Cherries health benefits

 Cherries health benefits

It is the season of cherries, each and every fruitwala will stock on this.Cherries have recently emerged as one of the hottest Super Fruits available in the market. Today, there are plenty of research studies that have uncovered the many health benefits of cherries and they have been proven to be the powerhouse of antioxidants.Did you know that just 15 cherries can make up one of your five a day.

Anti-Oxidant

Cherries are extremely high in anti-oxidants called anthocyanins, commonly found in brightly-coloured fruits, which are so important as part of a healthy diet and play a variety of roles, from lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer, to promoting healthy skin and brain cells. There is even evidence to suggest that antioxidants may help prevent dementia and memory-loss, go for sweet cherries with the deepest pigment; crimson-purple rather than bright red.

Anti-Inflammatory

Scientists have proven relationship between arthritis, gout and cherries. It has been observed that patients, who consumed large quantities of cherries regularly, reported reduction in pain of arthritis and gout. These problems generally occur due to excessive production of uric acid. So, when consumed in large quantities and regularly, cherries may help control excessive uric acid production in the blood.

Improves immunity, sleep and is anti-aging

Struggling to get a good night’s sleep? Sour cherries can help! They contain the antioxidant melatonin, which occurs naturally in the body to promote and regulate our sleep-patterns. It is essential for our immune system. Melatonin found in cherries also slows down the aging process. Regaining your face glow is a good reason to start eating cherries now!

Blood pressure and healthy heart

Cherries are an excellent source of potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure by getting rid of the excess sodium in our body. Eating cherries helps keep potassium and sodium in balance, and can prevent hypertension from occurring. One cup of cherries has the same amount of potassium as a banana making it a great substitute when you are not in the mood for another ho-hum banana.

Fighting Cancer

Cherries contain high Beta Carotene (Vitamin A) content and this also helps fight the cancer in organs and glands.

Good For Digestion

When we eat cherries, there is more production and secretion of digestive juices, they are also a significant source of fibre, and hence great for digestion.

Studies seem to show that sour cherries have the potential to limit the uptake of fat into the body, and control levels of cholesterol in the blood. Also, these little beauties contain many B-vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B6; these vitamins are crucial for metabolism and convert nutrients into energy.

Cherries are not only healthy, but they are delicious and versatile. They can be added to everything, so ahead indulge in these beautiful cherries

BEWARE DO NOT TAKE VITAMINS BLINDLY!!!!!!!!

BEWARE DO NOT TAKE VITAMINS BLINDLY!!!!!!!!

The findings leave many people wondering if taking a daily diet supplement is a good idea. Experts say some people should like Pregnant women or people with specific vitamin deficiencies can benefit from adding vitamins to their diets.

But other healthy people take vitamins believing that they can help prevent disease or simply maintain health. 
 

People at times often take large doses of vitamins, believing that if the small amounts of nutrients in foods are good, than a lot of them must be better.  "Imagine if you had all the right materials to build a house but in all the wrong proportions, and then tried to put together a well-built house."

Especially Fat-soluble vitamins such as D, A, E, and K can be toxic when you take more than the recommended dose. Water-soluble vitamins such as B complex, not so much since they simply pass through the urine.

BE A SMART CONSUMER.

Stop trying to look for health in a pill, Health is not found in pills. It's found in good food and regular exercise.

Antioxidant rich foods

Antioxidant rich foods

As seen earlier the role of antioxidants is to neutralize, or “stop,” free radicals from doing damage to your body.

 Lets have  a look at the different types of antioxidant available and the benefits they offer:-

Types of Antioxidants

Antioxidant Nutrients
Antioxidants from our diet appear to be of great importance in controlling damage by free radicals. Each nutrient is unique in terms of its structure and antioxidant function.
Vitamin A and Carotenoids
Beta-carotene is also especially excellent at scavenging free radicals in low oxygen concentration.

Carrots, squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kale, collards, cantaloupe, peaches and apricots (bright-colored fruits and vegetables)

Vitamin C

It scavenges free radicals that are in an aqueous (watery) environment, such as inside your cells. Vitamin C works synergistically with vitamin E to quench free radicals. Vitamin C also regenerates the reduced (stable) form of vitamin E.

 Citrus fruits like oranges and lime etc, green peppers, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, strawberries and tomatoes.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin  and antioxidant. That means it is absorbed by the fat, or lipids, in your cells. It’s quite the “fat-loving” antioxidant. Vitamin E helps to protect the cell’s outer protective barrier from free radicals.

Nuts & seeds, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oil.

Selenium
It is a mineral that we need to consume in only very small quantities, but without which we could not survive. It forms the active site of several antioxidant enzymes including glutathione peroxidase.


Similar to selenium, the minerals manganese and zinc are trace elements that form an essential part of various antioxidant enzymes. 

 Fish & shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken and garlic.

Some common phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are nonessential nutrients, meaning that they are not required by the human body for sustaining life, but are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventive properties.


Some of the well-known phytochemicals are:

Flavonoids / polyphenols :-Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are ubiquitous in nature and are categorized according to chemical structures into flavones, flavonols, isoflavones.

soy, red wine, purple grapes, pomegranate, cranberries, tea

Lycopene - Lycopene  is a bright red carotene and carotenoid pigment and phytochemical found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables.

Tomato and tomato products,pinkgrapefruit,watermelon

Lutein- Lutein is a yellow-to-orange pigment or phytochemical found mostly in plants.

dark green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, kiwi, brussels sprout and spinach.

Lignan are a group of chemical compounds found in plants. Lignans are one of the major classes of phytoestrogens, which are estrogen-like chemicals.

Flax seed, oatmeal, barley, rye

Vitamin-like Antioxidants

Coenzyme Q10 or ubiquinone, which is essential to energy production and can also protect the body from destructive free radicals.

Rich sources -meat, poultry, and fish, soybean and canola oils, and nuts.

Moderate sources - Fruits, vegetables, eggs, and dairy products.

Glutathione “Without glutathione, other important antioxidants such as vitamins C and E cannot do their job adequately to protect your body against disease.”

Although, glutathione(GSH) is not found in foods, the following foods do help your body to make more Glutathione(GSH) and therefore, boost your body's GSH levels.

Avocado, asparagus, broccoli, garlic, raw eggs, spinach
tomatoes, also curcumin (turmeric) and even fresh unprocessed meats.



Antioxidant enzymes made by the body
The antioxidant enzymes  serve as your primary line of defense in destroying free radicals. Together, they repair oxidized DNA, degrade oxidized protein, and destroy oxidized lipids (fat-like substances that are a constituent of cell membranes)

• superoxide dismutase (SOD)
• catalase
• glutathione peroxidase

Eat a variety of food to get the best possible antioxidant effect

Watch out next for Steps to Maximize the Benefits of Antioxidants and how much do u need!!!!!!