Cherries - A Great Summer Treat

Cherries are a seasonal fruit that I love. One cup has only 90 calories and they make a wonderful snack. When I think of cherries I think of cherry pie, cherry turnovers, and cherry tarts. In the area of health herries have been traditionally used to relieve gout. Even today some folks continue to use it for gout and arthritis. Cherries are good for many more things.

Below is a list of the many ways cherries enhance health.

• They are great antioxidants
• They are anti-inflammatory
• Helps lower risk of heart disease
• Helps lower blood sugar levels
• Helps lower risk of colon cancer
• Helps improve memory
• May play a role in cancer prevention

Cherries are packed with nutrition. They have dark pigments which are flavonoids that have powerful antioxidant properties. The anthocyanins in them are anti-inflammatory and responsible for the effects against gout, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. They contain minerals like zinc, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.Cherries have antioxidants like lutein, zea-xanthin and beta carotene. These are good for your eyes and protect against harmful free radicals. They contain vitamins A,C,E and K and several B vitamins.
There is a variety of cherries from the West Indies called Acerola cherries that are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A.


When you buy cherries keep them cool in your refrigerator so they  be handy for a snack.. The flavor and texture change when they are exposed to a higher temperature. Here is a recipe for a cool summer drink..


Cherry Lemonade

12 oz. cherry juice (you can also use pitted cherries)
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Sweetener of choice (add however much you like, I use stevia)
4 cups club soda or seltzer water

Run the cherries, lemon juice and sweetener through the blender until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with club soda or seltzer water.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cherry-fruit-month
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cherry-fruit.html

http://www.medicaldaily.com/cherry-health-benefits-6-reasons-why-you=should-eat-more-cherries246713

Be sure to check out my new web site. The address is www.valerielull.com Have a great day!

Valerie Lull
Author
Ten Healthy Teas
valerielull923@gmail.com