Cherries - Healthy Recipes And More

Cherries

Cherries - their eye-catching red and plump fruiting bodies make it hard to resist. They are only available for a short time in summer, but not only because of that they are a very special fruit. You should harvest them when they are ripe, as they do not ripen. Cherries are perishable and not suitable for long storage. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of two to three days…

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• Botany
• ingredients
• Use and preparation
• storage

Botany

Cherries are among the stone fruit varieties and are a rose family (Rosaceae). With sweet and sour cherries there are two main types (sweet cherry: Prunus avium, sour cherry: Prunus cerasus) and various hybrids. Among the sweet cherries, the heart and the cartilage cherry are well-known representatives. The heart cherry is characterized by a juicy and soft flesh, the cartilaginous cherry by a firmer fruit consistency. The sour cherries include the Vistula and Morello cherries. Depending on the variety, the fruits grow round, oval, egg or heart-shaped. The fruits vary in color from yellow to light and dark to black-red.

Cherries are available from local cultivation in June and July.

Note In Austria, Styria is the main growing area.

ingredients

Cherries are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are high in iron and potassium. The calcium content of the sweet cherry is higher than that of the sour cherry (sweet cherry: 17 mg / 100 g, sour cherry: 8 mg / 100 g). The secondary phytonutrients contained in it, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, are particularly healthy and have an antioxidant effect.

You can find more information under secondary plant substances and how flavonoids and co.

Sweet cherries and sour cherries differ in their ingredients, albeit only slightly. At 13.3 g / 100 g, the sweet representatives have a slightly higher sugar and therefore also calorie content of 63 kcal / 100 g than sour cherries (9.9 g carbohydrates / 100 g; 53 kcal / 100 g). The differences in the vitamin content are minimal: only the carotenoid content is far apart. With 40 µg / 100 g, the Vistula has a significantly higher content of vitamin A equivalents than the sweet cherry with only 6 µg / 100 g. One µg of vitamin A equivalent corresponds to six µg of beta-carotene.

Note The cherry stone contains hydrogen cyanide and must therefore not be eaten.

Sweet cherry ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw *	Sweet cherry ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw *
Energy (kcal)	63	Vitamin A (µg)	6th
Fat (g)	0.3	Vitamin B1 (mg)	0.04
Protein (g)	0.9	Vitamin B2 (mg)	0.04
Carbohydrates (g)	13.3	Niacin (mg)	0.3
Dietary fiber (g)	1.3	Vitamin B6 (mg)	0.05
Potassium (mg)	229	Vitamin C (mg)	15th
Calcium (mg)	17th	Vitamin E (mg)	0.1
Magnesium (mg)	11	Folic acid (µg)	52
Iron (mg)	0.4

^{* at least 85 percent of the goods are edible}

Sour cherry ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw	Sour cherry ingredients	per 100 g edible portion, raw
Energy (kcal)	53	Vitamin A (µg)	40
Fat (g)	0.5	Vitamin B1 (mg)	0.05
Protein (g)	0.9	Vitamin B2 (mg)	0.06
Carbohydrates (g)	9.9	Niacin (mg)	0.4
Dietary fiber (g)	1	Vitamin C (mg)	12
Potassium (mg)	114	Vitamin E (mg)	0.1
Calcium (mg)	8th	Folic acid (µg)	75
Magnesium (mg)	8th	Vitamin B6 (mg)	0.05
Iron (mg)	0.5

Use and preparation

Cherries are used in a wide variety of desserts such as casseroles, cakes, pies, strudels and desserts. For example, rice pudding with sour cherries or cherry semolina strudel are popular. They are also easy to use with compote, jam or juice. With their slightly sour taste, sour cherries go well with fried or grilled meat.

Note Whether as compote, jam, jelly or grits - cherries are ideal for preserving in jars.

storage

Cherries are perishable and not suitable for long storage. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of two to three days. Cartilage cherries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to ten days a little longer. Best put in a closed container in the refrigerator. Cherries with a softer, juicy flesh (e.g. heart cherry) are more sensitive to pressure. Cherries do not ripen after harvest and should therefore be picked as ripe as possible - wash them well shortly before processing or consumption. Pay attention to firm and shiny skin when shopping! The stem should still be there, green and smooth.

Cherries are very suitable for freezing (with or without a stone).

Danger! Damaged cherries are easily affected by mold.