Cherries And Diabetes: What Does Research Say In 2024?
Updated on
- Written by Grace Fullerton, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Cherries are one of many delicious fruits you can add to your diet! These sweet and tart little red fruits are full of nutrients, but the real cherry on top is that they can be a healthy sweet treat for people living with diabetes! Cherries and diabetes may be surprising, but this article will explain how they can go together.
If you or someone you love is living with diabetes, you probably know how important diet is to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Keep reading to learn about the nutritional value, health benefits, and side effects of incorporating cherries into your diet.
Are Cherries Good For Diabetes?
Yes, cherries can be a great sweet snack for people with diabetes. Because cherries have a low glycemic index, they do not raise your blood sugar as much as other sweet snacks would. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants!
Nutritional Facts Of Cherries
Knowing the nutrition facts for cherries can help you incorporate them as part of a healthy diet. According to the United States Department of Agriculture,[1] 100 grams of fresh, sweet cherries have the following nutritional value:
- 63 calories
- 0.2 grams of fat
- 1.06 grams of protein
- 16.01 grams of carbohydrates
- 12.82 grams of sugar
- 2.1 grams of fiber
- 222 milligrams of potassium
- 7 milligrams of vitamin C
As you can see, cherries are low in calories but have lots of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. In fact, 100 grams of cherries contains 8.5% of women’s daily potassium needs and 6.5% of men’s daily potassium needs. A 100-gram serving also contains 9.3% of women’s daily vitamin C needs and 7.8% of men’s daily vitamin C needs.
Cherries contain other vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin K. Cherries also contain minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and antioxidants. You definitely cannot get all the vitamins you need from eating cherries, so you may want to try a supplemental vitamin.
Cherries also have a decent amount of natural sugars, which is important to know for people with diabetes. When considering sugar content for diabetes, the type of cherry is important. The above nutritional facts are for sweet, fresh cherries. Fresh tart cherries have slightly less sugar than their sweet counterparts; however, tart cherries are typically canned with added sugars.
Glycemic Index Of Cherries
When considering the best foods for diabetes, sweet foods like fruit may not come to mind. However, one important thing to consider is the food’s glycemic index or GI. Researchers[2] have been measuring the GI, or the potential of the food to raise blood sugar, for over 25 years.
GI values can only be measured in foods high in carbohydrates. The value will fall between 1 and 100. The higher the GI value, the more quickly the food spikes your blood sugar level. Research[2] shows that potatoes are typically high-GI foods, whereas dairy, legumes, pasta, and fruits are typically low-GI foods.
GI values only apply to foods when they are eaten by themselves. Research suggests[3] that combining high-GI foods with other foods high in protein and fiber can help reduce the blood sugar spike that occurs when you eat high-GI foods by themselves.
Foods with a GI value below 55 are considered low-GI foods. The cherry GI index is not completely certain; however, most estimates categorize cherries as low-GI index foods. The International Table of Glycemic Index and Load is the most reliable source for GI values. This table was updated in 2021.[2]
The most recent version of this table provided the GI value for raw sour Canadian cherries as 22 and the GI value for Iranian raw cherries as 29. However, the reported GI value for dark, raw, pitted Australian cherries was 63.
How Cherries Affect Diabetes
If you have diabetes, then balancing the nutrients in your diet could be helpful for you. Eating cherries provides you with vital nutrients like carbohydrates and fiber. Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. A fruit serving in the diabetes meal plan would be 12 whole ripe cherries.
Including a reasonable portion of cherries in your diet should not majorly impact your diabetes. Still, you should always consult with your doctor and a registered dietitian before you make any major changes to your diet.
Since the GI value for cherries is low, they should not spike your blood sugar too much. If you are worried about your blood sugar spiking from eating cherries, you could try pairing them with a food high in protein, fiber, or fat.
Potential Benefits Of Cherries For Diabetes
Cherries have many potential benefits for everyone, including those with diabetes! In 2018, researchers[1] reviewed all the available research on the potential benefits of eating cherries for diabetes.
Regarding diabetes and cherries, the researchers report that consuming cherries may help regulate glucose levels. This is because the pigment that gives cherries their distinctive color, anthocyanins, may slow the body’s glucose production. Having well-regulated glucose levels is important for people with diabetes and can help prevent at-risk individuals from developing diabetes.
The same review found that a polyphenol in cherries may have additional preventative benefits against developing diabetes. Polyphenols are plant compounds that can act as antioxidants. In this case, when participants consumed tart cherry juice, the polyphenol known as chlorogenic acid inhibited diabetes-promoting enzymes.
Are There Any Side Effects?
You may have heard that cherries are an excellent source of melatonin, a hormone that some people use to help them sleep. Although cherries do contain melatonin, you do not have to worry about falling asleep at your desk after a snack of cherries.
When used to promote healthy sleep, the recommended dose of melatonin is between two and 10 milligrams[4] daily. A 100-gram serving of cherries contains only 0.5-1 microgram of melatonin.[5] This means you would have to consume at least 200,000 grams (or 1248 cups) of cherries to reach the minimum recommended dose of melatonin.
The small amount of melatonin present in cherries may have antioxidant benefits, but it is not enough to impact your sleep.
Tips For Eating Cherries With Diabetes
Overall, if you are living with diabetes, you do not necessarily have to do anything different when eating cherries than people without diabetes. Cherries are unlikely to cause significant issues for you; however, you should always monitor your blood glucose levels and maintain the daily limits recommended for you by your doctor.
If you notice any issues with your blood sugar levels in the two hours after you consume fresh sweet cherries, you could try pairing the cherries with a significant source of protein and fiber.[3] Sometimes creating a meal plan can help you make sure you meet your doctor’s or registered dietitian’s recommendations. Then you can work a serving of cherries into your meal plan.
Conclusion
Cherries are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. They could be incorporated into a healthy, balanced diet for anyone, including individuals living with diabetes. Since cherries have a relatively low glycemic index compared to other fruits, they could make a great snacking fruit for people with diabetes.
Overall, cherries and diabetes can go hand-in-hand. If you have diabetes, you do not have to avoid eating cherries!
Frequently Asked Questions
A 100-gram serving of cherries contains about 16 grams of carbohydrates.[1] About 13 of those carbohydrates are from sugar. The more ripe the cherries are, the higher the sugar (and, therefore, carbohydrate) content will be.
Any fruit with a low glycemic index could benefit people with diabetes. Some fruits with a low glycemic index include cherries, grapefruit, peaches, oranges, pears, apricots, apples, strawberries, and blueberries.
There are no fruits that people with diabetes cannot eat; however, people with diabetes may have to monitor their intake of fruits with a high glycemic index. Some fruits with a high GI include watermelon, dates, pineapple, banana, maraschino cherries, and mango.
Cherries do have carbohydrates (sugars and fiber), so eating cherries will raise your blood sugar levels. However, they have a relatively low glycemic index, so they will not spike your blood sugar as much as some other fruits and grains.
You could likely include cherries in your daily diet without negative consequences. However, you should always consult with a doctor or registered dietitian before making any major changes to your diet.
+ 5 sources
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- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1102660/nutrients.
- Atkinson, F.S., Brand-Miller, J., Foster-Powell, K., Buyken, A.E. and J. Goletzke (2021). International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. [online] 114(5), pp.1625–1632. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab233.
- Cui (2018). [Effect of food composition of mixed food on glycemic index]. Wei sheng yan jiu = Journal of hygiene research, [online] 28(6). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12016989/.
- NHS Choices (2023). How and when to take melatonin – Brand names: Circadin, Adaflex, Ceyesto, Slenyto, Syncrodin. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/how-and-when-to-take-melatonin/#:~:text=The%20usual%20starting%20dose%20is,tablets%20(10mg)%20once%20daily.
- Kelley, D.S., Adkins, Y. and Laugero, K.D. (2018). A Review of the Health Benefits of Cherries. [online] 10(3), pp.368–368. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10030368.
Written by:
Grace Fullerton, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
