Delicious AND Nutritious: Cherries are the Cherry on Top

Summer is a great time for many reasons, one being because it's the best time of the year for sweet cherries! The best fruits come from the West Coast of the United States, particularly California and Washington. Kowalski's cherries are especially large. With more fruit than pit, they offer a premium snack experience. They're also delivered to us more often than at competitors' markets, which is particularly important with such perishable product.

Buy shiny, firm cherries with stems attached whenever possible (the soft spot where the stem detaches can harbor moisture and lead to rot). Sweet cherries include Bing and Rainier. Bing season is longer, but yellow-pink Rainiers are worth snatching up whenever you see them. While tastiest at room temperature, cherries store best when cold and dry. Wash right before eating or using. Leave them at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to best enjoy their sweet flavors.

Cherries are wonderful fresh in salads, smoothies and snacks or when cooked in sauces and desserts. But they’re not just delicious – they’re packed with health benefits, too! 1 cup of sweet cherries (about 20 cherries) provides 90 calories and 3 grams of fiber, plus potassium and vitamin C. Cherries are also a great source of bioactive compounds called anthocyanins that provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular and other benefits. While tart cherries get major props for their health powers, sweet cherries pack nearly three times as many anthocyanins as tart ones.

Here are three specific ways sweet cherries can benefit your health:

They reduce blood pressure naturally.

Potassium balances fluids in our bodies, which offsets sodium’s power to increase blood pressure. One cup of sweet cherries provides the same amount of potassium as a small banana as well as quercetin, an antioxidant that may help keep blood vessels relaxed and supple.

They fight cancer.

Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, anthocyanins and quercetin, sweet cherries may help to fight cancer. Preliminary studies suggest that one of these anthocyanins, cyanidin, may prevent genetic mutations that can lead to cancer and keep cancer cells from growing out of control.

They help manage gout.

The swelling, inflammation and tenderness of gout (a form of arthritis that commonly affects the joints of the big toe but also the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists and fingers) is caused by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. In a USDA study, eating about 2 cups of fresh Bing cherries daily lowered uric acid levels by 15% and also reduced C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation.