HEALTHY CORNER

Cherries are magnificent, bite-sized fruits that have many health benefits, including possibly treating heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. The power of cherries can be obtained by eating raw cherries, including juice therapy.

There are two types of cherries; sweet and tart. Bing, Ranier, and Lambert are the three most common sweet cherries, while Early Richmond, Montmorency, and Morello are the most common tart cherries. Tart cherries are associated with most of the health benefits.

History of Cherries

Cherries were enjoyed by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese and were considered a treat for the royal or noble. Cherries were brought to the United States with the settlers in the 1600’s. In the 1800’s, a man named Peter Dougherty discovered that Michigan state had the ideal growing conditions for cherries. Today, 75% of cherries come from Michigan.