HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHERRIES

Summer is in full effect and so is the cherry season. I don’t know what it is about this sweet fruit, but it is so addicting and the best part about it is that cherries are actually super healthy for crazy athletes like me and you. Here’s why:

1.    When you are crushing all those challenging workouts at the box, you put a lot of strain on your muscles. Sweet or tart cherries have anti-inflammatory properties due to high concentration of anthocyanins that help to get rid of the oxidative stress in the body created by the WOD you went through. Cherries  help lower your risk of gout attacks and reduce pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

2.   Cherries help increase your melatonin levels and could play a vital role in sleep and bodily regeneration.

3.   Reduce belly fat.

4.   Sweet cherries are rich in fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, each of which may help play a role in cancer prevention.

5.    Contain vitamin E.

6.   Lower risk of stroke.

Even though cherries are often thought of as a dessert fruit that’s used in pies or cocktails, do not forget about all that nutrition that it comes with. Enjoy this low in calories fruit before September hits us. After all, this best and easy to grab snack is ranked among top 20 foods with the most antioxidants and can help alleviate muscle pain and aid in your workout recovery. Don’t wait any longer, go grab those cherries and enjoy!

Resources:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/02/health-benefits-cherries.aspx

Intern- Nataliya Olifer