With high levels of vitamin A and powerful antioxidants, cherries deserve a prominent place in your diet. Eating more dried cherries, along with drinking plenty of water and eating other high-fiber foods, is a good way to keep constipation at bay. While other dried fruits may have greater amounts of fiber, dried cherries still contain enough fiber and sorbitol to help you meet your daily requirements and keep you regular.
Constipation
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse defines constipation as having fewer than three bowel movements per week with stools that are hard, small and difficult to pass. While constipation is uncomfortable, it is a symptom and not a disease in itself. Self-help measures for prevention and treatment are usually enough to get you back on track, but you should see your doctor if it persists or other complications arise.
Fiber
Dried cherries contain 2 g fiber in a 1/2 cup serving, less than the fiber in prunes or dried apricots, but still a good amount to help you reach 20 to 35 g per day, the amounts recommended by the American Dietetic Association. The fiber helps move foods through your intestines before all the water is absorbed, keeping your stools moister and easier to eliminate. Moreover, fiber provides bulk and a softer texture to your stools, making them easier for your body to pass. Since a diet low in fiber cause most constipation, eating dried cherries will help you treat and prevent the condition.
Sorbitol
Foods high in sorbitol, a natural sugar, tend to have a laxative effect in some people. According to the NHS Evidence website, levels of sorbitol are five to 10 times higher in dried fruit than they are in fresh fruit. If you have a fructose intolerance, the sorbitol in dried cherries may cause digestive problems, such as stomach pain, gas or diarrhea.
Using Dried Cherries
Toss a generous handful of dried cherries in your next batch of chocolate chip cookies, your next bowl of oatmeal, or in any recipe that calls for raisins or any other dried fruit, such as quick breads and muffins. Try dried cherries in green salads and fruit salads and in sauces for meat and chicken. Cherries also add a note of color and flavor to apple or pear pies and crisps.
References
- Choose Cherries: Cherries -- Not Just Another Berry
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Constipation; July 2007
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Dietary Fiber Intake in the US Population; Elaine Lanza, Ph.D., et al.; July 2011
- NHS Evidence: Constipation -- Management
- MayoClinic.com; Fructose Intolerance: Which Foods Should I Avoid?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; March 20ll
