Insights Series: Healing Power of Food: Cherries.

In the spirit of my Food & Nutrition Coaching studies which I finalised in May, I created this insights series to share some of the incredible information I learned about nutrition and the intriguing topic Food as Medicine. If you are interested in building your knowledge, please join me on Instagram or Facebook.

Food as Medicine was an extensive and interesting unit, focused on the concept of eating foods for disease prevention. It described whole foods, explored healing properties of specific foods or food groups from a traditional and scientific perspective while also recognising the benefits of eating local and seasonal produce.

In focus – Cherries.

December is the middle of the cherry season - who doesn’t love some cherries as part of the Christmas celebrations? Cherries always hold a special place in my heart as they bring up memories from when I grew up and stood under the cherry tree on our farm with my dad, eating them straight from the tree :)

Cherries not only taste amazing, they also offer great nutritional value – both sweet and tart cherries are a source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, potassium and also have a reasonable amount of calcium for fruit (22mg/100g). Note, sour or tart cherries generally have a higher nutritional value – they are mostly used for making jams, preserves or for baking.

Let’s take a closer look – here are some key call out’s:                                                                 

Cherries are rich in phytochemicals.

• Chlorogenic acid - a polyphenol compound (plant compound) that has antioxidant properties, helping to prevent heart disease and other inflammatory conditions
  • Chlorogenic acid is also found in coffee beans for example or other food sources such as apples, pears, blueberries, strawberries, potatoes or tomatoes
• Anthocyanins - responsible for the red skin and flesh colour; they are a class of flavonoids and known for anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties as well as helping to prevent cardiovascular disease
  • There is some evidence that consumption may lower plasma urate (high levels are linked to gout or kidney stones)
• Glycosides - play many roles in the body, for example, cardiac glycoside stimulates the contractions of the heart muscle
• Melatonin - probably best known for or associated with sleep - it carries a few important functions including energy metabolism and glucose balance regulation
  • While cherries are a natural source of melatonin, the amounts are tiny
  • More information on melatonin below.

Health benefits of cherries.

• Help with inflammation - as they are rich in beta-carotene, a compound supportive of heart health as well as Vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps with free radicals
• May prevent cancer - sour cherries are an abundant source of quercetin, a flavonoid that is known for its antioxidant and anticarcinogenic activities
• Support healthy blood cholesterol levels - as they are a good source of pectin, a soluble fibre that controls blood cholesterol
• Supportive of gout - research suggests that a substance in cherries called cyanidin (a type of anthocyanin) has anti-inflammatory properties which may help reduce the swelling and pain of gout
• Ease arthritis pain - albeit limited research, it is shown that sour cherries potentially alleviate symptoms of arthritis.
  

Melatonin.

Often referred to as the sleep hormone, melatonin plays an important part in regulating our sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm.  Melatonin was discussed in another unit as well - Psychology of Food, an introduction to Neuro-Gastro-Enterology i.e. the study of how our gut and brain are interconnected and influence each other and how the food we eat influences us, our system including our moods.

Did you know?

• Melatonin is derived from serotonin which in turn is made from tryptophan, an essential amino acid (therefore must be consumed through food intake)
• Melatonin is primarily secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, yet it can also be synthesised in the retina of the eyes, bone marrow cells, platelets, skin and the Gastro-Intestinal (GI) tract, the latter contains more melatonin than the pineal gland
• Melatonin from the GI tract can be released into the blood stream especially when the dietary levels of tryptophan are high
• While melatonin is produced when the sun goes down and helps us to go to sleep, it is also produced during the day – this is a new concept; melatonin acts in the cells as an antioxidant during the day, aiding cellular detoxification processes
• Melatonin supports our immune system, has anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing and neuro-protective properties; it helps regulate our mood and blood glucose metabolism
• Chronic disruption correlates to weight gain, obesity, impaired blood sugar control, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.

A word of caution.

• Cherries contain natural sorbitol which in large quantity can be laxative
• People who are allergic to apricots or other members of the plum family, may have a reaction to cherries.

Store cherries in the fridge and wash only just before eating.

This article and ongoing posts on my Social Media channels are intended for educational purposes and not deemed as advice. As always, listen to your body and conduct further research to ensure this is right for you or consult with your GP or relevant healthcare professional.

Enjoy the cherry season,

Lexi

“A relationship isn’t going to make me survive. It’s the cherry on top."

~ Jennifer Aniston ~

Sources:

• Full content credit goes to the Nature Care College via the Learning Guide and the excellent lectures by our tutor Fiona (who practices as a naturopath)
• Berkoff, F. & Schwarcz, J., Foods that harm, foods that heal, Reader’s Digest (2018), Trusted Media Brands, Inc, pp. 76-77.

 Related article in this series - click on link to read:

• Insights Series: Healing Power of Food - Black Tea
• Insights Series: Healing Power of Food - Lemons
• Insights Series: Healing Power of Food - Sweet Potatoes