Nutrition In Sour Cherries

Sour cherries, also commonly known as tart cherries, are not sour at all -- this sweet cherry imparts a tangy, meaty bite. Typically used in pie fillings, you may find these cherries fresh in your local grocery store during their season. You may purchase them in frozen, canned or dried varieties that have good storage capabilities.

Calories and Fat

Sour cherries contain zero fat, but they do contain some calories. One cup of pitted sour cherries has 78 calories. Since these cherries typically are not consumed fresh for snacking, be sure to adjust your total calories consumed to include the dessert in which they are used. Monitor your meal plan to assure you do not overeat calories, as this can increase your risk of becoming overweight.

Sugar

A 1-cup serving of pitted sour cherries contains 13 g of sugar. As a rule, natural sugars should not increase your risk of cavities or other conditions, but if you have sugar sensitivities, consuming high sugar foods, such as sour cherries, can cause a reaction. When added to desserts, monitor recipes for added sugars. The American Heart Association suggests limiting your daily intake to no more than 6 to 9 tsp., or 100 to 150 calories in sugar. Added sugars generally lack quality nutritional value.

Protein and Carbohydrates

One serving of 1 cup of cherries provides you with 2 g of protein. This amount will not meet daily nutritional requirements; however, it does contribute -- the Institute of Medicine recommends consuming 46 to 56 g of protein each day, depending on your gender. You should also include 130 g of carbohydrates in your meal plan; 1 cup of sour cherries contains 19 g. Both protein and carbohydrates supply your body with energy, and carbs help keep your digestive and waste elimination functions working properly.

Vitamins and Minerals

Including sour cherries in your meal plan gives you a big boost of vitamin A -- each serving contains 40 percent of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin A. This vitamin plays a critical role in your immune system. It helps to make up a type of white blood cells that fight infections and destroy bacteria and viruses that can harm your body. Sour cherries also serve as a good source of vitamin C, providing 26 percent of the amount you need daily. Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C also helps to boost your immunity, making sour cherries an excellent option when you are ill. Additionally, vitamin C helps your body to manufacture collagen, a substance key to the formation of ligaments, tendons and skin. A 1-cup serving of pitted sour cherries has 3 percent of the iron and 2 percent of the iron your body requires every day.

Benefits

Consume sour cherries to protect your body from free radical damage. Research from the University of Michigan presented at the 2009 Experimental Biology meeting notes that 1 1/2 cups of sour cherries increases antioxidant levels significantly. In addition to warding off cellular damage, eating sour cherries reduced the risk of heart disease and diabetes in animal studies according to evidence offered at the 2008 Experimental Biology conference. Human trials are needed to confirm these findings.