Cherry
fruit nutrition facts
This miniature wonder, cherry
fruit is packed with full of health benefiting nutrients and unique
antioxidants. Cherries are native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor
regions.
Botanically, they belong to the
family of rosaceae of genus,
prunus, which also
includes “drupe” family of fruits like plums, peaches, apricots etc.. Although several
species of cherries exist, two important cultivars; wild or sweet
cherry and sour
or tart cherry
are widely popular. Wild or
sweet cherry belongs to the species; prunus avium, and
tart cherry
belongs to that of prunus
cerasus.
 |
|
| Cherries.
|
Tart cherries
|
Cherries are drupe fruits
with central “stony-hard” seed surrounded fleshy fruit measuring 2 cm
in diameter. Externally the fruits have bright "shiny" red or purple
color with very thin skin.
The West Indian cherry
fruit known as aserola
(Malpighia
emarginata) is native to West Indian islands and grown in
Mexico, Texas regions in North America. Acerola belongs to tropical
fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae and
contain 2-3 small seeds. Acerola contain
exceptionally high levels of vitamin-C
and vitamin-A than North
American and European cherries.
Health
benefits of cherry fruit
-
Cherries are one of the
very low calorie fruits; yet are rich source
of nutrients,
vitamins and minerals. Both sweet as well as tart Cherries are packed
with numerous health benefiting compounds that are essential for
wellbeing.
-
Cherries are pigment rich
fruits. These pigments are in fact polyphenolic flavonoid compounds
known as anthocyanin
glycosides. Anthocyanins are red, purple or blue pigments
found in many fruits and vegetables, especially concentrated in their
skin, known to have powerful anti-oxidant properties.
-
Scientific studies have
shown that anthocyanins in the cherries are found to act like
anti-inflammatory agents by blocking the actions of cycloxygenase-1 and
2 enzymes. Thus consumption of cherries has potential health effects
against chronic painful episodes such as gout arthritis, fibromyalgia
(painful muscle condition) and sports injuries.
-
Research studies also
suggest that tart cherries are help body to fight against cancers,
aging and neurological diseases and pre-diabetes.
-
Cherry fruits are very rich
in stable anti-oxidant melatonin.
Melatonin can cross the blood-brain barrier easily and produces
soothing effects on the brain neurons, calming down nervous system
irritability which helps relieve neurosis, insomnia and headache
conditions.
-
They are also good source
of
minerals such as potassium, iron, zinc, copper and manganese.
Potassium is a
heart-healthy mineral; an important component of cell and body fluids
that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
-
The fruits, especially tart
cherries are exceptionally rich in many health promoting
flavonoid poly phenolic anti-oxidants
such as lutein,
zeaxanthin
and beta carotene.
These compounds act as protective
scavengers
against harmful free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS)
that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease process.
-
Cherries’ anti-inflammatory
functions, effective in reducing heart disease risk factors by
scavenging action against free radicals.
-
Acerola
or West
Indian
cherry has exceptionally very high levels of vitamin-C (1677.6 mg per
100 g or 2796 % of RDA) and vitamin-A (767
IU per 100 g).
See the table below for in depth analysis:
Sweet and
Tart Cherry
fruits, fresh,
raw,
Nutritive Value per 100 g,
| Principle |
Nutrient
Value per 100g |
Percentage
of RDA |
| Cherry
type |
|
|
| Energy |
63 cal
50 Kcal |
3%
2.5% |
| Carbohydrates |
16.1 g 12.18 g |
12%
9% |
| Protein |
1.06 g
1.00 g |
2%
2% |
| Total
Fat |
0.2 g
0.3 g |
1%
1.5% |
| Cholesterol |
0 g
0 g |
0%
0% |
| Dietary
Fiber |
2.1
g
1.6 g |
5.5%
4% |
| Vitamins |
|
|
| Folates |
4 mcg
8 mcg |
1%
2% |
| Niacin |
0.154
mg 0.400 mg |
1%
2.5% |
| Pantothenic
acid |
0.199
mg
0.143 mg |
4%
3% |
| Pyridoxine |
0.049
mg 0.044 mg |
4%
3.5% |
| Riboflavin |
0.033
mg
0.040 mg |
2.5%
3% |
| Thiamin |
0.027 mg
0.030 mg |
2%
2.5% |
| Vitamin
C |
7 mg
10 mg |
11%
17% |
| Vitamin A |
640IU
1283 IU |
21%
43% |
| Vitamin
E |
0.07 mg
0.07 mg |
0.5%
0.5% |
| Vitamin K |
2.1
mcg
2.1 mcg |
2%
2% |
| Electrolytes |
|
|
| Sodium |
0 mg
3mg |
0%
0% |
| Potassium |
222
mg 179mg |
5%
4% |
| Minerals |
|
|
| Calcium |
13 mg
16 mg |
1.3%
1.6% |
| Copper |
0.060
mg 0.104 mg |
7%
11.5% |
| Iron |
0.36 mg 0.32 mg |
4.5%
4% |
| Magnesium |
11 mg
9mg |
3%
2% |
| Manganese |
0.070 mg
0.112mg |
3%
5% |
| Phosphorus |
21 mg 15 mg |
3%
2% |
| Zinc |
0.07
mg
0.10 mg |
0.5%
0.1% |
| Phyto-nutrients |
|
|
| Carotene, alpha |
0 mcg
0 mcg |
-- |
| Carotene,
beta |
38
mcg
770 mcg |
-- |
| Crypto-xanthin,
ß |
0 mcg
0 mcg |
-- |
| Lutein-zeaxanthin |
85
mcg 85 mcg |
-- |
(Source: USDA Nutrient database)
Selection
and storage
Cherry fruit
season lasts from
May
end till August in the United States. Fresh ripe cherries have
short shelf life. In the store, choose cherries that have bright, shiny
skin with green stalk firmly attached to the top of the fruit.
Keep fresh
cherries in the
refrigerator. When you want eat them just rinse cherries in
lukewarm water to remove dust and to bring them to room temperature.
Then, gently pat dry with soft cloth to remove moisture.
Preparation
and Serving method
To prepare cherry, remove the stalk, wash them gently in cold
water and pat dry in soft cloth. Ripe
ones can be eaten as a whole including skin to get the maximum benefits.
Sweet cherries
are being used
in several recipes,
- Sweet cherries can be eaten all alone.
- As fruit salad with peach, pear, apricot and
pineapple.
- Fruit cakes, bread and cookie.
- Desserts, pie fillings and toaster Pastries.
Tart cherries
are mainly used in the preparation
of sauce, pie
fillings, jams, muffins and cheese cakes. Tart cherry fruit juice
concentrate is a favorite refreshening drink among athletes and
various sports personnel. Dried tart cherries make delicious additions
to meals and snacks.
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