How many calories are in cherries?
Cherries has 87 calories per 1 cup (138 g) — that's 63 calories per 100 g, roughly 4% of a 2,000-calorie day. Most of those calories come from carbohydrate.
USDA FoodData Central · raw · FDC 171719
Calories by portion
| Portion | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (138 g) | 87 | 1.5 g | 22.1 g | 0.3 g |
| 100 g | 63 | 1.1 g | 16 g | 0.2 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 18 | 0.3 g | 4.5 g | 0.1 g |
Where the calories come from
Protein 6% Carbs 91% Fat 3%
Calories computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 171719, SR Legacy). raw. The macro split uses general Atwater factors (protein and carbs ≈ 4 cal/g, fat ≈ 9 cal/g) and is approximate.
A full cup of sweet cherries has about 87 calories — that follows from USDA’s 63 calories per 100 g for a typical 138 g cup. Almost all of that energy is carbohydrate, the natural sugar that makes cherries taste like summer. So when people ask “how many calories are in cherries,” the honest answer is reassuring: a cup is a genuinely modest snack, a bit more than a handful of berries but still comfortably under 100 calories, and every one of those calories arrives with antioxidants rather than empty sweetness.
Where the calories in cherries come from
Cherries are a carbohydrate food, and the breakdown shows it clearly. Of those ~87 calories, roughly 91% come from carbohydrate — overwhelmingly natural sugar — with only about 6% from the fruit’s small protein content and a trace from fat. There is essentially nothing else in the calorie mix. That is why cherries behave like a quick, sweet energy source: the sugar is the point, and there is no meaningful protein or fat to round it out. What sets cherries apart from plain sugar is everything riding alongside those carbs — anthocyanins, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
A moderate-density sweet snack worth the calories
On calorie density, cherries sit in the middle of the fruit pack — denser than watery strawberries or watermelon because they hold more sugar and less water, but far lighter than dried fruit or anything processed. That ~87-calorie cup is satisfying precisely because it is sweet and a little substantial, which makes cherries one of the smarter ways to answer a sugar craving. The practical move is to treat them as what they are: a portion-controlled sweet snack. A cup is a tidy treat; a giant bowl eaten mindlessly in front of the TV is where the calories quietly add up. Pair them with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese and you turn a pure-carb snack into a balanced one.
For the flip side of the macro picture, see protein in cherries — and remember cherries’ calories are honest, antioxidant-rich energy, not something to fear.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories are in a cup of cherries?
About 87 calories in a 1-cup serving of sweet cherries (138 g), based on USDA's 63 calories per 100 g (FDC 171719). That makes a cup of cherries a modest, naturally sweet snack — more than a cup of watery berries, but still well under 100 calories.
How many calories are in cherries per 100 g or per ounce?
63 calories per 100 g, which is about 18 calories per ounce (28 g). That is a moderate calorie density for fruit — a little higher than strawberries or watermelon because cherries hold more natural sugar and less water.
Where do the calories in cherries come from?
Almost entirely carbohydrate. Using standard Atwater factors, roughly 91% of a cherry's calories come from carbs — mostly natural sugar — with about 6% from its ~1.1 g of protein per 100 g and only ~3% from its trace of fat. Cherries are essentially a sweet carbohydrate package with a big antioxidant bonus.
Are cherries good for weight loss?
They can fit nicely. At about 87 calories a cup with roughly 3 g of fiber, cherries are a filling, nutrient-dense way to satisfy a sweet craving with whole food rather than candy. They are more calorie-dense than berries, so the cup still counts — but spending ~87 calories on antioxidant-rich fruit is an easy trade for most goals.
How many calories are in 10 cherries?
About 44 calories for ten sweet cherries, which weigh roughly 70 g. Cherries are easy to eat by the handful, so it helps to know each one runs only a few calories — a small bowl stays a light snack.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 171719 (Cherries, sweet, raw; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when the underlying USDA entry changes.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data, not a Labelgrade (that score is for branded packaged products). See our methodology and the TDEE calculator to turn this into a daily target.