Wild Cherries
I love cherries! The color, the flavor, the versatility…and though it probably seems obvious, they are really good for you. Here are two interesting and lesser known reasons why:
Tart cherries can help reduce that spare tire! Something in that little nugget of flavor can actually help counteract the fats in your diet (though I wouldn’t exactly consider it your weight loss plan!) They also help to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Bing Cherries
Rainier Cherry Branch
You know that muscle soreness the day after a great workout? Some studies show that a serving of tart cherries, or even their juice, can help reduce muscle inflammation. Don’t wait for the pain though ~ have the cherries post-workout before that stiffness kicks in!
There are many different kinds of cherries from which you can choose. Bing cherries, perhaps the most common, can be any range of color from dark red to nearly black. They are most easy to find and best enjoyed raw. Rainier cherries are golden, lamberts and heart-shaped and dark, and Royal Ann are the ones used to make maraschino cherries – you know, the ones you find in Shirley Temples! Montmorency cherries are sour and morellos are used to make liqueur. If you choose to bake with either of those varieties, be sure to add sugar…they may just be too tart on their own!
Ripe Sour Cherries
