

Cherries are small, round fruits of the Prunus genus. There are several varieties of this fruit, the most popular being tart cherries, sweet cherries and sour cherries. The cherry three has beautiful white or pink flowers, and the fruit which matures in spring or early summer, depending on the geography and the climate, is round, fleshy, with a large inedible seed or stone inside. The skin is thin and its color can range from orange, light red, dark red to burgundy, while the flesh is usually yellow or pink.

Cherries are very juicy fruits, and cherry juice is a highly appreciated beverage, both for its wonderful flavor and for its significant health benefits. The juice can be bought in grocery stores and health food shops, but it can easily be made at home, using a juicer or a food processor.

Benefits of cherry juice

One of the best qualities of cherry juice is its high antioxidant content. Antioxidants are important because they scavenge for free radicals and repair their damage, preventing diseases like cancer and atherosclerosis. The level of antioxidant capacity of a food or beverage is expressed using Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). Suffice is to say that drinking just one and a half cup of cherry juice has the same ORAC as 23 pieces of different fruits and vegetables.

In addition, cherries contain anthocyanins, pigments responsible for their red color. Research has found that these particular pigments play an important role in prevention of cancer, stroke and heart problems.

By reducing the levels of uric acid in the blood, cherries are very useful against problems associated with high uric acid levels, such as gout. Cherry juice is also highly recommended for people who suffer from arthritis, because they significantly reduce the pain, again thanks to anthocyanins. The cherries that have the highest content of anthocyanins are tart cherries, but other varietes, like black and sweet cherries, also provide a large dose of antioxidants.

Cherry juice is a great way to boost the immune system and protect the body from seasonal infections, like flu and common cold, and it works even better if combined with apple juice.

This juice is also highly recommended for athletes, because it has the property to reduce or completely prevent the muscle pain and fatigue, as well as the cramps.