I recently scored some delicious cherries on sale the night before volunteering at The MLK Health Center & Pharmacy, and then had a patient ask me about their benefits…coincidence? Maybe not!
I’ve also had more than one discussion about superfoods lately. I don’t believe we need to pack our pantries full of fancy things like chia seeds and maca powder to achieve a healthy diet. Not only are they expensive, but they come from far away, in many cases, so they are not locally sourced and so maybe not really the best or only choice for our bodies. I’ll admit that I have both maca and chia seeds in my cupboard, but they are not easy for me to work into my every day. In fact, I forget I have them most of the time since I am not big into smoothies or overnight oatmeal.
The following is a list of simple cherry fun facts:
- They help with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.
- They are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. A superfood!
- They helps lower blood sugar levels.
- They help lower the risk of heart disease.
- Sour cherries can reduce the risk of stroke.
- They can help lower the risk of colon cancer.
- They can help improve memory.
- They are a natural source of melatonin, which helps regulate sleeping rhythms.
More good news is that cherries are easy to add into your regular diet. You can simply snack on them or buy them frozen and add them to smoothies…you can even add dried cherries to your oatmeal. The options are only limited to your imagination, and desire to cook 🙂
My mom used to make a cherry walnut cake for my Dad’s birthday and I reinvented the recipe with rehydrated dried cherries a few years back. You can find the recipe HERE.