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Good for you food of the week: cherries
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This is the peak of cherry season and starting today, we’ll be featuring a different “good for you” food each week to help you increase the variety in your diet. Since the Emmett Cherry Festival just wrapped up and you’ll find an abundance of cherries in your local farmer’s markets and grocery stores right now, we thought cherries were the perfect “pick”
for our first food of the week.
Cherry season generally runs from May through July, with a peak in June. Seventy percent of the cherries grown in the U.S. come from Idaho, Washington, Oregon or Utah, so this is the time and place to enjoy a healthy snack.
Tart cherries are high in antioxidants called anthocyanins which help us produce essential amino acids and may possess anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. Tart cherries also provide high amounts of vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate. Additionally, they contain melatonin, which can help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns. Sweet cherries have lower levels of beta carotene and vitamin C.
When you shop, look for shiny, firm, plump fruit with no marring on the skin or broken stems. Darkest cherries are the most ripe. They do not ripen after picking. They will last about a week in the refrigerator. Wash them just before eating. If you’d like to pick your own, there are several orchards located along South Slope Road in Emmett. Check the link below for a list and more information.
You can enjoy the nutritional benefits of cherries in several ways. One serving is equal to 1 cup fresh cherries, 1/2 cup dried, 1 cup frozen, or 1 cup juice. Try them in a pie or cobbler, over your morning cereal, sprinkled on a salad, churned into homemade ice cream, or layered with yogurt and granola in a parfait. For a refreshing summer cooler, add cherry juice to seltzer water over ice. Substitute dried cherries in place of raisins when you make cookies, cakes, or couscous. One of the best ways to enjoy these nutritional powerhouses is to sit on the porch with a bowl of fresh cherries on a lazy summer afternoon, and watch the day unfold. Don’t forget to set out another bowl for pits. When you’re done, run through the sprinklers with the kids to wash off the cherry stains and get some fun summer exercise.
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