In early summer, cherries with a rich red color begin to be widely available. Picking sweet and sour cherries has become a popular choice for many for weekend road trips. But do you know the benefits of eating cherries, and who should avoid them?
From a seasonal perspective, cherries are one of the freshest and most nutritious summer fruits. From a nutritional standpoint, cherries are rich in vitamins, trace elements, and phytochemicals. They are high in iron, with up to 11.4 milligrams per 100 grams, far exceeding other fruits in this season. At the same time, cherries contain vitamin C, which aids in the absorption and utilization of iron, and can help improve iron-deficiency anemia. Therefore, for women, regular consumption of cherries can have a beautifying effect. Cherries are also rich in potassium, making them suitable for people with hypokalemia and heatstroke.
Cherries are rich in important natural health-promoting components such as anthocyanins, quercetin, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, perillyl alcohol, and melatonin. Research indicates that cherries have health benefits, including relieving joint pain and gout, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, preventing cancer, controlling diabetes and its complications, regulating physiological rhythms, improving sleep quality, and promoting brain health.
While cherries are beneficial, they are not without contraindications. Cherries contain a relatively high amount of iron among fruits, so individuals with polycythemia and hyperhemoglobinemia should not consume them in large quantities. Cherries are also high in potassium, so people with existing hyperkalemia or those at risk of developing it (such as those with renal insufficiency or taking potassium-sparing diuretics) should avoid them. Furthermore, cherries contain a certain amount of cyanogenic glycosides, and excessive consumption can lead to cyanide poisoning.