Sour cherries, fruits rich in vitamin C and antioxidants! What else should you know about them?

Sour cherries, fruits of a fruit tree that are often confused with cherries.

What are the differences between them?

What benefits does sour cherry offer to our body?

You will learn everything in the following article!

Sour cherries, drupes rich in vitamin C

Latin called Prunus cerasus. It is closely related to the cherry, but has more acidic fruits. The sour cherry is native to Europe and Southwest Asia.

The cherry tree grows to a height of 4–10 m, has branched branches and its red to almost black fruits grow on shorter stalks. It thrives in cooler, moist climates. Prefers rich, well-drained, moist soil.

The leaves are usually deciduous, simple, alternate and serrate, 3-9 cm long and 2-5 cm wide. It has white flowers.

Cherry has an intense and sour taste. The skin of the fruit is smooth and firm with a shiny surface. Its pulp contains a small seed that is light brown in color.

Often these fruits are used in desserts such as cakes, sorbets and ice cream.

And what benefits does this type of fruit bring to our body?

Why consume sour cherries?

Sour cherries are loaded with important nutrients. They contain antioxidants, vitamin C. They serve as cancer prevention, reduce inflammation, and ensure the proper functioning of the heart and nervous system.

In addition to vitamin C and antioxidants, sour cherries are rich in disease-fighting compounds. These are perillyl alcohol, limonene and ellagic acid. These compounds have been shown to stop cell transformation leading to cancer.

Because sour cherries are rich in two anti-inflammatory compounds, anthocyanins and quercetin, they may be beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of asthma and other respiratory conditions and offer relief to people suffering from gout.

Sour cherries are good to consume during sports, they improve muscle strength and endurance.

They can be consumed in whole fruit, juice, juice concentrate, powder and extract forms. The recommended dose of sour cherry juice is 240-480 ml daily.

Nutritional values

Sour cherries contain high amounts of vitamin C, magnesium and fiber. You can see other values ​​in the following table:

Types of sour cherries

There are two main varieties of sour cherries – Morello and Amarelle.

Morello

Also known as common cherry, in Latin Prunus Cerasus. It is the most commonly used species to make desserts, jams and alcoholic drinks such as kirsch, but also as a savory ingredient in vegetarian, meat and fish recipes.

The tree of this variety grows to a height of 6 m. It is self-fertile, meaning that the trees do not require another species nearby to produce fruit. The fruits of the sour cherry are dark red.

If you decide to grow this variety, the fruit harvest can be in late June or July.

Morello also includes a subvariety:

English Morello

A slightly sour sour cherry variety with a dark red-black color. It is characterized by late harvesting and frequent use in baking.

Amarelle

Amarelle cherries (Prunus cerasus L. in Latin) were very popular with growers in Kent, England, who by 1640 had developed over 24 named varieties. This cherry variety is still known in Britain today as ‘Kentish’ instead of ‘Amarelle’.

The tree of this type of sour cherry is slightly taller than other varieties. The fruits are light red and less acidic than, for example, Morella fruits.

With Amarelle, we also distinguish other subvarieties:

Early Richmond

The fruits are small, round, bright red. They have a sour taste. This is a variety characterized by an early harvest.

Meteor

The color of this variety is light red. The fruits are large and slightly sour.

Montmorency

It is considered the best variety for baking cakes. This is a medium-sized cherry variety. The fruits are bright red with soft yellow flesh. Montmorency is also good for canning. This stone fruit also withstands colder environments.

Cultivation

Sour cherries prefer loose, well-drained and moist soil. They thrive in clay and sandy soil. The choice of location is also important. They require one where they are protected from north and west winds. Sour cherries should receive at least half a day of direct sunlight.

In the spring, it is necessary to remove weeds and mulch around the tree. It is also the best time to cut. Young cherry trees should be given a space of at least one square meter, free of grass and weeds. Mulching with organic mulch such as bark, leaves, straw, post husks or grass clippings is extremely beneficial.

Sour cherries suffer less from pests and diseases than cherries, although they are prone to heavy fruit losses due to birds. In summer, the fruit must be protected with mesh.

When harvesting fruits, they should be cut from the tree rather than risk damage by pulling on the stems.

Processing

Sour cherries are most often used when baking pies or cakes. They are great for cooking.

They are richly flavored and have firm flesh so they don’t spoil when cooked. You can also dry them, make juice, jam or preserve them. And if you don’t know how to preserve sour cherries, read recipes for delicious sour cherries .

You can also make excellent syrup from sour cherries and use it in liqueurs and drinks. You will need :

• 2 liters of fresh pitted sour cherries
• 2 cups of sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Procedure :

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
2. Cook for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the syrup through a fine sieve and discard the fruit pulp. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Sour cherries can be used to make a lot of recipes special. You can add them to roasted pumpkin with feta cheese, to lamb or to lentils.

Cherry products

Cherry jam – jam with a more sour flavor that you can use in baking or to spread on pastries

Dried cherries – used in baking, they have an excellent sweet-sour taste

Attractions

What is the difference between cherry and sour cherry?

• a cherry tree is smaller than a cherry tree
• sour cherry fruits are more acidic

According to the study, researchers found that sour cherries are among the crops that contain the most antioxidants, along with strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Sour cherries also offer a high content of vitamin C. This is essential for a strong immune system and collagen production. Include them in your diet, they will provide your body with many positives!