Cherries are a delicious and popular fruit, but they come with a hefty price tag. Let’s explore the world of cherries and uncover why they are so expensive in the article below.
1 All About Cherries
Cherry Nutrition Facts
Cherries have a higher sugar and carbohydrate content compared to some other fruits. However, they also offer a plethora of other beneficial nutrients, especially fiber, which helps slow down the body’s digestion of sugar. Here is the nutritional content of 100g of cherries:
- Calories: 72g
- Protein: 1.20g
- Fat: 0.96g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Vitamin C: 15mg
- Vitamin K: 0.39mg
- Vitamin B6: 11mg
- Vitamin A: 19mg
- Potassium: 224mg
- Manganese: 0.06mg
- Copper: 0.05mg
- Vitamin E: 0.06mg
- Thiamin: 0.4mg
- Riboflavin: 0.127mg
- Niacin: 0.035mg
Cherries
Health Benefits of Cherries
- Fight Diabetes and Prevent Cardiovascular Disease: Cherries contain anthocyanins, which help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Research has shown that this component can inhibit the enzymes that cause diabetes. Eating cherries can help reduce glucose absorption in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of high blood pressure and inflammation in the body.
- Improve Sleep Quality: Cherries are a rich source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. If you struggle with insomnia, drinking cherry juice can help you fall asleep more easily, sleep more deeply, and avoid sleep disorders.
- Boost Mood and Brain Function: Cherries contain serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and reduce anxiety. Eating cherries can, therefore, improve your mood. Additionally, the polyphenols in cherries support brain health, enhance memory, and improve other brain functions.
- Aid Digestion: Cherries are known for their high fiber content, which aids in digestion and reduces blood glucose levels.
- Prevent Cancer: The antioxidants in cherries also help reduce the risk of cancer by inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and promoting healthy skin, thus slowing down the aging process.
Health Benefits of Cherries
2 Why Are Cherries More Expensive Than Other Fruits?
High Labor Costs
Growing cherries requires constant vigilance to protect the trees from pests, diseases, and birds that love to feast on the fruit. Additionally, because cherries are delicate and challenging to cultivate, growers need extensive knowledge about horticulture, weather patterns, temperature control, and climate change to implement timely and effective measures to ensure the trees’ health and fruit quality.
Sophisticated Harvesting Techniques
Cherry harvesting is a meticulous and skilled task; each fruit must be carefully picked by hand to avoid bruising. As a result, a single worker can only harvest around 100-150 kg of cherries per day. The time-consuming nature of the process, coupled with the required workforce and specialized skills, contributes to the high price of cherries.
Cherry Harvesting Requires Skill and Care
Challenging Post-Harvest Storage
Once harvested, cherries present a myriad of storage challenges, especially in countries like Vietnam, which imports cherries from the US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Cherries quickly lose their stems, mold, and rot, and they have a short shelf life of about 10 days when refrigerated.
The perishability of cherries drives up the cost of air freight, the preferred transportation method to ensure their freshness. Additionally, the actual sales volume is significantly lower than the harvested quantity due to the fruit’s rapid deterioration.
Techniques and Infrastructure Requirements
To ensure adequate water supply and protect the trees from frost damage, growers need to invest in automated ground-level sprinkler systems and overhead water sprayers. These technical requirements and the need for specialized infrastructure further contribute to the high cost of growing cherries.
Cherry Farming Demands Modern Techniques and Infrastructure
Impact of Weather
Cherries typically bear fruit after winter, enduring harsh cold with temperatures ranging from 0 to 7°C. While cherries thrive in cold climates, temperatures below -2°C can hinder their growth and lead to the formation of immature fruit.
Further Reading:
We hope you found this information about cherries and their high price useful. You can conveniently order cherries online through our website. Place your order now and enjoy this delicious and nutritious fruit!
