We have lots of different types of cherries. I spent last weekend harvesting all the sour cherries in our garden. So I thought I would tell you about the benefits of them and why they are so healthy.

High in Antioxidants

All cherries contain lots of antioxidants. However sour cherries contain the most antioxidants. One and a half servings of sour cherries is all you need to increase the amount of antioxidants in your body.

High in Vitamin C

Sour cherries are a great source of Vitamin C which is a very important antioxidant. Vitamin C helps your immune system, helps your body grow and repair and helps protct your body from cancer. 1 cup of sour cherries will give you about 25% of your reccomended allowance of Vitamin C.

Help Prevent Cancer

Sour cherries also contain plenty of fibre. Fibre is a very useful nutrient and is important for proper digestion and preventing weight gain. Fibre is also very important for lowering the risk of colon cancer. Studies have shown a link between eating sour cherries and a reduced risk of colon cancer

Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation can cause lots of illnesses such as arthritis or gout. The good news is that there is evidence that sour cherries are very good at fighting inflammation because of the high amount of antioxidants they have. A study was carried out on people who suffered from gout. They were given sour cherries for 2 days and the results showed that there was a 35% decrease in gout attacks in that time.

Help Prevent Heart Disease

Sour cherries have also been linked with reducing the risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that sour cherries can reduce the risk of stroke and also lower blood pressure.

Sour Cherries are one of the healthiest fruits and because they are in season you know they are fresh right now. You can use them in lots of ways, in baking, in smoothies or with your morning porridge. If you have any great recipes for sour cherries then share them here.