Slim Down for Summer with America's Superfruit

If you’re looking to slim down and eat well this summer, try adding tart cherries to your diet. Research shows that adding tart cherries to your diet can prevent weight gain and even encourage weight loss.

In a study conducted by the University of Michigan, researchers found that tart cherries have significant weight management benefits, including reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

Tart cherries are high in anthocyanins, a highly potent type of antioxidant that promotes healthy oxidation of fat (fat burning).  These antioxidants may help prevent fat storage in the liver, one of the most dangerous places to store fat because the liver produces triglycerides. When less fat is stored in the liver, the liver doesn’t produce as many triglycerides or release inflammatory substances, resulting in lowering the body’s triglyceride levels.  All of these changes help protect you from weight gain.

Tart cherries are also high in fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer. According to a recent study in the Journal of Nutrition, you can prevent weight gain and encourage weight loss by adding more fiber to your diet.  In this study, Researchers followed the eating habits of women for two years and found that those who increased their fiber intake generally lost weight. During the study, they discovered that increasing fiber intake by 8 grams for every 1,000 calories resulted in about 4 ½ pounds of weight loss.

There are many ways you can add 8 grams of fiber to your diet. My trick is drinking a Cheribundi smoothie every morning for breakfast. I mix a frozen cherry puree packet with a cup of frozen berries, a banana, and a splash of apple juice. Cheribundi smoothie packs have helped me boost my fiber intake before I even start my workday. Click here to learn more about the benefits of tart cherries. 

Sources: Sources: University of Michigan Health System, The Journal of Nutrition, National College of Natural, Health and Science’s Library UCD