The polyphenolic compounds in this fruit help protect the body from the development of various diseases – from reducing your risk of cancer, dementia to combat diabetes, they’re more than just tasty fruit.
Sweet cherry prolongs youth, improves sleep, reduces the risk of cancer and has a number of other beneficial properties, writes Women’s Health with reference to nutritionists.
This fruit is able to prevent the appearance of wrinkles. Cherries are rich in vitamin C (10 milligrams per cup) and other antioxidants that suppress inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
- Gun Violence in America: What They Don’t Talk About at the Debate
“At the cellular level, oxidative stress is a process that damages our cells and potentially our DNA,” says Samantha Cassetty, MD, nutrition and health expert and co-author of Sugar Shock.
Also, cherries can reduce the risk of cancer due to polyphenols. In 2019, the journal Nutrition and Cancer described the experience of treating breast cancer cells with dark cherry extract in a laboratory – it inhibited the growth of cancer cells by 50 per cent.
A year later, another study was described in the Journal of Functional Foods, which also showed that dark cherry extract inhibited the growth of cancer cells.
Another property of cherries is to lower blood pressure, which is known to lead to the most common causes of death – heart attack and stroke.
The polyphenolic compounds in this fruit increase nitric oxide production and improve the function of the cells that line the blood vessels, Cassetty explained.
Cherry also slows down cognitive decline. Thanks to anthocyanins, polyphenolic antioxidants that give it its deep red color, it improves brain function and memory.
They reduce inflammation and counteract oxidative stress in the brain, which can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
Cherry also protects blood vessels from plaque formation.
This fruit can also help fight type 2 diabetes. The polyphenols in cherries improve insulin sensitivity, so glucose can be absorbed by cells and used for energy.
Finally, cherries help you fall asleep and sleep better. Studies show that people with insomnia have higher levels of oxidative stress, which is why the antioxidants in cherries may help counteract these effects and help normalize sleep, nutritionists say.
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
- Gun Violence in America: What They Don’t Talk About at the Debate
Image Credit: Getty