櫻桃的健康益處
It's cherry season again! They're fresh, plentiful, beautiful, and delicious, but, you may be wondering-are cherries actually that good for you? The answer is yes, 100 times yes! Cherries are not only one of the healthiest fruits, they also rank as one of the most health protective foods overall. One cup, or about 21 cherries, contains less than 100 calories and 15% of your daily vitamin C needs. But here are more reasons why this stone fruit is a nutritional all-star.
又到了吃櫻桃的季節！櫻桃非常新鮮、果肉多、好看又美味，但是，你也許會想--櫻桃真的有那麼好嗎？答案是是的，就是那麼好！櫻桃不僅是最健康的水果之一，而且也是最健康的保健食品之一。一杯櫻桃（大約21顆）含有的熱量低於100卡，但卻含有15%的日維生素C推薦量。但這一核果類水果成爲營養明星還有其它原因。
Cherries are full of antioxidants
櫻桃富含抗氧化劑
Cherries are a potent source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These cellular body guards slow down aging and ward off chronic illnesses-including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and obesity.
櫻桃是抗氧化劑和消炎化合物的有效來源。櫻桃可保護身體細胞、延緩衰老過程、抵禦慢性疾病--包括心臟病、癌症、阿爾茲海默症、糖尿病和肥胖。
They protect against diabetes
預防糖尿病
The anti-inflammatory effect of cherries helps keep your body healthy; but what's more, cherries rank lower than many fruits on the glycemic index. That means they don't trigger spikes and crashes in your blood sugar and insulin levels. This makes them both protective against diabetes, and important for managing the condition if you already have it.
櫻桃的消炎效果有助於保持身體健康；但更爲重要的是，櫻桃的血糖指數低於許多其它水果。這就意味着櫻桃不會觸發體內的血糖和胰島素水平激增或崩潰。所以，櫻桃可預防糖尿病。如果你是糖尿病患者，吃櫻桃也有助於管理該疾病。
They promote healthy sleep
促進高效睡眠
Tart cherries in particular are one of the few food sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps control your sleep-wake cycles. One study in men and women with insomnia found that compared to a placebo, eight ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning and again one to two hours before bed increased sleep time by an hour and 24 minutes.
酸櫻桃是褪黑素的少數食物來源之一，褪黑素是一種有助於控制睡醒週期的激素。一項有關失眠男女的研究發現：與安慰劑相比，早晨喝八盎司的酸櫻桃汁，睡前一至兩小時再喝一杯能延長你的睡眠時間，延長1小時24分鐘。
They can provide arthritis relief
可以緩解關節炎
Several studies have suggested that cherry consumption is beneficial for osteoarthritis sufferers. Regularly incorporating cherries or 100% cherry juice into your meal or snack routine may help lessen your joint pain.
一些研究表明：吃櫻桃對骨關節炎患者有益。定期食用櫻桃或喝純的櫻桃汁或有助於緩解關節痛。
They lower the risk of gout attacks
降低痛風發作的風險
Over eight million adults in the U.S. suffer from gout. This inflammatory arthritis is triggered when a waste product called uric acid crystallizes within the joints, causing excruciating pain and swelling. In one study, gout patients who consumed cherries for just two days (both the fresh fruit, as well as cherry extract and juice) showed a 35% lower risk of gout attacks compared to those who did not eat cherries.
美國有超過八百萬的成年人患有痛風。當關節內一種叫做尿酸的廢物結晶時，就會觸發這一炎症性關節炎，極度疼痛、腫脹。在一項研究中，食用櫻桃兩天的痛風患者（新鮮櫻桃、櫻桃提取物和果汁）與不吃櫻桃的患者相比，他們痛風發作的風險降低了35%。
