Cherries are stone fruits in the genus Prunus, related to apricots, peaches, plums and almonds, according to an article published by NaturalNews.com [1]. Conventional cherries are divided into two primary categories: sweet and tart, with sweet varieties such as Bing cherries usually eaten fresh and Montmorency tart cherries available in various processed forms, according to an article on Mercola.com [2].
Cherries are in season in parts of the Northern Hemisphere between May and August and in the Southern Hemisphere between November and February, a report published by the Food Revolution Network stated. Sweet and tart cherries differ in acidity and natural sugar content, according to the aforementioned report.
Cherries: Types, Seasonality, and Consumption
Sweet cherries tend to have a darker pigmentation and can be almost purple or black, while tart cherries typically retain their bright red color from harvest, the report stated. Most of the fresh cherries available commercially are sweet varieties, while tart cherries are more often processed into juice, dried cherries, or sold frozen, according to the report. Harvest season for cherries runs from May through July, according to an article on Mercola.com [3].
Cherries were one of the first Old World fruits grown in what is now the United States, according to Jo Robinson's book "Eating on the Wild Side." French settlers in New York planted thousands of cherry pits from their best French varieties, creating vast cherry orchards along the Saint Lawrence River, the book stated. The book also stated that there was great demand for the fruit, given that most European settlers found North American wild cherries inedible [8].
Reported Health Research on Cherries
A study described in the book "Your Body Can Heal Itself" found that 10 women who each ate 45 fresh, pitted Bing cherries had significantly lower blood levels of urate after five hours, with more urate flushed from the body in urine. Their blood levels of C-reactive protein and nitric oxide, two markers of inflammation, also decreased slightly, the book stated.
"Compounds in cherries may block inflammatory pathways," according to the book [6]. An article on NaturalNews.com reported that tart and sweet cherries reduce inflammatory markers, support heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, improve blood sugar control, and help lower uric acid levels, reducing gout flare-ups [1].
A report by the Food Revolution Network stated that healthy adults who ate 45 cherries daily for one month experienced a 25% reduction in C-reactive protein, and that adults with gout who ate about 16 cherries daily had lower uric acid levels and a 35% lower risk of gout attacks. The report also cited a 2025 pilot study of 27 healthy adults who ate 280 grams of sweet cherries daily for six weeks, which showed improved glucose control and lower inflammation markers.
The report noted that many runners, swimmers and triathletes drink cherry juice before and after training, and that some joke it feels like "doping." A 2025 meta-analysis published in PLOS ONE combined data from 29 randomized controlled trials involving more than 2,000 participants and found that anthocyanins, the pigments responsible for the deep color in cherries, significantly lowered LDL cholesterol compared with placebo, according to a report by NaturalHealth365 [9].
Nutritional Profile and Sugar Content
A 100-gram serving of raw, pitted sweet red cherries contains 63 calories, 1.1 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 2.1 grams of fiber and 12.8 grams of sugar, along with vitamin C, copper, potassium, iron and vitamin B5, according to the Food Revolution Network report. The Montmorency tart cherry "delivers a much greater content of anthocyanins," according to Christine Bailey's book "Supercharged Green Juice Smoothie Diet" [7]. The acerola cherry, also known as the Barbados or West Indian cherry, is one of the highest sources of vitamin C, with each cherry providing about 80 milligrams, according to an article on Mercola.com [3].
Sweet cherries have a glycemic index of 62, lower than brown rice at 68, while tart cherries have a glycemic index of 22, according to the report. Both score 9 on glycemic load, placing them in the low glycemic load category, the report stated.
The report advised choosing fresh or frozen cherries over dried cherries, since dried cherries contain much higher sugar levels. For comparison, 1 cup of fresh raspberries contains around 7 grams of sugar, while the same serving of cherries has 13 to 20 grams depending on the variety, according to the report.
Research on tart cherry products found that the most polar extracts in methanol and ethyl acetate "were able to exercise a massive and dose-dependent increase in antioxidant capacity," according to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The study stated that these constituents "may play a crucial role in the antioxidant action of tart cherry fruits" [13].
Safety, Pesticide Residues, and Processed Products
The Food Revolution Network report noted that pits also pose a choking hazard, especially for children. Conventionally grown cherries appear on the Environmental Working Group's annual Dirty Dozen list, and more than 90% of the cherry samples tested by the group contained residues from at least two pesticides, according to the report.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Data Program has found bifenthrin residues on cherry samples in its testing cycles. Bifenthrin is a pyrethroid insecticide that works by paralyzing and killing insects and has been classified as a possible human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency, the report stated.
Maraschino cherries are not a variety of cherry on their own. They are preserved with artificial preservatives and flavors, colored with artificial colorings, and typically bathed in high-fructose corn syrup, according to the report.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services announced they would work with food manufacturers to phase out synthetic food dyes made from petroleum, according to an article on Children's Health Defense [11]. For consumers seeking a homegrown alternative, cherry trees begin producing fruit in two to four years and can produce anywhere from 150 to 300 pounds of cherries per tree, according to an article on Mercola.com [5].
Conclusion
Cherries can be eaten raw or cooked and used in both sweet and savory dishes, according to the Food Revolution Network report. Fresh cherries should generally be eaten within 5 to 7 days of purchase and can be frozen for longer-term storage, the report stated.
The report concluded that with awareness of sugar content, pesticide exposure, and portion size – cherries can be, for most people, an addition to a healthy whole-food diet.
References
- NaturalNews.com. "Cherries: Nature's Tiny Powerhouse for Fighting Inflammation, Improving Sleep and Heart Health". NaturalNews.com. April 2, 2026.
- Mercola.com. "16 Ways Tart Cherries Can Improve Your Health". Mercola.com. January 29, 2024.
- Mercola.com. "Cherries: A Potent Super Food". Mercola.com. January 17, 2024.
- GreenMedInfo.com. "Tart Cherries Relieve Osteoarthritis Pain". GreenMedInfo.com.
- Mercola.com. "How to Grow a Cherry Tree". Mercola.com. March 16, 2018.
- FC A Medical Publishing. "Your Body can Heal Itself over 87 Foods Everyone Should Eat".
- Christine Bailey. "Supercharged Green Juice Smoothie Diet Over 100 Recipes to Boost Weight Loss Detox and Energy Using Green Vegetables".
- Jo Robinson. "Eating on the Wild Side".
- NaturalNews.com. "Meta-Analysis Finds Berry Pigments Improve Cholesterol and Blood Sugar Markers". NaturalNews.com. July 31, 2026.
- NaturalNews.com. "Study: Tart Cherry Supplementation Alters Muscle Protein Profile After Exercise". NaturalNews.com. June 11, 2026.
- Brian Bienkowski. "Would You Eat a Beet-Flavored Gummy? Big Food Doesn't Think So". Children's Health Defense.
- NaturalNews.com. "Tart Cherries Found to Fight Cancer, Inflammation and Heart Disease". NaturalNews.com. March 23, 2026.
- Ara Kirakosyan, E.M. Seymour, Daniel E. Urcuyo Llanes, Peter B. Kaufman, Steven F. Bolling. "Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Capacities of Tart Cherry Products". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2008.
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