Cherries

The cherry is a member of the rose family. It falls within the classification of a drupe, meaning that it is a fruit that contains a pit covered with edible
flesh. The two main types of cherries are sweet and sour (also known as pie or tart). The sweet cherry includes many varieties such as Bing,
Ranier, Lambert, Royal Anne, and Van. The Bing is the most popular type of eating cherry in the United States. The Montmorency cherry is the sour
cherry most often used in pies. One cherry tree can produce enough cherries to make about twenty-eight pies.

Sweet cherries originated in two places: the Caucasus Mountains and Turkey. The sour cherry originated in Eastern and Central Europe. During
the Norman invasion in 1066, the cherry was brought to England. In the seventeenth century, British and French settlers brought cherries with them
to North America. Wild cherries (also known as chokecherries) are indigenous to North America and were spread across the country by the Native
Americans. Cherry trees adorned French gardens in Midwestern settlements.

 Where Are Cherries Grown?

Sweet cherries are grown throughout Europe and North America. Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Russia, and Germany are big producers in
Europe. Sour cherries are grown in the United States, Russia, Germany, and Eastern Europe. Germany tops the world in cherry production,
followed by the United States. In the United States, sweet cherries are grown in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California. Sour cherries are
grown in Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin.

Why Should I Eat Cherries?

Cherries contain vitamins A, C, and the Bs; the minerals calcium, iron, and potassium; and fiber. Cherries are an important source for a variety of
phytochemicals. Beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that has been linked to lower blood-cholesterol levels, and anthocyanins give the cherry its red color
and may also reduce inflammation and pain. Quercetin may help prevent heart disease. Amygdalin may reduce tumor growth and size. Ellagic acid
may help fight bacterial infections and also cancer. Perillyl alcohol is an antioxidant that may have antitumor activity. Sour cherries have more
phenolic compounds than sweet cherries and are also a natural source of free radical scavengers called superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Home Remedies

Native Americans used wild cherries (chokecherries) as a cough suppressant. Hot cherry pits have been used to heat beds on cold nights. Tart
cherries have been used for tooth decay, prevention of varicose veins, and headaches. Cherries have been known to have laxative effects and can
relieve constipation.

Lifesaver!

CANCER: Studies with tart cherries suggest that they contain substances that substantially reduce the formation of heterocyclic aromatic

amines (HCAAs), the carcinogenic chemicals that occur from the charring of meat. A mouse study found that anthocyanins, a phytochemical in tart
cherries, reduced colon cancer cell growth.

HEADACHE: Eating around twenty cherries a day may help with reducing headaches, according to researchers from Michigan State University.

EXERCISE-INDUCED MUSCLE PAIN: Men who drank tart cherry juice after performing weight-training exercises had less muscle pain and

strength loss. (Women may also benefit but this particular study looked exclusively at men.)
GOUT, ARTHRITIS, INFLAMMATORY PAIN: Black or Bing cherries have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, specifically a
substance called cyanidin, which may shut down the pain caused by uric acid crystals. In one study, healthy men and women ate Bing cherries for
twenty-eight days. Inflammation markers were reduced and remained low for days even after discontinuation of cherry intake. The inclusion of
cherries in the diet may be a powerful tool for preventing inflammatory disease before it becomes painfully apparent!

HEART HEALTH: A study done on men and women found that eating Bing cherries decreased certain blood markers of heart disease.

DIABETES: Anthocyanins in tart cherries were found to increase insulin production in animal pancreatic cells by fifty percent.

SLEEP: Tart Montmorency cherries are rich in the antioxidant melatonin, which may help in promoting sleep.

Tips on Using Cherries

SELECTION AND STORAGE:

• Cherries should be free from any dents or discoloration. One bad cherry can cause the entire batch to deteriorate quickly.
• Be sure the cherries you select are as ripe as you wish them to be. They will not ripen after they are picked.
• Place unwashed cherries in the refrigerator for up to one week.

PREPARATION AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

• To freeze cherries, take the stems off and freeze on a cookie sheet. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 10 months.
• To pit a cherry, cut the cherry in half with a paring knife and pick out the pit.
• For cherry-stained hands, squeeze fresh lemon juice all over hands and rinse with warm water.
• Eat cherries by themselves or on top of ice cream, salads, and cereal. Mix into cookie and muffin batter, or even in a sauce on meat and fish.
• Use frozen cherries to make a cherry pie.