Know2eat

Sweet cherries

Prunus avium

What sweet cherries has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 2 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 2 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About sweet cherries

The dessert cherry eaten fresh, distinct from the sour Montmorency types usually sold as juice or concentrate. Dark cultivars carry considerably more anthocyanin pigment than yellow-red ones.

Also known as Bing cherry, Rainier cherry, Dessert cherry

InflammationJoint HealthSleep

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Inflammatory markers

Inflammation
Limited evidence

Some trials report modest falls in C-reactive protein after several weeks of cherry intake, while others find nothing. Most studies use tart cherry products, the samples are small, and the clinical meaning of the marker changes reported is unclear.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Joint comfort

Joint Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited. Observational work reports fewer gout flares in periods when people ate cherries, and a few small trials report reduced urate or symptom scores. The trials are mostly of tart cherry juice rather than fresh sweet cherries, and the observational design cannot rule out that people eat cherries when they are already feeling well.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Sleep quality

Sleep
Insufficient evidence

Cherries are widely marketed for sleep on the basis of their melatonin content. The small amount of trial evidence uses concentrated tart cherry juice, not fresh sweet cherries, and the melatonin in the fruit is orders of magnitude below a supplement dose.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Sweet cherries

Ask about Sweet cherries

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories63 kcal3%
Protein1.06 g2%
Total fat0.2 g0%
Carbohydrate16 g6%
Fibre2.1 g8%
Total sugars12.8 g—
Water82.3 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.038 g0%
Monounsaturated fat0.047 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.052 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.027 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A3 µg0%
Vitamin C7 mg8%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.07 mg0%
Vitamin K2.1 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.027 mg2%
Riboflavin (B2)0.033 mg3%
Niacin (B3)0.154 mg1%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.199 mg4%
Vitamin B60.049 mg3%
Folate4 µg1%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline6.1 mg1%
Minerals
Calcium13 mg1%
Iron0.36 mg2%
Magnesium11 mg3%
Phosphorus21 mg2%
Potassium222 mg5%
Sodium0 mg0%
Zinc0.07 mg1%
Copper0.06 mg7%
Manganese0.07 mg3%
Selenium0 µg0%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene38 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin85 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash0.48 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Cherries, sweet, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171719).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Allergy

    Birch-pollen oral allergy syndrome

    Cherry is one of the most frequently reported Rosaceae triggers of oral allergy syndrome in birch-sensitised people, causing lip and throat itching within minutes of raw fruit.

  • Too much

    Sorbitol and FODMAP load

    Cherries are high in sorbitol and fructose. A large bowl is a well-known cause of wind and loose stools even in people without a diagnosed gut condition.

  • Avoid

    Cherry pits contain amygdalin

    The kernel inside the stone releases cyanide when crushed. Swallowing a pit whole is harmless; deliberately cracking and eating kernels is not, and poisonings have been reported.