Cherry
Serving sizes
Cherry changes rating with portion size. These are the amounts tested in the literature behind our ratings.
- About 3 medium (20g)
- Larger portions
- Much larger portions
Cherries are Low FODMAP at about 3 medium (20g), with Sorbitol building as the bowl grows.
- Cherries are low at about 3 medium (20g).
- Sorbitol builds quickly, moderate at larger portions and high at much larger portions.
- Frozen cherries are more concentrated by weight, so their portion is smaller.
Enjoy about 3 cherries as a sweet snack and pause there rather than grazing a bowl.
Why cherry is rated low
Cherries are low FODMAP at about 3 medium (20g), and the FODMAP in them is sorbitol. The climb is steep: at larger portions they turn moderate, and at much larger portions they are high. So cherries fit on a low FODMAP diet as a garnish or a small taste, but a bowl of cherries in summer moves up the ladder very quickly.
What changes your risk
- Serving size About 3 medium (20g) is low, larger portions are moderate and much larger portions are high. Counting matters with cherries, because grazing from a bag passes the low serving fast.
- Stacking with sorbitol Cherries stack with other sorbitol foods such as avocado, apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot and nectarine, and with gum or mints sweetened with sorbitol. A stone fruit salad with cherries adds up quickly.
- Dried cherries Drying removes water and concentrates the sorbitol, so dried cherries pack more fruit into each bite than fresh.
- Juice and concentrate Cherry juice and tart cherry concentrate press many cherries into one glass and leave the fibre behind, so they are not equivalent to 3 medium (20g) cherries.
- Frozen, canned and pie filling Freezing does not change sorbitol. Cherry pie filling and cherry jam also concentrate the fruit, and canned cherries in syrup can carry added sweeteners worth checking on the label.
What else works
If you want more fruit than about 3 medium (20g) cherries, top up with strawberries, blueberries or raspberries, which fill the same sweet, snackable role. For a cherry-coloured dessert, a raspberry or strawberry compote with table sugar works well on lactose-free yoghurt. The lookalikes that are not low are the rest of the stone fruit family, such as peach, plum, apricot and nectarine, plus dried cherries, cherry juice and blackberries.
How to keep it low
Count out about 3 medium (20g) cherries into a small bowl rather than eating from the bag, and put the rest back in the fridge. For desserts, use cherries as a garnish on top of strawberries or raspberries rather than as the main fruit. Check labels on cherry yoghurt, cherry jam and trail mixes with dried cherries, which can pack in more cherry than you expect. In summer, pair the counted cherries with blueberries or strawberries for a bigger fruit plate.
Common questions
how many cherries are low fodmap
About 3 medium (20g) is low FODMAP. At larger portions cherries turn moderate, and at much larger portions they are high.
are cherries high in sorbitol
Yes, sorbitol is the FODMAP in cherries, and it builds quickly as the serving grows past 3 medium (20g).
are dried cherries low fodmap
Dried cherries are more concentrated than fresh, because drying removes water and leaves the sorbitol behind. The serves here are for fresh cherries.
low fodmap fruit instead of cherries
Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are low FODMAP swaps that fill the same sweet, snackable role.
Try FODMAP Foods
Scan any food with your camera, search every rating in this list, and see your safe portion before you eat.
Learn more
Where this rating comes from
Cherry is rated from published lab measurements of its FODMAP content, using the low, moderate and high cutoffs of Varney et al. (2017).
Feedback sent through the FODMAP Foods app has led to changes in this list.
Sources
- 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 high-performance liquid chromatography (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 between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. 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.
Informational only, not medical advice. Individual tolerance varies. Talk to a healthcare professional or a dietitian for personal guidance.