Friday, August 24, 2012

Summer Beauty Foods: The Cherry



One of the things I look forward to during the summertime is that stone fruits are back in season. Juicy plums, apricots, and peaches are everywhere and I couldn’t be happier. Another fruit in their family is the cherry. These fruits are not only delicious, but rank high in the anti-inflammatory kitchen. Cherries come in sweet and sour varieties, but the sour cherries have a shorter peak time.

1. Cherries are definitely a super-fruit, filled with antioxidants called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins help reduce heart disease and cancer.

2. Their potent anti-inflammatory properties reduce inflammation and symptoms of arthritis and gout. To reduce post-exercise muscle and joint pain, athletes have been known to consume tart cherries.

3. Cherries contribute to the quality of your beauty sleep. These fruits are one of the few food sources that contain melatonin, an antioxidant and hormone that helps regulate heart rhythms and the body’s sleep cycles.

4. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which helps protects the cells. This in turn slows the aging process.

5. Cherries also give more power to your brain! They aid in brain health and in the prevention of memory loss by protecting brain cells against oxidative stress. So remember to eat cherries, and you’ll start remembering a lot more.

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