Cherries
The season for cherries is coming and here are some great data why you should include those fresh little red balls in your daily menu.
Benefits of Eating Cherries
Cherries are a very tasty and nutritious fruit. They contain many vitamins, minerals and compounds which have many health benefits. Some studies have shown cherries are especially beneficial in fighting some cancers. They contain a number of anti-oxidants which help "mop up" free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules which cause damage to cells as the circulating molecule attacks other healthy cells. Damage to cells caused by free radicals have been shown to speed up the aging process.
A diet with cherries may detoxify the body, help the digestive system, and slow down the aging process.
Cherries consumption may prevent the flu. They may also prevent the gout and fight against inflammations. Cherries are recommended in case of renal affections, obesity, biliary lithiasis, arthritis, lack of minerals, cardiac affections, colitis, dropsy, atherosclerosis, and renal lithiasis.
The cherry juice has the same properties and effects as the cherry fruits. The juice is a good laxative and diuretic. It may also be used as a sedative for nevrosis. Those who suffer from headaches can use patches with squashed cherries.
Although a good source of vitamins, they are not as high in vitamin C or vitamin A as fruits like strawberries or blackcurrants but its the presence of other antioxidants and compounds that are responsible for the many health benefits of cherries.
Cherries contain: water, sugars, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, P, PP, and Bioflavonoids, Ellagic acid, Perillyl, anthocyanins and Melatonin.
The nutrients and compounds found in cherries give the following health benefits:
* Help fight cancer
* Aid in prevention of heart disease
* Relieve Pain of Arthritis, Gout, Headaches
* Ease the symptoms associated with Fibromyalgia Syndrome
* Provide a healthy and safe way to produce melatonin
* Improve physiological and mental functions
How cherries can help when losing weight
According to one study you can lose weight if once a week you reserve a day only for cherries - about 1-2 kilos. You can't eat much anyway: your stomach gets full fast.
Cherries are low in calories, low in fat and contain a high percentage of water. Research has shown increasing water consumption will boost energy levels and help increase the metabolism. Many people are discovering the benefits of eating high water fruits like cherries for help in losing weight.
Like most fruit cherries are also high in potassium and low in sodium. This helps control water retention by improving water balance, a diet lower in sodium often results in the loss of excess water weight.
FOR BODYBUILDERS - GO RED FOR RECOVERY
When it comes to selecting foods to help build muscle and strength, most people think of egg whites, tuna, brown rice and other similar bodybuilding "delicacies". Probably one of the last foods that comes to mind is the cherry. Truth is, cherries, used correctly, can provide a host of diverse benefits for improving exercise recovery.
In addition to being baked into delicious pies, cherries have been used medicinally for many years. Many people who suffer from inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and gout, turn to different forms of cherries to help relieve their painful symptoms. Compounds found within cherries, known as anthocyanins, are believed to be the active components that reduce inflammation in the body. Over the past few years, studies have found that cherry consumption can reduce levels of specific inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein.
Since hard training in the gym can result in high levels of inflammation in bodybuilders, it would make sense that consuming cherries could help reduce or control postexercise inflammation. High inflammation levels can impair recovery and slow down gains in the gym, so it's important to keep inflammation under control. Based on current scientific information on the benefits of cherries, scientists from the University of Vermont decided to test the effects of drinking cherry juice during exercise recovery from negative-rep training. They had 14 males drink 14 ounces of either cherry juice or a placebo twice daily for eight days. On the fourth day, subjects performed negative reps of one-arm biceps curls in order to induce high levels of pain and inflammation. The scientists reported that when subjects drank cherry juice, they had significantly decreased postexercise pain and strength loss over the first four days following the exercise protocol, as compared to the placebo group. The scientists concluded that drinking cherry juice is effective for reducing some of the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage.
After you work out, consider using cherries or cherry juice for some of your postworkout carbs. Not only will they help to replenish your glycogen levels, but they will also jump-start the recovery process and decrease pain and inflammation.
Dropping one-half to one cup of sweet or tart cherries into a blender along with protein powder can add flavor to your postworkout shake. You can also use cherry juice to replace about half of the carbs you normally consume after your workout.
taken from Flex Magazine, August 2006