What makes queen anne cherries awesome for your good gut?
Cherries are a delicious small stone fruit that grows on a tree. Cherries are a popular summer time favorite because of their short appearance made annually; after all, it has been said that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Depending on the variety of cherries they can be either sweet, juicy, or tarty in flavor. Queen Anne cherries, also known as Royal Anne cherries, are more sweet than tart in flavor and light yellow with a pinkish blush color. Although these bite sized fruits are only offered seasonally in summer, they are very nutritious and delicious.
If you are looking to add more variety into your diet, Queen Anne cherries may be a great addition when they are in season because chances are they will be a fresh option as well as locally picked. Queen Anne cherries are also a great source of potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, fiber and anthocyanins! Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body, it is important in helping our bodies regulate fluid balance and is essential for muscle contraction. Deficiency in potassium has been linked to cause slowed muscle contraction in the digestive system and can be one reason for constipation. Another reason for constipation may be a lack of dietary fiber. Queen Anne cherries may be just what our #goodgut needs, as 1 cup contains 2.7 grams of fiber. Fiber helps to regulate bowel movements by softening and bulking our stool, which helps to prevent or alleviate constipation by making it easier to pass a complete bowel movement. Fiber may also aid in maintenance of overall good gut health by helping to prevent hemorrhoids, colon cancers; as well as maintaining a healthy weight by keeping you full and satisfied longer.
Similar to other varieties of cherries, Queen Anne cherries are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Anthocyanins found in Queen Anne cherries are what give this fruit its anti-inflammatory properties. Research has concluded that the darker the cherry, the higher the level of antioxidants, specifically anthocyanins in this case. Anthocyanins help to regulate our gut microbiome composition and may help to prevent certain diseases such as heart disease, age-related bone loss, and neurodegenerative disorders. Consider this #goodgut recipe as it is may help to satisfy your sweet tooth without causing a significant rise in blood glucose!
Ways to eat it
In pies, tarts, on your oatmeal!
Tossed into salads or smoothies or cut up into cherry salsa.
Recipe: Raw Cherry Coconut Tart
Picture from onegreenplanet.com
Ingredients (Makes 4 Servings):
For the base:
1 cup dates, soaked in hot water for a few minutes
3/4 cup almonds
1 Tbsp cacao powder
3 Tbsp mulberries (optional)
The toppings and fillings:
coconut yogurt
queen anne cherries
Directions:
Prepare three tart molds and set them aside.
Into a food processor, add your four base ingredients and pulse until the mixture begins to clump.
Form a ball with your mixture and cut it into 3 even pieces.
Place each third into the molds and begin to press the mixture out. Make sure that you are pushing all the way up to the top of the molds and getting an even layer throughout.
Once you have pressed the mixture into all three molds, place the molds into the refrigerator for about an hour before adding coconut yogurt and cherries to the center.
Heal with each meal!
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References
Dix, M. (2018, September 29). Everything You Should Know About Oxidative Stress. Healthline.
FITDAY. (2015). Nutrition Info For: Cherries, sweet, raw (Queen Anne, Bing). FitDay.com.
Hair, R., Sakaki, J. R., & Chun, O. K. (2021). Anthocyanins, Microbiome and Health Benefits in
Aging. Molecules, 26(3), 537. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26030537
Koutsogiannis, M. (2016, October 14). Raw Cherry Coconut Tart [Vegan, Gluten-Free,
Grain-Free]. One Green Planet. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/raw-cherry-coconut-tart/.
Kubala, J. (2019, June 19). 7 Impressive Health Benefits of Cherries. Healthline.
Mayo Clinic. (2019, November 23). Slide show: Add antioxidants to your diet. Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/multimedia/antioxidants/sls-20076428?s=1.
Vorvic, L. (2020, August 13). Peristalsis - Health Video: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.
MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/anatomyvideos/000097.htm.