Key takeaways

Cherries are high in nutrients, including vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants.
Eating tart cherries before bed may help improve sleep quality, and drinking cherry juice may help with inflammatory symptoms of conditions like arthritis and gout.
Most people can safely eat cherries every day, but talk to your healthcare provider if you have kidney disease or need to limit potassium.

In this article:

Benefits of cherries
Ways to incorporate cherries
Precautions
The bottom line

In this article

Benefits of cherries
Ways to incorporate cherries
Precautions
The bottom line

Fresh cherries only hit supermarkets once a year (usually in early summer), but they’re more than worth the wait. When in season, these mini stone fruits are the perfect blend of sweet and tart. Ripe, fresh cherries can be added to everything from yogurt and oatmeal to salads and salsas.

Even if you can’t get your hands on fresh cherries, it’s smart to keep this fruit in your diet: 1 cup of fresh or frozen cherries is loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins, many of which can provide anti-inflammatory benefits, help you sleep better, and keep your blood sugar stable. Here are all the reasons not to miss out on cherries this summer.

7 health benefits of cherries

Despite their small size, cherries deliver a powerful mix of nutrients and plant compounds that can support everything from digestion to heart health.

1. They have a high nutrient content

A serving size (about 1 cup) of cherries, or around 140 to 154 grams, is packed with healthy vitamins and minerals, including:

Fiber helps you feel full after eating and promotes healthy, regular bowel movements. Vitamin C is great for your immune health, and though cherries aren’t as high in vitamin C as citrus fruits, one serving may provide about 17% of the daily recommended intake for adults. Your body needs potassium to support the nerves, muscles, and heart; cherries contain almost 7% of the recommended amount. Finally, beta carotene is an antioxidant that gets converted to vitamin A, which benefits your eye, immune, and skin health.

2. They’re packed with antioxidants

Cherries are a great source of antioxidants, including vitamin C and carotenoids (such as beta-carotene, as we noted above), according to Heather Gosnell, MD, pediatrician, plant-based health coach, and founder of Eat Plants MD Coach in Phoenix, Arizona. More notably, though, are antioxidants called anthocyanins, which Dr. Gosnell says not only give cherries their dark red color but also contribute to their potent anti-inflammatory properties.

Anthocyanins perform like typical antioxidants, protecting healthy cells from free radicals, and are also associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and neurological disorders.

3. They could improve your exercise recovery

Can drinking cherry juice really help you recover from an intense workout faster? According to research, it’s definitely possible! Several small studies suggest that tart cherries have protective benefits for muscles, especially when tart cherry juice or concentrate is consumed for several days before exercise.

One study found that runners who drank tart cherry juice seven days before and during a race reported less muscle pain than those who didn’t.
Another study found that tart Montmorency cherry concentrate reduced muscle pain and aided muscle recovery in women when consumed for four days before exercise.
Finally, a review of almost 20 different studies suggests that tart cherry juice may be an effective “prerecovery” strategy, helping muscles recover faster when it’s consumed for several days prior to exercise.

While the research points to potential benefits on recovery, the doses used in studies varied. Therefore, the benefits could depend on different factors, such as dosage, timing, and the type of cherry consumed.

4. They can help you sleep better

In addition to all their other beneficial nutrients, both sweet and tart cherries (including Montmorency) contain melatonin, a hormone your body produces naturally to regulate your sleep cycle. Dr. Gosnell says Montmorency cherries have been shown in studies to potentially improve sleep duration, efficiency, and quality (i.e., you might sleep longer, fall asleep faster, or feel more rested when you wake up).

This is partly due to the melatonin content in cherries, but also how cherries work with your body’s natural cycle of sleeping and waking: “Cherry juice may block an enzyme that breaks down tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin and melatonin,” says Dr. Gosnell, “[so] cherries don’t just provide melatonin—they actually help increase your body’s own natural production of it.”

Dr. Gosnell recommends eating Montmorency cherries or drinking cherry juice about an hour before bed for the best results.

5. They might support heart health

Cherries contain potassium and polyphenols, two components that may support heart health as part of a balanced diet.

Potassium: 140 grams of sweet, dark red cherries contain nearly 7% of the dietary potassium you need each day. This is important because getting enough potassium can help you keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Overall, lowering elevated blood pressure has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiac events like heart attack and stroke.
Polyphenols: Some research also suggests that a diet high in polyphenols (plant compounds that act like antioxidants) may help protect against certain cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. One study specifically calls out anthocyanins, which cherries contain, as one of three polyphenols associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

6. They can ease arthritis and gout symptoms

One of this fruit’s most well-studied benefits is its anti-inflammatory compounds, particularly when it comes to painful arthritis and gout. For example, in one study of people with knee osteoarthritis, participants who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice daily for four months reported improved range of motion and reduced pain, and some even showed lower markers of cartilage damage.

Meanwhile, tart cherry juice has been recommended as a home remedy for gout for years. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by the build-up of uric acid in the body, and commonly causes flares in the joints of the feet. Several studies have found that drinking tart cherry juice can alleviate gout symptoms by reducing uric acid levels, including one review that suggested an association between tart cherry juice consumption and fewer gout flares.

7. They’re a diabetes-friendly fruit

People with diabetes should cut back on the amount of sugar in their diet, especially added sugars from processed foods. According to Orlando-based registered dietitian Jackie Bridson, MA, RDN, cherries are a low to moderate glycemic index fruit that can fit into a diabetes-friendly diet; they won’t spike blood sugar levels quickly, and their high fiber content can also help you with blood sugar control.

Though it’s still important to stick to the recommended serving size of 1 cup, studies show that cherries are not only generally safe for people with diabetes to consume but may actually be beneficial. For example, one study found that women who drank 40 grams of tart cherry juice daily for 6 weeks had lower A1C levels. (A1C is a measurement of your average blood sugar level over the previous 3 months, FYI).

Incorporating cherries into your daily life

If hearing about all the health benefits of cherries has you craving these mini superfruits, we have good news: You can eat cherries every day as long as you’re mindful of your portions. (A one‑cup serving has almost 100 calories, and larger amounts may cause an upset stomach in some people.)

When they’re in season, fresh cherries are a great option, but when they aren’t, don’t forget about the freezer section: “Frozen cherries are just as nutritious since they’re picked and frozen at peak ripeness,” Bridson says.

What about dried cherries or cherry juice? They have health benefits, too, but Bridson says it’s best to enjoy these in smaller portions because they have a much higher sugar concentration. Cherry juice may also contain added sugars, so check for that. If possible, she adds, combine them with some dietary protein or fat to avoid a blood sugar spike.

Cherries make a great snack as is, but you can get creative by blending them into smoothies or topping them with yogurt, high-fiber cereal, or oatmeal. Bridson also suggests giving your savory meals a sweet twist by dicing cherries into a fresh salsa, roasting them as a salad topper, or simmering them with balsamic vinegar and herbs for a meat marinade or sauce.

Are there any downsides or precautions?

Most people can safely eat a serving of cherries every day, but there are some exceptions. According to Gosnell, you should eat cherries cautiously (or talk with your healthcare provider) if you:

Have certain food allergies: Don’t eat cherries if you have a known allergy to them, but also be careful if you have allergies to peaches, apricots, or plums; Cherries can trigger a cross-reactive allergic reaction (when your body mistakes a substance for an allergen because it has similar proteins to another allergen).
Have chronic kidney disease: Cherries can be included in the diets of people with all stages of kidney disease, but it depends on their potassium needs. Sweet cherries and concentrated products (like cherry juice) have higher amounts of potassium than sour cherries, which may be a problem for people with kidney disease. People who have early-stage kidney disease usually don’t have to worry about eating normal portions of fresh cherries. If you have more advanced kidney disease or have been told to limit potassium, you should talk with your healthcare provider before consuming any kind of cherries or cherry juice.
Have IBS: Cherries contain a sugar alcohol called sorbitol, which can be hard for some people with gastrointestinal issues to digest. If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or a sensitive stomach, you may want to avoid eating cherries every day or only eat a partial serving.
Are taking certain medications: Most people can eat a serving of fresh cherries alongside their daily medications, but cherry concentrates, juices, and supplements may be different. If you take anticoagulants (blood thinners) or certain medications to treat chronic kidney disease, you should talk to your provider before combining cherry products with these drugs.

Bottom line: Why cherries deserve a spot on your plate

Eating cherries is an easy way to increase your intake of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Cherries may help support heart health and sleep, relieve symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis and gout, and even aid in muscle recovery after a workout. You can add cherries to both sweet and savory dishes, or just pack a bag for your lunch.

Most people can safely eat cherries, but it’s a good idea to stick to 1 cup if you’re watching your carb and sugar intake. If you have chronic kidney disease or IBS, or if you take anticoagulants or kidney medications, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider before eating cherries regularly or consuming concentrated forms of cherries. And, as with many fruit juices, try not to drink cherry juice and take medications at the same time to avoid potential drug interactions, says Dr. Gosnell.