By Sabrena Salahudeen
Cherries – a relative of the plum family – are an extremely healing and juicy fruit that contain medicinal, nutritional and culinary benefits. Bing and Lambert cherries are the most commonly eaten. Availability begins early June until late July. However picking too early might cause a nasty surprise as certain cherry fruit fly larvae that nest within the fruit cause these infested fruit in early season to appear ripe. When selecting, choose to eat from full coloured, shiny, plump, soft cherries with strong stems. This fruit in particular should be organic, because its fragility causes commercial growers to rely heavily on toxic pesticides.
Sweet cherries increase strength within the spleen, pancreas, kidneys and liver. The ability to excrete excess body acids and act on blood stagnation enables cherries to be used therapeutically on pain, inflammation, rheumatism, gout, paralysis, and numbness in legs and arms. Anthocyanins and antioxidants make cherries a free radical’s nightmare. Cherries are an excellent source of iron and sources of phosphorus, potassium, calcium and vitamin A. Acerola cherries are renown as being one of the highest sources of naturally sourced vitamin C available.