Each fruit has its seasonality, cherries are no exception. These fruits begin to ripen in mid-May, until they reach summer. These are available for several months, but it is recommended not to eat cherries after June 24th, why? Let’s find out together.
Symbolism of cherries
Small fruits with various shades of red, the cherries six different countries of the world have had different symbols. Its intense and sweet flavour, since ancient times has represented the deep emotions. In the East, on the other hand, they take on the meaning of sacrificeand its tree, dello flow of life.
Ciliegie-wineandfoodtour.it
In the westernmost areas instead, the cherry, for its intense red tones. has always been connected to passion and to sensuality. Taking a dip in the ancient texts we will find references to cherries such as fruits of Paradise, because their taste and their pulp are so good that eating cherries is an absolute pleasure. Although today we find these fruits practically everywhere, their origin is Greek, but they conquered the hearts of the Romans, spreading to every part of the world. Let’s take a closer look at their story.
The arrival of cherries in Italy
The story of the arrival of cherries in Italy is well told by the Roman writer Caius Pliny the Second. According to this writer, the credit goes to Lucius Licinius Luculus, Roman soldier and politician stationed in Ponto, a territory currently occupied by the Türkiye. During his stay in Ponto, the general tasted the cherries and fell madly in love with them. These had a much more delicate and tasty flavor than the classic ones Roman cherries. He therefore decided to take them with him on his return to Italy, where they found fertile ground for their development. At the time, however, there were only 2 varieties of cherries: the Prunus Avium and the Prunus cherry. These two varieties then gave rise to the many types that exist today in the world. But let’s find out more about the precious qualities of these fruits.
Why eat cherries
The cherries they have a lot beneficial properties, which make them excellent to eat, not only for their taste, but also for the benefits they bring to our body. Let’s start by saying they are rich in vitamins A and C, allies of our immune system and the proper functioning of our cells and our eyesight. There are also many minerals that make them up: magnesium, potassium, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus and flavonoids. Each of these is important for the proper functioning of our nervous system and for fighting free radicals.
Eat cherries-wineandfoodtour.it
Eating cherries is also good detoxifying and purifying properties for the liver, as well antirheumatic e anti-inflammatory. These help the prevention of many diseases such as gotta. A fundamental help is also the one against the cystitisit has in fact been found that cherries help treat and prevent this inflammatory state.
To this end, decoctions or herbal teas can be prepared. Special attention, on the other hand, must be paid to the hazelnuts, in fact these can be used for various types of preparations, but they must always remain intact. In fact, these contain hydrogen cyanide, a poison common in nature, which if ingested hinders the passage of oxygen in the blood with even fatal consequences. However, this substance is released only and exclusively if the stones are ingested or broken, however they remain harmless if used intact, for example for the preparation of liqueurs or drinks.
So we come to our question, why not eat cherries beyond June 24th?
Don’t eat cherries after June 24th
Il June 24th it is in fact an indicative date which according to tradition marks the end of the cherry harvest. But the reason to end the collection is given by a parasite. In fact, rising temperatures lead these fruits to excessive ripening. This maturation gives way to the development of a parasite, called in dialect “Giovannino worm“, precisely from the saint who usually represents June 24th.
We must therefore avoid eating cherries harvested after that date, to avoid running into this whitish parasite that infests the fruits.