Nutritional value of cherries

Information on Cherries

Cherries are among the most popular fruits because they aredelicious and they also provide the human body with numerous essentialnutrients. They are jam packed with minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber and othersorts of nutrients and that is why they have been enjoyed ever since the timesof the Ancient Greece and Rome. Cherries have been brought to the American soilduring the 17th century, but it was not until the 19thcentury that the cherries started being recognized as a very delicious and avery healthy sort of fruit. Cherries are commonly consumed in their raw, freshform but they may also be enjoyed in their dried or frozen form, or in the formof juice.

Nutritional Value of Cherries

One of the main benefits of cherries is that they providethe human body with abundant amounts of antioxidants. These substances are veryefficient in warding off all sorts of infections, fighting the free radicalsand reducing the amount of damage they cause to all different cells in thehuman body. Cherries are actually an affordable alternative to various exoticberries. They are an excellent source of anthocyanins 1 and anthocyanins 2which are known for their potent anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.They also provide the cherries with their characteristic ruby red color. Aserving of 100 grams of cherries contains 18.5 milligrams of phytosterols.These chemical compounds may be of great help when it comes to boosting the immunesystem, preventing different types of cancer, decreasing the levels of badcholesterol in the blood and increasing the levels of good cholesterol in theblood. Cherries are an excellent source of melatonin which is very efficient inproviding healthy sleep patterns. Ten cherries contain 1.4 grams of dietaryfiber, which means that they are excellent when it comes to preventingconstipation and aiding the process of digestion. A cup of cherries contains10.8 milligrams of vitamin C. Cherries are abundant in other vitamins such asbeta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin B6 and vitamin A, and they all providenumerous health benefits. A serving of 100 grams of cherries contains 396micrograms of boron which is very important for the overall health of thebones. The same serving also contains 260 milligrams of potassium which is veryimportant in maintaining proper health of the heart and the kidneys. Otherminerals contained in cherries include iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium,copper, manganese and zinc.

Cherries Health Benefits

Cherries may come in very handy for all those who sufferfrom different sorts of infections, heart diseases, high cholesterol levels,diabetes, cancer, gout, arthritis and obesity. A serving of 120 grams ofcherries contains only 74 calories.