Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts for 1 cup of cherries, pitted

                                                        Sweet Cherries       Sour Cherries

Calories                                           87                                  77

Total Fat                                          0g                                  0g

Cholesterol                                     0g                                  0g

  Sodium                                            0g                                  5mg

Total Carbohydrate                     22g                                19g

Dietary Fibre                                   3g                                   2g

Sugars (naturally occurring)       19g                                 13g

Protein                                            1.6g                                 2g

 

Percent of daily recommended intake (based on 2000 calorie diet)

Vitamin A                                         2%                                 40%

Vitamin C                                        16%                                26%

Calcium                                            2%                                   2%

Iron                                                   3%                                   3%

Potassium                                      10%                                   8%

Copper                                             5%                                    8%

Manganese                                      5%                                    9%

Fibre                                                13%                                 10%

 

Data taken from:

Source 1 | Source 2

Cherries are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They are also a good source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.

5 reasons to eat more cherries

Fresh, canned or frozen, this flavourful stone fruit is great for your health. Find out why you should make cherries a regular part of your diet

Source: Best Health Magazine, Summer 2009

Nothing says summer like fresh-picked cherries warmed by the sun. The many varieties grown in Canada can be divided into sweet (mostly eaten raw) and sour (often baked into crisps and pies). All are packed with impressive nutrients. Here’s what they can do for you:

1. Ease aching joints

Cherries’ rich red colour comes from anthocyanins, the antioxidants found in grapes (and red wine)’that inhibit enzymes associated with inflammation, and may help soothe soreness linked to muscle and joint pain.

2. Guard your colon

These mighty fruits also contain quercetin, which is a flavonoid with anti-carcinogenic activity. New research in the Journal of Nutrition found it helps prevent damaging lesions, thought to be a predictor of tumours, from forming in the colon.

3. Control cholesterol

All cherries are high in pectin, a soluble fibre that helps to prevent heart disease by lowering ‘bad’ cholesterol.

4. Help your eyesight

Sour cherries contain 19 times the amount of beta-carotene found in blueberries. A precursor to vitamin A, it helps maintain eyesight and healthy skin.

5. Improve your sleep

Cherries, part of the stone fruit family that includes apricots, peaches and plums, are one of the few known food sources of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone that helps to regulate the body’s circadian rhythms and our sleep patterns.

Taken from: http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/nutrition/5-reasons-to-eat-more-cherries/