Health Benefits Of Fresh Cherries

Tasty and full of nutrients, cherries are some of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet. According to TheNibble website, the two main types of cherry species are sweet or wild cherry, or Prunus avium, and tart or sour cherry, Prunus cerasus. Cherries are rich in antioxidants, contain no cholesterol and are low in fat and sodium. With nutrient credentials such as these, it's no surprise that cherries provide several health benefits.

Fiber

Like most fruits, cherries provide dietary fiber, which your body needs for several functions. One cup of cherries provides about 2.7g of dietary fiber. Fiber is essential for intestinal health and helps to prevent constipation and ease bowel movements. According to MayoClinic.com, fiber also helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Because your body cannot digest fiber, you absorb fewer calories when you eat it.

Exercise Recovery

Eating cherries or drinking cherry juice after a workout can speed up your recovery, according to a study conducted at Northumbria University in England, reports ScienceDaily. In the study, athletes who drank Montmorency cherry juice recovered more quickly after running a marathon than participants who took a placebo. Throughout the 48 hours following the marathon, athletes in the cherry juice group suffered less inflammation and oxidative stress, which is a potentially harmful side effect of long-distance running and strenuous physical activity in general.

Antioxidant Benefits

Antioxidants fight free radicals in your body to help ward off disease and delay aging. In a University of Michigan study presented at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting, researchers revealed that consuming 1 1/2 cups of tart cherries significantly increased antioxidants levels in the body, reports Medical News Today. In particular, cherries boosted antioxidants called anthocyanins, which are also responsible for cherries' red color.

Arthritis and Inflammatory Conditions

Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the joints. Fresh Bing cherries reduced the levels of plasma urate, which plays a key role in gout, another form of arthritis, in a study conducted by researchers at the ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center. The cherries also lowered levels of other substances --- nitric oxide and C-reactive protein --- that, when elevated, indicate inflammation and contribute to arthritis.