Many fruits and vegetables can have both positive and negative effects on the body. It is not for nothing that folk medicine, in some matters, bypasses traditional methods of treatment.
Cherry – a berry, which not only has a great taste and is widely used in confectionery, but also a means to maintain your appearance and health, in general, at a high level.
Chemical composition and nutritional value of cherries
In addition to its gastronomic virtues, the fruit of the cherry tree contains high levels of vitamin C, as well as anthocyanins:
- mecocyanin
- Antirhinin
- Cyanide
- Crisantina
- peonidin
Tannins and dyes, acids from organic groups: malic and citric acids are present. During ripening, the fruit becomes saturated with shikimic and succinic acids.
The bone and the inner seed contain essential and fatty oils. The concentration of fatty oils reaches 35%. Almost the entire plant, the leaves of the bark and the fruit itself contain citric acid and glycosides. The tannins contained in the stems are widely used in medicine.
If we talk about macro and micronutrients, in 100 grams of cherries, peeled from the stone, contains
- Potassium 256mg
- Calcium 37mg
- Magnesium 26mg
- Phosphorus 30mg
- iodine 2mg
- Iron 0. 5mg
- Zinc 0. 3mg
And other ingredients in lower concentrations. In terms of nutritional value, cherries, like many berries and fruits, are low in calories. There are only 52 kcal per 100 grams of cherry pulp. Proteins, carbohydrates, mono and disaccharides are 8-10 g each, depending on the type of cherry, 0. 2 g of fat and about 75-80 g of water.
What vitamins do cherries contain?
The cherry is one of the most common plants in the Orient, and is planted there not only for berry picking, but also for aesthetic purposes, thanks to the special fragrance given off by the tree’s delicate pink flowers. The nutritional value of the cherry is due to the high vitamin content of the berries of the tree.
The highest content of vitamin C in the fruit – 10 mg of vitamin C per 100 gr. The cherry also contains all the B vitamins and up to 0. 38 mg of vitamin A, necessary for healthy skin and good vision.
Studies have shown that 5-7 fresh berries are enough to provide more than half of the daily vitamin requirements necessary for the healthy development of the human body. After a heat treatment, the concentration and volume of vitamins is lower, but the benefits are still there.
How cherries affect human health
Cherries are not only a tasty berry, which is used to do almost everything from concentrated juices to nuts, but they are also a great help for the body in the fight against diseases.
The benefits of cherries
Due to its high content of pectin, succinic and salicylic acid, the cherry has a bactericidal effect on the body, acting as an additional immune stimulant.
Flying acids and vitamin C, help strengthen and maintain the elasticity of blood vessels and the production of healthy red blood cells. This prevents the risk of blood clots and diseases derived from blood thickening.
Medicine recommends the regular consumption of fresh berries to people who suffer from low hemoglobin, as well as blood fees donors. In fact, cherries and berry juice have the same effect on the organism as the crap or the juice of Granada, normalizing blood pressure and preventing the risk of heart attacks.
It is important to note that these sweet fruits not only help the cardiovascular system, but are also an excellent diuretic and have a soft soothing effect.
In the absence of allergies in babies, cherries are recommended to infants as a good means to improve breastfeeding.
Another aspect in which cherries can help man is male power. The high zinc content of this berry, helps normalize erections, and also improves the volume and sperm fertility.
In addition to the berries themselves, it is possible to make tinctures and decoctions of the leaves and the bark of the tree, which help in the fight against prostatitis. Characteristic of zinc contained in cherries is that during cooking its benefit is not reduced, so juices, nectars, jams and morses, give the same necessary amount of zinc as fresh berries.
Potential damage and contraindications
In addition to benefits, in some cases cherries can have negative effects on the body. It is not recommended to eat too many cherries in the following cases:
- Gastritis, ulcers and other gastrointestinal diseases in which there is an increase in acidity. Cherries contain a large amount of acids that can aggravate the disease.
- Caution should be taken when diabetes is suffered, since fructose can increase blood sugar.
- Dental problems and thinning of dental enamel in particular. Cherry acids destroy enamel, so after eating them it is recommended to brush their teeth or at least rinse your mouth with water.
- Of course, cherries should not be abused if individual intolerance is suffered from the trace elements contained in the fruit. For example, allergic reactions to vitamin C.
It is strictly forbidden to eat boneless cherries in fresh state. Pepitas contain high levels of cyanhydric acid, which is the strongest poison. High concentrations of cyanhydric acid in the body can cause death.
Special uses
The fruit of the cherry, as well as the leaves, the cortex and the petioles, are used a lot in medicine and cosmetic.
In popular medicine
As a medicinal plant, cherry has been used from ancient Russia, in pagan culture this tree is called a healing plant, capable of healing any ailment, at least, of significantly relieving the disease. For example, cherry pepitas are shown and mixed with juice to obtain a homogeneous pulp and make compresses, which can be used to treat drop.
The tinures of the young tree cortex are used as a good sedative, it is recommended to take 1-2 glasses during the day, to prevent neurosis.
The petioles of the fruit, made with corn stigmas, are an excellent remedy for the prevention of urogenital device. The decoctions take long courses up to 30 days drinking 2-3 glasses a day.
In addition, cherries are an excellent antiseptic for the body. A handful of fruit can normalize the intestinal flora, improve metabolism and calm thirst.
Important: In some cases, nuts have a stronger positive effect than fresh berries. For example, in dyspepsia, dry cherries have a good healing effect.
In cosmetology
In cosmetology, red berries have also found a use. Bays pulp masks mixed with potato starch are made to clean the pores of fatty skin. Not only do they help disobstruct the pores, but they also bring a healthy color, firmness and help soften wrinkles. The newly squeezed cherry juice applied to the skin of the legs helps to combat varicose veins and eliminates the appearance of small vessels, varicose spiders.
Despite the widespread use of natural ingredients in cosmetology in China and Japan, the cherry is almost no n-existent among the ingredients. This is due to the fact that Sakura, which grows in the territory of these countries and is a registered trademark, despite all its natural beauty, does not produce edible fruits and remains a purely ornamental plant.
Troub of these berries with ground pulp weighted hair mask for 20-30 minutes, to strengthen hair, giving shine and natural beauty.
In kitchen and in diets
Due to the good flavor, both fresh berries and thermally treated, cherries are used a lot in the kitchen and are included in various diets and weight loss programs.
The diuretic property of red berries allows us to get rid of excess weight by eliminating a fairly large volume of light fat along with the liquid. In addition, fruit accelerates metabolism and cleanses the stomach and the entire toxins organism.
Obesas will reduce the load on joints and bones, since the high salicylic acid content has a positive effect on the growth and regeneration of bone tissue. So much more, these fruits will be useful for people who participate in gyms to get rid of the extra kilos, tone muscle tissues, improve blood flow, respectively, the enrichment of the body with oxygen.
In dietary diets only fresh berries are used, which do not contain more than 50 kcal per 100 grams of product. During drying, the fruit is removed, while the sugar content increases many times, and 100 grams of product have almost 300 kcal. For the same reason, dry cherries are contraindicated for diabetics.
Cherries should not be eaten with an empty stomach. First, the berry contains many different acids that cause stomach swelling and can cause the exacerbation of ulcer diseases. Secondly, cherries strongly stimulate the appetite and brain of a hungry person will send constant orders about the need to eat. As a result, a person eats in excess, eating much more food than the body needs.
Attention, eating excessive cherries will not be beneficial, it is recommended to eat no more than 5 kg of berries in a season, respectively, the daily rate is 150-200 grams.
Forms of conservation
Cherries bear fruit only a couple of months a year, but we want to enjoy them all year. There are several ways to conserve fruit with a minimum loss of vitamins and nutritional value:
- Freezing. Cherries can freeze well and defrost them slowly does not make them lose much of their appearance. Cherries must freeze with the peduncle of the berry so that the loss of juice, and therefore the firmness of the berry, is minimal.
- Berry drying and curing The berries are dried at home in two ways, either in direct sunlight, outdoors or in an oven at a low temperature of 60-80 degrees for 8 hours. The curing process of the berries is somewhat easier, they are cleaned from the stems and the cherries are washed well, they are piled in a container and the sugar is poured, the sugar gradually takes the juice of the cherry, at the same timetime it saturates the sweetness of the fruit.
- Conservation. Some of the best compotes, preserves and marmalades are made with cherries. In its own juice, this berry is widely used in confectionery.
Conclusion
Cherries are not only a great delicacy that can fill the body with almost all the necessary vitamins and trace elements, but also a good helper in the fight against various diseases. The main thing to remember is not to get carried away with this juicy fruit and overeat it. Large amounts of cherries won’t do you any good, and besides, they can be harmful.
