The harvest of sweet cherries grown in the Northwest has begun, which means a new crop of this superfruit will start appearing in produce sections nationwide. Available fresh for a limited time, this juicy summer fruit offers extensive health benefits both internally and externally.
From reducing inflammation and stress to improving sleep quality and skin brightness, sweet cherries are a nutritional powerhouse easy to incorporate into the daily diet of consumers of all ages.
"Growers are calling the 2024 harvest in the Northwest an average crop of excellent quality cherries," said B.J. Thurlby, president of Northwest Cherry Growers. "We see cherries well distributed throughout the tree canopy, with fewer large clusters compared to 2023. Combined with warm weather, volumes are increasing. Historically, this type of fruit set has resulted in large, beautiful cherries and excellent storage quality."
Northwest sweet cherries are more than just a treat. Sweet cherries are a natural source of antioxidants, including anthocyanins that give the fruit its vibrant red color and provide anti-inflammatory benefits linked to anti-cancer properties, cardiovascular health, pain reduction, and more.
Sweet cherries, which contain vitamin C, support the immune system and keep skin bright. Studies have also shown that sweet cherries are a source of potassium, which can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Northwest cherries are harvested by over 2,500 growers in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and Montana, who together produce over 70% of the fresh cherries found in stores from mid-June to early September.
Read the full article: PR Newswire
Image: Fruitnet
27 Jun 2023
The scientific research we present today was conducted in Sichuan Province (China). Photosynthetic characteristics, physiology and biochemistry of the fruits were analyzed, as well as fruit transcriptome.
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A WSU study shows how heatwaves, low temperatures during bloom and environmental stress affect firmness, stems, pitting and postharvest cherry quality in Washington State, with different responses across Rainier, Bing, Skeena and Sweetheart cultivars in hot seasons.
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A study by Miguel Hernández University in Elche shows that natural treatments with putrescine and spermidine can raise sweet cherry yields in Spain by up to 40%, reduce rain-induced cracking, and improve fruit firmness, color, flavor and overall market quality too.
