Red sour cherries are less common than the larger, sweet cherries. Red sour cherries are primarily grown in the United States and Canada and have a short harvesting season of only two months. The most popular variety of red sour cherry is the Montmorency.
Red sour cherries are seldom found fresh except at farmers' markets. They are usually acquired for cooking and baking, most notably in cherry pie. Red sour cherries are also becoming popular as a dried fruit snack and as a base for wine.
Red sour cherries, also known as tart cherries, are less common than larger, sweet cherries. They are primarily grown in the United States and Canada and have a short harvesting season of only two months. The most popular variety of red sour cherry is the Montmorency.
Tart cherries boast surprisingly nutritious content, being a good source of fiber and manganese as well as an excellent source of vitamin A and iron. One heaping cup of tart cherries supplies more than a third of an adult's RDV of vitamin A and nearly one-fifth the RDV of iron. Traditionally used by Native Americans as a pain-reliever, especially for sore throats, tart cherries have been found by scientists at Johns Hopkins University to reduce painful inflammation in animals. Similarly, red sour cherries have been studied in the prevention of exercise-related muscle pain, the relief of arthritis, and protection against gout.
Tart cherries have typically been used in cooking and baking, but their health benefits are giving them renewed attention. Red sour cherry juice can be drunk on its own or blended for an antioxidant-rich beverage. Tart cherries can also be used as a base for wine, or as an ingredient in jams, ice creams, yogurts and trail mixes, or in chutneys and salsas.
