At present, it is the peak season for cherry sales, and at the same time, statements such as "cherries contain natural melatonin to help sleep", "the darker the color of cherries, the better the quality", and "cherries should not be eaten more than 15 per day" have attracted attention. Are these claims scientific? Poke the video and unravel the truth about choosing and consuming cherries together. Melatonin is a hormone naturally secreted by the pineal gland of the human brain, which usually increases in secretion at night and sends a signal to the body to "fall asleep", playing a role in regulating biological rhythms. Is the content of melatonin in cherries high? Can eating cherries supplement melatonin and help with sleep? Shi Jun, Doctor of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: Cherry does contain a certain amount of melatonin, but the amount of melatonin is too small. The amount of melatonin contained in 100 grams of cherries is usually only 1.5-1.8 micrograms. Generally speaking, the amount of melatonin used for treatment is 0.5-10 milligrams for adults, with 1 milligrams being 1000 micrograms. Therefore, to achieve this therapeutic dose of cherries, we need to consume them in tons, which is basically impossible. In addition, even melatonin products with considerable content are only a "rhythm regulator", usually only effective for insomnia caused by rhythm disorders, such as jet lag and shift work. Melatonin cannot solve all types of insomnia. Moreover, the melatonin content in cherries is very limited. In addition, Shi Jun also reminded that compared to melatonin, the sorbitol contained in cherries is more noteworthy. Shi Jun, Doctor of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: Generally speaking, prunus mume has a high content of sorbitol. We know that after eating plums, the intestines will become much smoother. The same thing can also happen after eating a lot of cherries. If you eat too much, it may lead to diarrhea, especially for infants and young children. For friends who are sensitive to the intestines, it is also necessary to control their intake. Does a darker color represent better quality cherries? Many friends like to buy cherries with darker colors when buying them, thinking that such cherries have higher maturity and sweeter taste. When selecting cherries, does a darker exterior color indicate better quality? Shi Jun, Doctor of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: There are great differences in the color of different varieties of cherries, such as the precocious cherries Santina, which has recently been concentrated on the market. The characteristic of this variety itself is that the skin and flesh are both purple red in color. During the growth process, there may be color differences in the fruit due to lighting conditions and other environmental factors. However, there is no unified standard for whether this color difference can represent the taste and sweetness of the fruit itself. Not to mention the mid to late maturing varieties, which are not inherently dark in color. The representative one is Rainier, which has a yellow background and a reddish hue. It cannot be said that the darker the color, the better the taste. Should I eat more than 15 cherries a day? During the season when cherries are on the market, there is a saying that 'it is not advisable to eat more than 15 cherries per day'. Does this statement have scientific basis? How much cherries are suitable to eat? Shi Jun, Doctor of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: In fact, there is no one and only objective standard. It depends on everyone's different physical conditions. New varieties continue to emerge, and their sugar content will also become higher and higher. Some varieties have a soluble sugar content of up to 19 degrees. For friends who have special needs to control blood sugar, it is still necessary to pay attention to the total amount of food consumed. (New Society)