One of the reasons I love Summer: Cherries, nutritionally good for you!

Summer time brings so much goodness... More ocean swims, daily if I can.

Amazing sunsets, with a cocktail in hand if I can.

Seasonal summer fruits, including my absolute favourite cherries, whenever I can.

In fact I eat cherries every day when they are in season..mmmmmmm, delicious!!

Most people like cherries, but did you know that they can also relieve pain, help you avoid premature ageing, and add years to your life?

Help Fight Cancer and Disease

Cherries are a rich source of antioxidants. They help prevent or repair the damage that is done to the body’s cells by free radicals. This means that antioxidants replace free radicals in your body before they can cause any damage.

Queritrin--a flavonoid--is rich in cherries, and has been found by researchers to be one of the most potent anticancer agents. When eating cherries, the queritrin is set free to fight off all the body’s cancerous cells.

Cherries also contain ellagic acid, a naturally occurring plant phenolic known as an anti-carcinogenic/anti-mutagenic compound. Some researchers say that ellagic acid may be the most effective way to prevent cancer.

Another compound found in cherries--perillyl alcohol (POH)--is extremely powerful in reducing the occurrence of all types of cancer. Researchers found that POH stops the growth of cancer cells by depriving them of the proteins they need to grow. It has worked on every kind of cancer that POH has been tested against.

Help Relieve Pain of Arthritis and Gout

Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both of these compounds slow down the enzymes Cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -2, which help to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout in the body.

Protection for Diabetes

Sweet cherries have a lower glycemic index of 22, lower than apricots (57), grapes (46), peaches 42), blueberries (40) or plums (39). This makes them a better choice of a fruit snack compared with many other fruits, especially for diabetics.

Eliminate Oxidative Stress and Prevent Premature Aging

Cherries are rich in two important flavonoids, isoqueritrin and queritrin, which act as antioxidants and work to eliminate byproducts of oxidative stress, therefore slowing down the aging process.

Help Cure Migraines

By helping reduce inflammation in the body, the anthocyanin and bioflavonoids in cherries also help eliminate migraine headaches. These compounds are known to have similar activity to aspirin and ibuprofen.

Improve Body’s Circadian Rhythms

Extensive evidence points out that the antioxidant melatonin, which is also rich in cherries, is significant in improving the body’s circadian rhythms. Since melatonin is found in small quantities in the body, a slight increase can produce great results.

Help You Sleep

Melatonin is also found to help the body’s natural sleep patterns. Since the body so rapidly absorbs melatonin, cherries can increase melatonin levels in the blood, therefore improving the way you sleep.

Now you have many good reasons (7 to be exact!) to eat cherries.