On the health benefits of cherries
Eats shoots & leaves
Cherries are like a silent feminist. Their strength and armoury are not to be underestimated, which often goes unnoticed until someone sinks their teeth into one.
Cherries kick ass. But unlike feminists, these berries are storehouses of anti-inflammatory agents. Red and blue berries such as cherries, strawberries, redcurrants, grapes and blueberries contain anthocyanins. These powerful compounds can help battle any filthy toxins loitering in your system from last night’s shindig. Scientists have found that anthocyanins fire useful anti-inflammatory markers into the bloodstream, reducing the pain caused by uric acid.
Sounds like something you couldn’t possibly suffer from? Think again. Uric-acid crystals plague a large percentage of diabetics and the elderly. Still think you’re not at risk? VHI estimate that there are 30,000 undetected cases of diabetes in Ireland today, on top of some 146,000 undiagnosed pre-diabetics, and 200,000 diagnosed diabetics.
This means approximately onein-10 of us is affected, a 37pc jump since 2008. If these trends hold, by 2020 one-in-five adults is expected to develop the disease.
On a happier note, these same anthocyanins from berries were found to increase insulin production in animal pancreatic cells by 50pc. A high-five for diabetics? Perhaps.
More happiness? Cherries are packed with skin-enhancing antioxidants, and hold a low glycemic load. It’s hardly penance to include more of them in your diet. Just evict the nasty glace ones from your cupboards — they are distant dejected relatives of the real thing, my friends.
STICKY CHOCOLATE AND CHERRY TORTE
Serves 25
You will need:
3 tablespoons dried cherries 4 tablespoons almond milk 200g (8oz) cow’s or goat’s butter, plus a little extra for greasing the tin 200g (8oz) dark chocolate 210 (8oz) muscovado sugar 4 eggs 65g (2oz) all-purpose gluten-free flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 40g (1½ oz) chocolate chips
Soak the cherries in the almond milk overnight. The next day, fire up your oven to 170°C, 340°F, Gas 4. Grease an 18cm (7in) round springform tin with cow’s or goat’s butter, whichever you are using. Slowly melt the dark chocolate and the cow’s or goat’s butter, whichever you are using, over a bain-marie for 8 minutes (a bain-marie is basically a shallow bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water). Whisk the muscovado sugar and the eggs for one minute. Fold in the gluten-free flour, the baking powder, the chocolate chips and the soaked cherries, along with their soaking liquid. Beat in the melted buttery chocolate. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake the torte for 40 minutes until it is set but slightly wobbly. Leave it to rest for two hours before removing it from the tin.