All kidding aside, cherries (just like many other berries, even herbs, and certain kinds of veggies) are loaded with amazing cancer fighting antioxidants.
Dr. Axe wrote an awesome blog post on the top antioxidant rich foods:
1) Goji berries 25,000 ORAC Score
2) Wild blueberries 14,000 ORAC Score
3) Dark Chocolate 21,000 ORAC Score
4) Pecans 17,000 ORAC Score
5) Artichoke 9,400 ORAC Score
6) Elderberries 14,000 ORAC Score
7) Kidney Beans 8,400 ORAC Score
8) Cranberries 9,500 ORAC Score
9) Blackberries 5,300 ORAC Score
10) Cilantro 5,100 ORAC Score
Check out what the US National Library of Medicine & National Institute of Health wrote on the “Role of Antioxidants in Health Maintenance”:
(see link here to read full article; also….after you click the link, look to the right to see related articles for some more good antioxidant reading!)
“Free radicals are produced in the body as byproducts of normal metabolism and as a result of exposure to radiation and some environmental pollutants. Because they are highly reactive, they can damage cellular components and are implicated in a variety of diseases. Free radicals are normally neutralized by efficient systems in the body that include the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase) and the nutrient-derived antioxidant small molecules (vitamin E, vitamin C, carotenes, flavonoids, glutathione, uric acid, and taurine). In healthy individuals, a delicate balance exists between free radicals and antioxidants. In some pathologic conditions such as diabetes, and in critically ill patients, oxidative stress causes the level of antioxidants to fall below normal. Antioxidant supplements for such conditions are expected to be of benefit. As a preventive measure against certain diseases, the best approach for healthy individuals is to regularly consume adequate amounts of antioxidant-rich foods, eg, fruits and vegetables.”
I am in my mid 30s, a wife to a Brazilian man, mother to a 6 year old daughter, and happy owner of a beautiful Australian Labradoodle named Bel. I am a Christian and profess Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior! My interests are sort of nerdy; I like to culture fruit, brew kombucha, use essential oils, do occasional fun runs, go saltwater fishing and I have over 16 fruit trees in my backyard.