FLASH NEWS
The antioxidant summer fruit that's good for the heart and improves sleep
2025-08-02 17:30:27 / JETË
One of the most delicious fruits of summer, red and crunchy cherries have properties that make them essential in our diet.
They reduce inflammation, improve sleep, boost heart health, and speed up recovery after exercise, promoting overall health and well-being.
Below are five important health benefits of cherries.
All varieties of cherries contain many nutrients, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Vitamin C is important for strengthening the immune system and skin, while potassium is essential for muscles, nerve function, and blood pressure regulation.
Cherries are also a good source of fiber, which contributes to proper digestive function by feeding the digestive system with beneficial gut bacteria and increasing bowel motility. Finally, they provide B vitamins, vitamin K, manganese, copper, and magnesium.
The high concentration of plant compounds in cherries may be responsible for many of this fruit's health benefits.
Specifically, their high antioxidant content helps fight oxidative stress, a condition linked to many chronic diseases and premature aging. In fact, a review of studies found that consuming cherries effectively reduced inflammation in 11 out of 16 studies and markers of oxidative stress in 8 out of 10 studies.
Cherries are also rich in polyphenols, a large group of plant chemicals that help fight cell damage, reduce inflammation, and improve overall health. Diets rich in polyphenols may protect against several chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, and certain types of cancer.
They also contain carotenoids like beta-carotene and vitamin C, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Research shows that the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds in cherries can ease muscle pain, injury, and inflammation caused by exercise. Specifically, cherries have been found to speed up muscle recovery, reduce soreness, and prevent loss of strength in athletes like cyclists and marathon runners.
Additionally, some evidence suggests that cherries may improve exercise performance. A study of 27 endurance runners found that those who consumed 480 mg of cherries daily for 10 days before a marathon achieved an average time of 13% faster and experienced less muscle soreness than the group that took a placebo.
Although most studies have investigated the links between cherries and professional athletes, this fruit may also benefit everyday people. In a study of 20 active women, those who consumed 60 ml of cherry juice twice a day for eight days recovered faster and had less muscle damage and soreness after completing repeated workouts, compared to a placebo group.
Although promising, these findings are unclear as to the amount of fresh fruit someone would need to consume to benefit from these results.
Increasing your intake of nutrient-rich fruits, like cherries, can be a delicious way to protect your heart, as many studies show that fruit-rich diets are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.
Cherries are particularly beneficial in this regard, as they are rich in nutrients and compounds known to improve heart health, including potassium and antioxidant polyphenols.
Just 154 grams of cherries provide 10% of the recommended daily value for potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining heart health and a normal heartbeat, while also helping to remove excess sodium from the body, thereby regulating blood pressure. This is why higher potassium intake has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.
What's more, cherries are rich in powerful antioxidants, such as anthocyanins, flavonols, and catechins, which keep the heart healthy by protecting it from cell damage and reducing inflammation. In fact, a study of 84,158 people found that higher intakes of such polyphenols were associated with a significantly reduced risk of heart disease over five years.
The sleep-enhancing benefits of cherries can be attributed to their high content of plant compounds. In addition, cherries contain melatonin, a substance that helps regulate the sleep cycle.
A study of 20 people showed that those who consumed cherries for seven days experienced significant increases in melatonin levels, sleep duration, and quality compared to a placebo.
Similarly, a two-week study in older adults with insomnia found that drinking 225 ml of tart cherry juice before bed increased sleep time by 84 minutes. However, it should be noted that these studies used concentrated juice products, so it is unclear whether fresh fruit would have the same effect. More studies are needed to better understand how consuming cherries may benefit sleep.
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