Powered By Red

The only negative side effect of exercise is that you produce a lot of free radicals and inflammation, especially with intense exercise. The good news is that there are foods that help your body recover from intense exercise.

Cherries are one of these foods that are emerging as a fruit that can help reduce inflammation and provide great antioxidant health benefits. Cherries are almost as high as blueberries and are so tasty! They are available fresh, frozen, dried, canned, or as juice. My mouth is watering thinking about those nice tart dried cherries!

Choosecherries.com has a new Red Recovery Routine for athletes to assist in managing post-exercise pain.

Antioxidant Levels of Cherries

• Cherry Juice Concentrate: 12,800 ORAC units
• Dried Cherries: 6,800 ORAC units
• Frozen Cherries: 2,033 ORAC units
• Canned Cherries: 1,700 ORAC units

10 Powerful Red Combinations for Pain Management (courtesy of Powered By Red and sports dietitian Leslie Bonci, RD)

• Dried cherries make a good grab-and-go snack
• Try the Power Berry Trail Mix Energy Cookie with dried cherries, flaxseed, oats and almonds
• Add dried cherries to a bowl of whole grain oatmeal for a breakfast boost
• Create a quick yogurt parfait with vanilla yogurt, granola and dried cherries, like the RedEye Breakfast Parfait
• Enjoy a Cherry Oatmeal Muffin for a breakfast or afternoon snack
• Add dried cherries to a fresh spinach salad with walnuts for a light post-exercise meal
• Stir up whole grain couscous with grilled chicken, dried cherries and a splash of cherry juice for added flavor
• Rehydrate and refresh with the Red Alert, a mix of cherry juice and coconut water, a natural isotonic known for its hydration benefits
• Recharge with the Red Recharger Smoothie, a triple hit of cherries, antioxidants, and protein
• Pack a powerful gym bag with a single-serve bottle of 100% cherry juice or a cherry juice blend

Click here for some great Cherry Recipes!
For more info on Powered By Red or Cherries: www.choosecherries.com