Are cherries good for diabetes?
Tara Bruni (RD, MSc. BSc) - Diabetes Specialist Dietitian
November 19, 2025
Cherries are one of those foods that cause instant confusion when you’re living with diabetes.
They’re sweet, juicy, and taste like little natural sweets, so it’s completely fair to wonder whether cherries are actually a good option for blood sugar balance.
The good news?
Cherries are far more blood-sugar-friendly than their sweetness suggests!
In this guide I cover:
What's in Cherries?
Are cherries good for diabetes?
Demystify misconceptions around fructose
Fresh vs Frozen vs Cooked Cherries: What’s Best for Blood Sugar?
What’s in Cherries?
Cherries are tiny nutrition powerhouses, they’re a good source of:
Fibre (about 2 g per 100 g)
Vitamin C for immune support
Potassium for heart health
Magnesium and calcium
Melatonin, which supports sleep
Polyphenols and anthocyanins, very strong antioxidants with protective effects.
And they also contain a mix of natural sugars , mainly fructose, along with glucose, sucrose, and sorbitol.
Are cherries good for diabetes?
Yes - 100%. Here's why
Even though they are sweet, cherries have a low Glycemic Index - which means, lead to a gentle, slow rise in blood sugars.
Their sweetness comes from fructose enters the bloodstream more slowly than glucose - and does not cause a glucose spike.
Cherries contain fibre which slows digestion and keeps your gut healthy.
Most importantly cherries are high in polyphenols: anthocyanins (the pigments that make cherries red). These polyphenols have an interesting effect as they inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates.
Demystify misconceptions around fructose
This is one of the biggest misunderstandings I see.
**Yes, cherries contain fructose - this is what makes them sweet without causing blood sugar spikes.
No, fructose from whole fruits does NOT cause insulin resistance.**
Whole-fruit fructose behaves completely differently from:
high fructose corn syrup
drinks
sweets
processed foods
When fructose comes naturally in fruit, it arrives with fibre, water, antioxidants and minerals, everything your body needs to process it slowly and safely.
There is zero evidence that eating whole fruit leads to insulin resistance.
In fact, people who eat more whole fruit consistently have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
So please don’t fear fruit.
Fresh vs Frozen vs Cooked Cherries: What’s Best for Blood Sugar?
Fresh cherries are basically the “full package.” They naturally contain: the highest levels of vitamin C, intact polyphenols and anthocyanins, full fibre content, including both soluble and insoluble
If you can get fresh cherries in season, brilliant. They’ll give you the strongest nutritional punch and the best support for blood sugar balance.
Freezing does cause a slight reduction in vitamin C over time, but the nutrients that matter most for blood sugar - fibre and polyphenols - remain largely intact.
And because freezing preserves fruit at peak ripeness, the flavour and nutrition profile stay consistent.
Cooking cherries causes a few changes:
vitamin C goes down,
you lose some polyphenols but you also gain some - neutral effect.
soluble fibre can actually increase. Heat breaks down some of the tougher insoluble fibres and turns them into soluble fibre, the type that helps slow glucose absorption and supports gut health.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Cherries are excellent options and should be included in your diet they are:
✔ low GI
✔ full of fibre
✔ high in antioxidants
✔ genuinely nutritious
✔ potentially helpful for blood sugar
If you enjoy cherries, please keep eating them.
If You Found This Helpful…
If you found this helpful, you might also enjoy some of my other blogs where I break things down just as simply, including:
And if you’d like more personalised support, tailored to your life, your blood sugars, and your relationship with food, you’re very welcome to check out how I could potentially support you.
