“Some emerging research suggests that Montmorency tart cherries may play a role in gut health,” Rumsey says. One study, for instance, found that tart cherries’ polyphenols may have a positive impact on the gut microbiome. Plus, the fruit contains fiber, which is basically the wizard of gut health and supports digestive regularity.
7 Health Benefits of Cherries Cherries are full of antioxidants They protect against diabetes They promote healthy sleep They can provide arthritis relief They lower the risk of gout attacks They curb cholesterol They reduce post-exercise pain How to max out the health benefits of cherries
In some individuals, digestion may be negatively affected by cherries. Upset stomach, bloating and gas can result from eating not only cherries, but other types of foods included on the list of foods that are fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols — aka FODMAPs.
Making cherries and cherry products a staple part of your diet is a small shift that may snowball into big-time health benefits. Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health ’s contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a consultant for the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets.
Why are cherries good for you?
Cherries are particularly beneficial in this regard, as they’re rich in nutrients and compounds that are known to promote heart health , including potassium and polyphenol antioxidants.
Tart cherries and their juice seem to be more effective than sweet varieties, though both may aid athletes.
Their colors can vary from yellow to deep blackish-red. All varieties are highly nutritious and packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. One cup (154 grams) of sweet, raw, pitted cherries provides ( 1. Trusted Source.
Cherries are small stone fruits that come in a variety of colors and flavors. There are two major categories — tart and sweet cher ries, or Prunus cerasus L. and Prunus avium L., respectively.
Increasing your intake of nutrient-dense fruits like cherries is a tasty way to protect your heart.
These stone fruits also contain carotenoid pigments like beta-carotene and vitamin C, both of which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well ( 6 ).
This high antioxidant content may help combat oxidative stress, a condition that is linked to multiple chronic diseases and premature aging ( 5. Trusted Source. ).
Why do cherries make you bloated?
The sugar in cherries can draw water into your digestive tract, causing bloating, says Ray Scott Daugherty, Jr., MD, a colon and rectal surgeon at Baton Rouge General. When this happens, it also affects how the muscles in the bowel wall contract, and sometimes constipation occurs — which leads to yet more belly bloat. 3.
If you have IBS, try a smaller portion (say, 1/4 cup) and see how you feel. 2. Don’t Eat Them on an Empty Stomach. Too much fructose at once can mess with your digestion. Instead, try eating cherries with other foods that have low or no fructose, like lean meats, cheddar cheese, oats, eggs or nuts and seeds. 3.
Cherries can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea for some people. Like most fruits and vegetables, cherries can be a healthy addition to your diet. But, believe it or not, this tasty summer fruit can trigger gas, bloating, stomach pain and diarrhea for some people, especially those with underlying digestive conditions.
4. Cherries and Diarrhea. According to Harvard Health Publishing, sugar, namely fructose, is a big offender when it comes to diarrhea. Sugars stimulate the GI tract to put out water and electrolytes, which loosen bowel movements.
It’s important to understand why cherries can be the bad guy when it comes to your digestive system. Cherries are high in fructose as well as sorbitol, according to Food Intolerance Diagnostics, so they’re considered a FODMAP, which stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols.
Why do cherries make you poop?
“Soluble fiber helps the body digest foods more slowly and control blood sugar levels ,” says Texas-based registered dietitian Maggy Doherty, RD. Meanwhile, insoluble fiber helps to add bulk to your stool, which helps move waste through the body more efficiently. The result? Fewer intestinal traffic jams.
Cherries have such potent anti-inflammatory activity, they may help reduce the risk of several inflammatory diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. “They’ve even been studied as a way to reduce pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and muscular pain post-workout,” says Dixon.
However, it’s probably not the fiber in cherries that’s causing your digestive woes. For most people, cherries don’t contain enough fiber to cause a noticeable increase in number-two trips when they eat just a serving or two.
Use frozen black cherries in smoothies, add fresh cherries to Greek yogurt or toss dried cherries into your trail mix, suggests Doherty. “All of these methods help incorporate this healthy fruit into your diet without overdoing it,” she says.
The first is the naturally occurring sugar alcohols that cherries contain. “Most people think of sugar alcohols as only being found in processed food, gum and candy,” says Dixon. “But some fruits contain sugar alcohols too.”.
For many of us, fresh cherries are a go-to summertime snack-and as luck would have it , this mouthwatering stone fruit is as healthy as it gets.
On the flip side, eat cherries with foods you know you do tolera te well. “Diluting the substances found in cherries can lessen their effect on the GI tract,” says Dixon. Eating them with other foods, such as part of a typical meal-rather than on an empty stomach as a snack-can make them less likely to cause GI distress.
What are the nutrients in cherries?
There is so much good to this tiny, pitted fruit. Cherries boast vitamins B, C and K as well as potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper and iron, according to the US DA.
About 91 percent of the total calories in cherries come from healthy carbohydrates, which your body uses for energy. These carbs are needed to fuel many metabolic and physical processes, including your brain, heart and nervous system.
1. Cherries May Help Relieve Gout Pain. Cherries contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may be helpful in treating pain associated with gout, an arthritic condition. Cherry juice may help reduce levels of serum uric acid in the body — and the buildup of this acid leads to gout.
According to an Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) analysis of data from the Department of Agriculture in 2019, over 225 different pesticides were found on various fruits. After washing, 90 percent of cherries tested were found to contain two or more pesticides.
Here’s a breakdown of the nutrition in 1 cup of cherries (about 22 cherries): Cherries are also rich in vitamin C: A 1-cup serving has 10.8 milligrams or 12 percent of your Daily Value (DV). About 91 percent of the total calories in cherries come from healthy carbohydrates, which your body uses for energy.
Fiber passes through your body relatively intact, absorbing water and adding bulk to help digested food move through your intestines. By increasing the size of your stool and softening it, fiber helps to relieve constipation, irritable bowel syndrome and other gastrointestinal disorders, per the Mayo Clinic. 3.
In a study of adults with insomnia, those who drank 1 cup of tart cherry juice before bed increased their sleep time by 84 minutes, per a small March 2018 pilot study in the American Journal of Therapeutics .
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