Add finely chopped cherries to ground meat; you’ll cut the fat, boost the nutrition, and add unexpected zip to meat loaf and burgers.VERY LOW
Remember secret number 3 of Magic eating, Eat More Fruits and Vegetables? These foods from the produce aisle are full of disease-fighting plant compounds, and they barely budge your blood sugar thanks to their very low GL. Cherries may be an especially good choice. Besides plenty of sugar-lowering soluble fiber, they contain red pigments that may increase your body’s insulin output, which ultimately lowers your blood sugar. And they’re low in calories to boot.
When you get a snack attack, reach for a handful of cherries instead of higher-GL foods like crackers or pretzels. At dessert time, pile them on a half portion of ice cream, and your bowl will look just as full but with far fewer calories.
Sorry, though, maraschino cherries don’t cut it. These so-called cherries have been bleached, processed, and injected with sugar and red dye, taking all the magic out of a once-healthy food. Also skip cherry juice, which is usually sweetened and lacks the fiber of whole cherries.
Cherries pack a real antioxidant punch, rivaling even oranges. Their stash of vitamin C and other antioxidants helps fend off heart disease, cancer, and many complications of diabetes. One study found that the antioxidant compounds in cherries help protect brain cells, while other plant compounds can put a dent in your cholesterol.
The type of soluble fiber cherries contain, called pectin, is also great at lowering cholesterol.
If chewing around the cherry pit and spitting it out is a little too messy for your taste, check into buying a cherry pitter. Some can pit olives as well. Instead of serve and spit, you’ll pit and serve!
Caution: One bad cherry in a bag can truly spoil the whole bunch. Sort your cherries and pick out the bad ones before putting them in the fridge.
Add finely chopped cherries to ground meat; you’ll cut the fat, boost the nutrition, and add unexpected zip to meat loaf and burgers.
Add frozen tart cherries to your next smoothie.
Add chopped fresh cherries to low-fat yogurt for a fantastic midday snack.
Instead of hot fudge with ice cream: Add cherries to your frozen treat.
