All About Cherries: Nutrition, Benefits, Types, Side Effects, and More

Is there anything more summery than a bowl of ripe cherries? Sweet, snackable, and nutritious, this superfood deserves a place in your diet. “Cherries are a good source of healthy compounds like fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and polyphenols,” says Samantha Heller, RD, who’s based in New York City. (Polyphenols are plant compounds that have antioxidant properties.)

There are basically two types of cherries: sweet and tart. Tart cherries are often used in cooking and baking, while sweets are the type you buy fresh at the store to snack on, says Heller. “Both have been found in studies to have health benefits,” she says.

Read on to discover more about this juicy summer staple.

Nutrition Facts for Cherries

According to the USDA, one cup of fresh cherries contains:

• Calories: 95
• Protein: 1.6 grams (g)
• Fat: 0.3 g
• Carbohydrate: 24 g
• Fiber: 3.2 g (making them a good source)
• Sugars: 19.2 g
• Calcium: 20 milligrams (mg)
• Iron: 0.5 mg
• Magnesium: 17 mg
• Potassium: 333 mg
• Vitamin C: 10.5 mg (making them a good source)

What Are the Potential Health Benefits of Cherries?

Research on cherries details some impressive health benefits. 

• Gout A systematic review of six studies, published in December 2019 in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, concluded that participants who consumed cherries had fewer gout flare-ups than those who avoided the fruit. Cherries have been found to reduce uric acid levels in the blood, which is a waste by-product of your metabolism linked with gout as well as kidney stones. They can also help decrease inflammation to potentially lessen future attacks. The researchers note that further high-quality studies are needed.
• Sleep Tart cherries are a source of melatonin, a hormone the body releases in preparation for sleep. A randomized controlled trial published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition involving 20 adults found that those who consumed a tart cherry juice concentrate for one week saw their melatonin levels rise, and reported more sleep and better sleep quality compared with a placebo group. A more recent randomized controlled trial, published March 2018 in the American Journal of Therapeutics, found that adults older than 50 with insomnia who drank 8 ounces of tart cherry juice twice daily for two weeks slept for an additional 84 minutes relative to the placebo group. Because this study was also small (it involved only eight people), more research is needed.
• Disease risk A review of 29 studies on humans, published in March 2018 in Nutrients, found that overall evidence is “reasonably strong” to suggest that cherries help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation (two factors that increase the risk for disease), lessen muscle soreness after a tough workout, and help lower blood pressure.

Overall, when considering these benefits, remember: “While there may be evidence that consuming cherries helps with certain health conditions, it is not a cure-all,” says Heller. What’s more, many of these studies use concentrate or cherry powder, which may be given in higher amounts than a person would normally consume in cherry form — and that is not the same as eating fresh cherries, she says. So while cherries can be part of a plant-rich diet that promotes health and well-being, it’s important to keep expectations in check.

Can Cherries Help You Lose Weight?

It’s unclear if noshing on cherries directly leads to weight loss, but they can fit into a weight loss diet, says Kirby Walter, RDN, of The Nourish RD in Chicago. Cherries are a good source of fiber, and high-fiber diets have been linked to weight loss, per a study in the Journal of Nutrition from October 2019.

 Fiber has a satiating effect, helping you feel fuller for longer and preventing overeating.

Additional characteristics make fresh cherries weight loss friendly. “Cherries are a wonderful food to include [in your diet] if you’re trying to lose weight, as they’re pretty low in calories and sugar, are a low-glycemic fruit to help with blood sugar regulation, [and] taste like a treat,” says Walter.

How to Select and Store

If you are purchasing fresh cherries, you’ll want to look for those that feel firm and plump and appear bright or glossy, according to Ohio State University Extension.

 Avoid those that are soft, mushy, or appear shriveled, as this indicates they’re likely past peak ripeness.

Keep cherries fresh by storing them in the refrigerator, ideally in a shallow container so that the cherries on top don’t crush the cherries on the bottom. Rinse your cherries in cool water just before eating.

How to Eat Cherries

The simplest way to enjoy sweet cherries is to eat them as a snack fresh out of the fridge, taking care to remove the pits and stems before swallowing.

If you enjoy cherries regularly, consider purchasing a cherry pitter — the OXO Cherry and Olive Pitter is a well-rated, reasonably priced option. This tool will make cooking, baking, and snacking with cherries more convenient.By the way, accidentally swallowing a cherry pit is unlikely to be harmful, but pits can pose a serious choking hazard, particularly for children.

Courtney Darsa, RDN, CDCES, a certified diabetes care and education specialist in New York City, recommends combining cherries with nuts for a fiber, protein, and fat combination that’s satiating. What’s more, the vitamin C in the cherries will help your body better absorb the iron in the nuts, she says.

If cherries aren’t in season, you can still enjoy sweet cherries by buying them frozen. Pour some into a small bowl and eat them as you would frozen berries. You can also cook frozen cherries down into a no-sugar added sauce to top ice cream, yogurt, pancakes, and even meat (such as chicken or pork).

Tart cherries are available dried (stir them into hot oatmeal, sprinkle them over yogurt, or add them to trail mix), as preserves (great for toast), frozen (for use in desserts and baking), or as juice (drink as is, or add a splash to sparkling water for a mocktail).

Cherry Recipes

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy cherries in appetizers, main courses, sides, snacks, and desserts (of course). Here are five great blogger recipes to try.

1. Rolled oats give these Tart Cherry Pie bars a crumbly, chewy texture.
2. Cherries, couscous, and pistachios combine for this bright, tangy Cherry Couscous and Arugula Salad.
3. Oats and flaxseeds give these Breakfast Cookies plenty of whole-grain goodness.
4. This Vegan Paleo Cherry Crisp provides a summery twist on a fall classic.
5. Amp up your lunch with this 20-Minute Smashed Chickpea Salad.

Side Effects and Health Risks of Cherries

In general, “there are not many side effects or health risks to eating cherries. But it’s important to check with a physician or your registered dietitian if you believe there are any foods causing you pain or any kind of GI discomfort,” says Darsa.Cherries are a high-FODMAP fruit, and some people who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may find that they are sensitive to cherries, as they contain sugars called fructose and sorbitol.

“Keeping a food record and writing down your symptoms when consuming those foods can help you figure out what foods cause you GI distress,” Heller says. If you think that you are sensitive to FODMAP-containing foods, like cherries, your provider may suggest trying an elimination diet. But before doing so, speak to a registered dietitian. They can take you through the process so you can better ID the foods that are bothering you, rather than eliminating foods unnecessarily.   Cherries can also pose a health risk to dogs. According to the American Kennel Club, although the flesh is safe for dogs to eat, the pits contain cyanide, and can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities.

 Cherry pits may also become lodged in the dog’s digestive tract and cause intestinal blockages.

Also, as previously noted, cherry stems and pits can pose a choking hazard for adults and children alike. Remove stems and pits before giving cherries to children, and consider buying a cherry pitter if you enjoy cherries regularly.

Growing Your Own Cherries

You’ll need some space if you’d like to grow your own cherries. Cherries grow on trees, and you’ll need to plant two to three trees in order to allow for pollination, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

 These trees should be planted in the late fall or early spring, and after the fourth year will start producing fruit. (Each tree should be 35 to 40 feet apart.) Expect each tree to produce 30 to 50 quarts of cherries per year.

A Summary on Cherries

Cherries are rich in antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help prevent or reduce symptoms of some inflammatory diseases. Because they’re easy to prepare and can be added to a wide variety of foods, these fruits can play a role in an all-around healthy and delicious diet.