Antioxidant Solutions makes a Triple Cherry Blend that will have you smacking your lips and begging for more! Made up of tart cherries, sweet cherries and Balaton cherries, this blend works well as part of a fruit salad, by itself, or in a recipe. The Balaton is a variety of tart cherry from Hungary. This blend is especially flavorful with a balance of sweet and tart cherries. A serving size is one cup or 145 grams. It has just 70 calories! The serving of cherries, which are frozen at the peak of flavor and freshness, contains 8% of the RDA for Vitamin A and Vitamin C. There is also 4% of the RDA of iron in a serving.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, cherries have antioxidant properties. This means that they help rid the body of free radicals. What in the world are free radicals, and why don't we want them in our bodies? Free radicals are cells that have been harmed by oxygen. These cells, in a cascading effect, can cause injuries in the body's tissues and organs. Antioxidants prevent or stop the process that can cause the body damage or disease. Eating fruits and vegetables is a fantastic way to bring antioxidants into your body.

The package states that one serving (145 grams) of Antioxidant Solutions Triple Cherry Blend has an oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of 2033. It goes on to report that "Nutritionists suggest that 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units per day can have a positive impact on health." While antioxidant rich foods are commonly believed to have a positive effect on health, the mechanism for this beneficial result is not clearly understood, according to a UDSA statement about antioxidants and food. What we do know is that eating a variety of nutrition dense foods is good for our health.

I recommend the Antioxidant Solutions Triple Cherry Blend as part of a healthy sandwich meal. These succulent cherries can be used as a dessert, maybe with some Greek yogurt or as part of a fruit salad. The package has a tasty smoothie recipe. If you want a taste of summer in a cooling drink, try the Fresh Cherry Limeade Recipe below. It goes well with many sandwiches!

Fresh Cherry Limeade Recipe

Ingredients:

1 large lime cut in half and squeezed into a 2 cup measure
Water to fill the measuring cup to the 2 cup line
2/3 cup fresh frozen Triple Cherry Blend
Sugar or sweetener of your choice (to taste)

Method:

The lime needs to be squeezed until it gives up every last drop of limey goodness. It's great to have a glass juicer like your granny had. If you don't, use the back of a teaspoon to press on the inside of the lime half while you squeeze from the outside. Squeeze the juice into a glass 2 cup measure. Then, fill the cup up to the 2 cup line with really cold water. Stir to mix, then divide the limeade into two glasses that hold 16 ounces each. Add sweetener to taste. Then, don't add ice! Instead, plop 1/3 cup of frozen Triple Cherry Blend into each cup. Stir and watch the limeade turn the most gorgeous shade of pink! These cherries act as mini ice cubes without diluting your limeade. Add ice water to fill the cup and adjust the sweetener.


That's it! Simple, tasty, fresh limeade for a fraction of the cost of bottled! After the limeade is gone, you have a delightful cherry surprise at the bottom of the cup. Enjoy with a special sandwich meal!