Its from June onwards that we start to find more and more cherries becoming available. They are great to add to the lunch box and as a healthy snack, here is some information all about them.

What's in a name?

Our word Cherry evolved from the Mediaeval Latin "Ceresia" and that eventually became cerise' in French. The English dropped the se at the end due to it sounding plural, and ended up calling it ceri.

Historical

First distributed through Europe by the Romans in 100 AD, Lucillus, the Roman general and bon viveur brought the cherry tree from the city of Cerasus hence also its name.

The type of cherries known then would have been the sour varieties and used mainly for medicinal purposes.

Fact

There are more than 1,000 varieties of cherries and are divided into two groups, the sour cherries such as Morello and the sweet cherries like Napoleon and Bing.

It will be the sour varieties that are found in jars, or dried, the sweet are usually reserved for eating fresh.

In French cookery, any game, poultry or sweet dish called "montmorency" has a sauce of sour cherries.

Health & Fitness

The raw varieties of cherries are a good source of potassium, which helps to regulate the heartbeat as well as keeping the skin healthy.

They also contain a good amount of vitamin C.

In alternative medicine, cherries are used to help cure joint inflammation and in particular - gout - helping to lower levels of uric acid in the blood.

It is also believed that they have a cleansing effect and is able to remove toxins and cleanse the kidneys.

Hint & Tip

When buying fresh cherries, check out its stalk. It should be green and pliable, as it ages the stalk dries and withers.