Cherry Juice

High FODMAP

Serving sizes

Cherry Juice changes rating with portion size. Its rating is estimated from what it is made of, so the servings are described rather than weighed.

Small serving Moderate
Moderate serving High
Large serving High

Sorbitol Excess Fructose

Cherry juice is High FODMAP, since pressing cherries into juice concentrates their natural sugars without any of the fiber to slow things down.

Cherries bring both Sorbitol and Excess Fructose, and juicing packs those sugars in tightly, so even a small serving lands at moderate and climbs to high by a moderate serving.
Juice hits harder than whole fruit because there is no fiber to buffer it, and any added cherry concentrate or sweetener only pushes the load up further.

If you want that tart cherry flavor, a splash stirred into a larger glass of water or over ice thins it out, or reach for a low-FODMAP fruit juice instead.

Why cherry juice is rated high

Cherry juice is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of, and two subgroups drive it: Sorbitol and Excess Fructose. Both come from the cherries, and juicing makes them hit harder, because pressing gathers the sugars and sorbitol of many cherries into one drink while the fibre and pulp are left behind. On the ladder, a Small serving reads moderate, which is the lowest it goes, and it is high from a Moderate serving onward through a Large serving. There is no low rung, so cutting the amount down does not turn it into a low drink.

What changes your risk

Serving size A Small serving is moderate, while a Moderate serving and a Large serving are both high. The jump happens early.
Juice versus whole fruit Juicing concentrates the Sorbitol and Excess Fructose of several cherries into one drink, so cherry juice carries more than the fruit you would eat in one go.
Concentrates and tart cherry shots Cherry juice concentrate, and bottles made from it, are the same fruit with even less water, which pushes the load further up.
Watering it down Adding water or ice changes the volume, not the amount of cherry juice in the drink, so it does not lower the FODMAP load of the juice you poured.
Stacking Cherry juice alongside apple, pear, stone fruit, mango or honey adds more of the same subgroups to the same sitting.

Swaps

For a fruity drink that fits the diet better, reach for fresh strawberries, raspberries or blueberries muddled into sparkling water, or orange or mandarin slices steeped in iced tea. Whole kiwi, grapes or pineapple fill the role of a sweet fruit with breakfast. Do not swap in apple, pear, plum, peach, nectarine, apricot or mango juice, since they share Sorbitol, Excess Fructose or both. Dried cherries and cherry concentrate are the same story in stronger form, not a gentler version.

How to lower the load

Read labels carefully, since many juices sold as cherry are blended with apple or pear juice, which share the same subgroups. If cherry juice is something you choose to have, measure the juice itself before adding any water or ice, because diluting it does not change the load, and remember that even a Small serving is moderate. For a tart, red drink at home, crush raspberries or strawberries into cold water or sparkling water and strain it, which gives colour and sharpness without cherry.

Common questions

is cherry juice low fodmap

No. Cherry juice is rated high FODMAP overall, estimated from what it is made of. A Small serving reads moderate, and it is high from a Moderate serving upward.

is cherry juice high in sorbitol

Yes. Cherries carry Sorbitol and Excess Fructose, and juicing concentrates both into one drink.

is tart cherry juice concentrate low fodmap

No. Concentrate is cherry juice with even more water removed, so it carries the same subgroups in stronger form.

what juice can i have instead of cherry juice on low fodmap

Fresh strawberries, raspberries or orange slices in sparkling water or iced tea give a fruity drink without the Sorbitol load of cherry juice.

Learn more

Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.

Cherry Juice is an estimated rating: it is inferred from the food's ingredients and composition and cross-checked, not measured directly in the papers below. The low, moderate and high cutoffs are still those of Varney et al. (2017).

References

Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. Muir et al. (2007), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55(16):6619-6627.
Measurement of short-chain carbohydrates in common Australian vegetables and fruits by HPLC. Muir et al. (2009), J. Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57(2):554-565.
Quantification of fructans, galacto-oligosaccharides and other short-chain carbohydrates in processed grains and cereals. Biesiekierski et al. (2011), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 24(2):154-176.
Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns. Yao et al. (2014), J. Human Nutrition and Dietetics 27(Suppl 2):263-275.
FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. Varney et al. (2017), J. Gastroenterology and Hepatology 32(Suppl 1):53-61. Supplies the low, moderate and high cutoffs used on this page.