Are Cherries Good for You?

You find cherries in pies and pastries, dotted on pineapple upside-down cake, or at the top of an ice cream sundae. And since all of these aren’t the healthiest uses for the fruit, you might be asking: Are cherries good for you?

Cherries are filled with a variety of nutrients. The deep red color of certain strains speaks to their high antioxidant content, which can help to prevent heart disease and certain cancers. This has been studied enough to warrant a place on the American Institute for Cancer Research’s “Foods that Fight Cancer.” Cherries can reverse some damage to the cells of the body and boost your overall immunity, too.

They also have phytochemicals and Vitamin C, which can reduce arthritis pain in older people. It’s also very useful to ingest after exercise, as these nutrients can lessen inflammation and muscle pain. Drinking tart cherry juice can even help to regulate your sleep schedule, with studies showing that they can increase your sleep time by an average of 85 minutes.

Are cherries good for you? There are more ways to eat cherries than in a cake or pie. If you want to see how cherries can be good for you, mix them into a compote and serve them with goat cheese, which is a healthy fat and a great source of protein. You can use them as a natural sweetener in barbeque sauce or toss them in as an unexpected delight in any salad.

If you aren’t that much of a cook, you can get dried cherries and mix them into oatmeal or granola. You can even freeze them to use in smoothies, which provides even more potential to add nutrients through greens and seeds.

Are cherries good for you? Yes! However you use them, cherries are a great addition to a healthy and active lifestyle. They’ll ease your aches and improve your sleep and make you feel better the whole day through.