Useful properties and harm of cherries for human health and contraindications
The health benefits and harms of cherries have been studied by researchers for a long time. This delicious berry helps to cure many diseases and strengthen the immune system. In addition, it is used for cosmetic purposes. The chemical composition of the fruit includes a large amount of vital vitamins and microelements. But despite all the benefits of eating cherries, it can harm some categories of people. Cherries are eaten not only fresh. Jam is made from berries, dried and juiced.
Chemical composition
Felt cherries, like regular cherries, are rich in vitamins and micronutrients. Fruit content:
- potassium;
- a small amount of magnesium;
- gland;
- sodium;
- calcium;
- to a lesser extent manganese.
Ripe pulp also contains B vitamins and ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid in berry varieties felted cherry several times more than usual. Also, berries have a high level of citric, malic, and folic acids. In smaller quantities, berries contain zinc and other minerals.
In addition, cherry berries are classified as dietary products. 100 g contains only 54 kcal. Therefore, it is suitable for people who want to lose a couple of extra pounds.
Effect on the human body
In order to improve your health, you need to eat more berries and fruits in the summer. With the onset of winter, the human body needs vitamins and minerals. You can find a cherry tree in almost every garden. Cherry:
- Has an expectorant effect.
- It has an antipyretic effect.
- Helps relieve constipation.
- Acts as an enveloping agent.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Acts as a prophylactic agent against oncology.
- Has anti-inflammatory effect.
It is impossible to overestimate the beneficial properties of this fruit tree.
For the heart, blood vessels and blood formation
The pulp contains trace elements such as coumarins and oxycoumarins, which have a positive effect on the circulatory system. These trace elements have a beneficial effect on blood clotting, act as a prophylactic agent against heart attacks and help to increase the level of hemoglobin.
It is also useful to include berries in the diet for people suffering from arterial sclerosis.
Berries lower high blood pressure, strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Fruits reduce the risk of thrombosis and angina pectoris.Due to the high content of iron and magnesium, the fruits are shown to be eaten by people who suffer from anemia. The darker the pulp, the more vitamin P in its composition, which plays an important role in the prevention of pathologies of the heart muscle and blood vessels.
For the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and bladder
The usefulness of cherry berries for the stomach and intestines is that they improve peristalsis, help to cope with constipation and normalize bowel function. Cherry juice has been used since ancient times to increase appetite. Also, cherry juice prevents the development of dysentery.
Cherry pulp has a positive effect on various inflammations of the genitourinary system. It contains chlorogenic acid, which helps to restore kidney and liver function. Pectin and fiber act as an absorbent, cleansing the intestines of toxins and removing harmful cholesterol from the body.
For joints
With arthritis, cherry juice mixed with a small amount of milk will help bring joints back to normal. If you eat cherries and drink cherry juice during gout therapy, the effect of the drugs will increase. A decoction of the bark and branches of cherry trees with the addition of cherry juice helps from attacks of sciatica. The broth relieves soreness and brings health back to normal. Any prescription should be used after consulting a doctor.
For the nervous system
The fruit infusion helps relieve seizures and acts as a sedative. The berries contain copper, which has a sedative effect on the central nervous system. In addition, ripe cherries are used as an auxiliary component in the treatment of epilepsy. Thanks to folic acid, the blood vessels in the brain dilate and blood circulation returns to normal.
To strengthen vision
A decoction based on cherry inflorescences has a positive effect on eye inflammation. In addition, regular consumption of the fruit helps to sharpen impaired vision.
Boost immunity
The main effect that cherries have on the body is to increase immune resistance. If you regularly include ripe berries in your diet, then cold and flu will not be scary in winter. All summer you need to eat berries so as not to get sick in winter. And with the onset of the cold season, tea with cherries or jam will act as a preventive measure against influenza.
Due to the high iodine content of the pulp, after the inclusion of fruits in the diet, iodine in the body and the thyroid gland are normalized.
In what form can you eat a berry
Most often, cherries are consumed fresh or jam and compotes are made from it. But besides this, there are many more ways to enjoy sweet fruits. For example, cook felted cherries. To make dried cherries, you will need 1 saucepan of cherries and several glasses of sugar. Spices can be used if desired.
Rinse the berries, peel and boil for several minutes in sugar syrup. Then spread on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 80 degrees. Place the baking sheet in the oven for half an hour. The berries are checked regularly and turned over if necessary. Dry until the cherries shrink and wrinkle. Dried cherries are prepared according to the same principle, only without boiling in sugar syrup.
To make cherry juice you will need:
- fresh cherries - 3 kg;
- water;
- sugar is added to taste.
Rinse the berries, squeeze out the seeds and place in a large saucepan.Then put some of the pulp in a sieve and squeeze out the juice with a spoon or pusher until all the pulp ends. The cake is thrown away or left on the compote. After that, the resulting gruel is transferred to cheesecloth and squeezed. As a result, a thick concentrated juice is obtained. Sugar can be added to it to sweeten, or diluted with water.
The easiest way to prepare berries is to freeze them in the freezer. To do this, the fruits are washed, laid out in bags and put into the freezer. Frozen cherries are used to make pies, compotes or dumplings.
Diseases for which use is recommended
Cherries are rich in minerals and trace elements that help fight many diseases. It is used not only to strengthen the body's immune defenses, but also to treat a number of diseases.
For colds and ENT diseases
Cherry fruits help with colds and ENT pathologies. Regular consumption of ripe fruits increases the body's resistance to pathogenic microorganisms due to the high content of ascorbic acid in its composition. During illness, they drink tea with felt cherry jam or make teas based on dried berries. Vitamin P, which is abundant in fruits, has anti-inflammatory effects against colds and flu.
The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect contributes to the destruction of streptococci, as well as staphylococci. The antipyretic effect of the pulp helps with an increase in body temperature. With a dry cough, the berries have an expectorant effect and thin phlegm in the lungs.
Oncology prevention
The inclusion of cherries in the diet helps prevent the development of cancer cells in the body. Berries are antioxidants and remove harmful toxins from the body. The berry contains quercetin, which, when ingested with food, destroys abnormal cells.
With diabetes
Unlike most berries with diabetes, cherries are allowed. It contains less fructose and glucose than other berries. But people with type 2 diabetes are not recommended to eat large quantities of berries.
With gout
By including cherries in the daily diet, it is possible to neutralize the effect of uric acid and shift the acidity of the blood composition to the alkaline side. Berries help reduce soreness during gout recurrences. And the inflammatory processes themselves are not so intense. For gout, the fruits are eaten fresh or squeezed out of juice.
Hemorrhoid treatment
Cherry fruits eliminate the unpleasant symptoms of hemorrhoids. For hemorrhoids, fruits are used after thermal treatment. It can be compotes, fruit drinks or jam. The main problem with hemorrhoids is constipation. Regular consumption of cherries eliminates constipation and normalizes stool. But completely getting rid of hemorrhoids, including berries in the diet, will not work. Treatment should be comprehensive, and the emphasis should be on drug therapy.
Useful properties for women
Some girls are interested in the question of how cherries are useful and how its use affects the female body. Due to their high nutrient content and low calorie content, cherries are considered a dietary food. In addition, the chemical composition of the berries includes magnesium, which relieves spasms during critical days.
It is good to eat cherries for women with the onset of menopause. The acids, which the berry is rich in, have a positive effect on the body and rejuvenate the skin of the face.
Slimming
Due to its low calorie content, cherries are often included in the diet for weight loss. There are 54 kcal per 100 g of the product. Also, the fruit contains substances that produce a stimulating effect for burning fat.
Substances neutralize fats and prevent them from spreading further through the bloodstream.Cherries also speed up metabolism. Cherry juice quickly saturates the body and suppresses hunger. Using juice or fresh fruit as a healthy snack can significantly reduce your daily calorie intake.
During pregnancy and nursing mothers
With the onset of pregnancy and after the birth of a child, women have to revise their diet. Indeed, many berries, fruits and other foods can cause allergies in a child. Women in the position of fruits are not prohibited. They contain folic acid, which has a positive effect on the formation of the embryo.
In addition, potassium boosts the immune system of pregnant women. There is a lot of liquid in ripe berries, thanks to this fatigue and apathy pass away, the body is charged with energy.
While breastfeeding, you can eat cherries, provided that the baby responds normally to them, he does not develop a rash or itching. There are berries, preferably one month after birth. First, they try a couple of berries and see how the child's body reacts to it. If everything is fine, you can safely eat cherries.
You can eat only ripe berries, without signs of damage and mold. Before eating the berries, they are thoroughly washed under running water. Often, at first glance, healthy berries contain worms, this should be monitored.
Cherries as a cosmetic
Another area of application of cherry fruits is cosmetology. Since ancient times, women have used sweet fruits not only for the preparation of anti-aging masks, but also used it as decorative cosmetics. Due to its rich red hue, cherry juice served as lipstick.
Cherry-based masks nourish and moisturize hair and skin. Also, such masks help to cope with premature aging. On the basis of cherry pulp, homemade acid peels are made, which perfectly cleanse the skin and remove the dead layer of cells.
How cherries are used for cosmetic purposes
Cherry juice and pulp are part of many face and scalp masks. Cherry-based face masks:
- A mask that contains cherry pulp and protein helps with acne. Crush a few cherries, remove the stone. Beat the protein until fluffy and mix with the pulp. Apply to cleansed skin for 20-25 minutes. Wash off such a mask with cool water. The same mask is prepared with potato starch.
- Another acne mask consists of cherry pulp, 10 ml of fresh orange juice and 10 g of potato starch. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and lubricated on clean skin. Wash off after 30 minutes.
- To maintain skin tone, prepare a mask based on cherry pulp and 1 tbsp. l. viburnum juice with the addition of a small amount of honey.
- For bags under the eyes, mixed cherry pulp is used with the addition of cottage cheese or sour cream.
- A mask based on cherries, sour milk and lemon juice helps with acne spots. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions, mixed and applied to the skin. For owners of dry skin, lemon juice is replaced with parsley juice.
- To add shine to the hair, 200 g of cherries are separated from the seeds, kneaded and applied to the scalp. The mask is left for 1-2 hours. Wash off with water and shampoo and rinse with acidified water.
- To reduce the oiliness of the scalp, mix cherry juice with potato starch and apply. After a few hours, wash off with cool water. This mask is done in a course 2-3 times a week.
Before applying masks based on cherry pulp, you need to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to the fruits.
Contraindications
It is dangerous for the following categories of persons to eat cherries:
- People with fruit allergies.
- With a stomach disorder (for example, an ulcer or gastritis).
- Sour berries are not recommended for persons with acute inflammatory processes of the lungs.
You can't eat bones. They contain toxic substances.Also, cherry juice damages the enamel of the teeth, so after eating the fruit, it is advisable to rinse the mouth with water.
