Login or Register

Nutrition Value of Dried Tart Cherries

Sep 1, 2011 | By Carly Schuna
Nutrition Value of Dried Tart Cherries
Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Tart cherries have a short growing season, so they are often more expensive than other dried fruits such as raisins and apples. When they are preserved with a bit of sugar, however, they make a fantastic snack on their own or an easy and nutritious addition to trail mix, hot cereal and baked goods.

Nutrition Facts

A serving size of dried cherries is about 1/3 cup, which is smaller than a typical serving of fresh cherries because the fresh fruits contain more water and are bigger as a result. Packaged dried cherries also contain more sugar and sometimes more fat than fresh cherries because they use sugar and oil as preservatives and flavor enhancers. In 1/3 cup of sweetened dried tart cherries, you'll get about 130 calories, no fat, 1 g of protein, 34 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of fiber and 27 g of sugar. In contrast, a similar amount of unsweetened tart cherries has 150 calories, 1 g of fat, 1 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber and 16 g of sugar. One hundred grams, or 3.5 ounces, of sweetened dried cherries contains closer to 325 calories and 67 g sugar.

Comparison

Raw tart cherries have far fewer calories and less sugar per serving than their dried counterparts. A 100 g serving of raw sour cherries without pits, which is equivalent to about 1 cup, has approximately 50 calories, 1 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 12 g of carbohydrates, 1.6 g fiber and 8.5 g of natural sugar.

Health Benefits

Fruit is a valuable source of potassium, dietary fiber, beta carotene and antioxidants. Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds that have the potential to neutralize free radicals in the body, which often cause cell damage. There is also evidence that antioxidant compounds in tart cherries can boost muscle health. In August 2006, the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" published a study stating that healthy adults who drank a tart cherry juice blend twice daily experienced less pain and less strength loss following a set exercise program than their counterpart who did not drink the juice.

Considerations

If you're concerned about getting the best nutritional value in what you eat, it can be worth the effort to seek out unsweetened dried cherries, even though they are sourer than a sweetened variety. According to MayoClinic.com, eating a lot of added refined sugar can increase your risk of elevated triglyceride levels, weight gain, tooth decay and poor overall nutrition.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Sep 1, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments