Cherries

Sweet, plump and juicy, cherries are bursting with flavour and nutrients.

• 100g of cherries provide 25% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C
• Cherries are a rich food source of the hormone melatonin which helps to promote healthy sleep patterns
• Powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins are found abundantly in cherries. Cherries are the richest source of anthocyanins 1 and 2 which give them their ruby colour

Cherries are the perfect summer treat and are highly nutritious. Sweet cherries provide a great source of antioxidants including anthocyanins, quercetin, carotenoids, vitamin C but also minerals such as potassium1. Their reddish-purple hue comes from their rich content of anthocyanin’s, which may come anti-inflammatory properties2. For maximum benefits, it’s best to consume cherries at peak ripeness, as the anthocyanin content increases naturally as the fruit ripens.

Not only are cherries low in calories, they also have a low glycemic load which means they are perfect treat for balancing blood sugar and maintaining a healthy weight. Furthermore, both tart and sweet cherries are a source of our sleep hormone melatonin, and whilst still in its infancy, there is promising research linking cherry juice to better sleep.

Lastly sweet cherries are a good source of dietary potassium with approximately 260mg potassium per cup. Promoting diets high in potassium alongside a reduction in sodium could play a role with improving blood pressure control.

Enjoy a punnet as a treat or for dessert, add to your cooking or quench your thirst with a glass of refreshing cherry juice. 

Varieties

• Merchant - one of the earliest cherries to ripen. The fruit is large, sweet, and dark-red, with a good flavour
• Sunburst - large dark fruit, with a rich cherry flavour
• Stella - medium sized so good for smaller members of the family. The dark-red fruit is very sweet and juicy• Skeena - produces very large fruit with a good flavour
• Regina - large dark fruit that has a firm texture
• Kordina - mid-season cherry that is medium-large in size, has firm flesh and a good flavour.
• Lapins - starts the second half of the season and has large dark-red/black juicy fruits with dark flesh
• Sweetheart - as its name suggests, produces cherries that are predominantly sweet but they are not sugary to taste. Sweetheart ripens towards the end of the British cherry season
• Penny - outstanding quality and is the latest cherry to ripen. Penny is a black cherry that is large, firm and very sweet to eat