Sweet cherries may conjure images of hot summer days, but who knew that they could be a year-round staple for good health? These sweet snacks provide the boost needed to stay on track with any fitness and nutrition resolutions.

Certainly, nothing beats the flavour of fresh sweet cherries, but with some preparation and creativity, their goodness can be enjoyed all year long.

“Maintaining a fitness routine can be challenging during the winter. For many of us, it’s cold, yet despite all the reasons we may want to shake off our routines, paying attention to our health and focusing on nutrition now will set us up for better health year-round,” says Kelly Pritchett, PhD, RD, CSSD, Associate Professor of Nutrition and Exercise Science at Central Washington University.

Sweet cherries are a natural and tasty source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, potassium and melatonin. They also contain anthocyanins – the pigment that gives dark sweet cherries their deep and delicious color – which are linked to anti-inflammatory effects. According to Pritchett, anyone with a training regimen can realize at least three distinct benefits from adding cherries to their daily fruit intake.

A few of Pritchett’s training regime tips include:

* Decrease your muscle soreness: Several studies involving athletes suggest that cherry consumption can reduce muscle soreness and also help return loss of strength. By incorporating fresh, frozen or dried cherries into their diets, fitness fanatics may recover more quickly for the next workout.

* Improve your quality of sleep: Everyone needs a good night’s rest, and the melatonin in sweet cherries can promote sleep quality. Sleep is critical to everything from restoring energy to boosting immunity to enhancing metabolism. A serving of sweet cherries about an hour before bedtime can help stabilize and regulate sleep patterns.

* Boost your post-workout recovery: A body that goes through a strenuous exercise routine needs to recover, and dried sweet cherries are an ideal post-workout snack. They provide healthy carbohydrates and help replace glycogen, which gets the body ready for its next go-around.