Nutritional Facts Of Cherry Juice

The cherry is a drupe, meaning it is a stone fruit. It is closely related to plums and distantly related to nectarines and peaches. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cherries are grown in all states, but 70 percent of the cherries grown in the United States come from Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Utah. Cherries, especially the dark varieties, may be the latest "super fruit," as they are high in antioxidants and several essential vitamins and minerals. Cherry juice is available as a concentrate, but you can also juice your own from fresh cherries.

Calories, Vitamins And Minerals

There are 63 calories in a 3.5 oz. serving of freshly juiced cherries. If you prefer, you can make cherry juice from concentrate; two tablespoons of cherry juice concentrate contains 110 calories. Cherries are naturally high in several important vitamins. A 1/2 cup serving of cherries provides 2 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A and 8 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement. Cherry juice is also rich in vitamin E, folate, iron and magnesium.

Carbohydrates and Protein

Being a fruit product, cherry juice contains carbohydrates. It also has a small amount of protein. One 3.5 oz. serving of freshly juiced cherries has 17 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of protein. In a serving containing 2 tbsp. of cherry juice concentrate, there are 26 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of protein. Carbohydrates, as well as protein, should provide the main source of your daily calories. According to MayoClinic.com, carbohydrates should comprise 45 to 65 percent of your caloric intake and proteins should account for 10 to 35 percent.

Sodium and Potassium

Cherry juice also provides a couple of important electrolyte nutrients, sodium and potassium. Electrolytes are needed to maintain proper fluid balance and blood pressure. There are 2 mg of sodium and 191 mg of potassium in a 3.5 oz. serving of freshly juiced cherries. Cherry juice made using 2 tbsp. of concentrate contains 20 mg of sodium. It's important to monitor your sodium intake, as ingesting too much sodium increases your risk of developing heart disease and high blood pressure. MayoClinic.com advises limiting sodium in your diet to 2,300 mg per day or less.

Health Benefits

In addition to the important nutrients it provides, cherry juice is purported to have a number of health benefits. The antioxidants and plant nutrients, called anthocyanins, may be beneficial for arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and memory loss. In particular, anthocyanins, which are responsible for the deep color of many dark fruits, have anti-inflammatory actions similar to some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and may be helpful in relieving pain and inflammation associated with arthritis and gout. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that drinking 8 to 16 oz. of cherry juice daily may help reduce uric acids levels in gout. Cherry juice is certainly packed with nutrients, but if you are going to drink it for its purported medical benefits, consult your doctor first.