How much protein is in cherries?
Cherries has 1.5 g of protein per 1 cup (138 g) — that's 1.1 g per 100 g, or about 0.3 g per ounce. One 1 cup is roughly 3% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · raw · FDC 171719
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup (138 g) | 1.5 g | 87 | 0.3 g | 22.1 g |
| 100 g | 1.1 g | 63 | 0.2 g | 16 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 0.3 g | 18 | 0.1 g | 4.5 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 171719, SR Legacy). raw.
If you searched “protein in cherries,” the honest answer is that there is very little. A realistic serving — 1 cup of sweet cherries (138 g) — carries only about 1.5 g of protein for roughly 87 calories, which is 1.1 g per 100 g. That is a trace, the same as nearly every fruit. Cherries are a sweet, antioxidant-rich fruit built around carbohydrate and color compounds, not amino acids, so the right way to think about them is as a nutrient-dense treat rather than anything that moves your protein total.
Why cherries aren’t a protein source
The scale here is the whole story. At 1.1 g per 100 g, you would need to eat several cups of cherries to match the protein in a single egg — and most of what you would be eating is natural sugar, the source of nearly all of cherries’ 87 calories per cup. So while cherries technically contain a little protein, they contribute essentially nothing toward a daily protein goal. The accurate framing is simple: cherries are a fruit, and fruit is a carbohydrate food, not a protein one.
There is no quality angle worth dwelling on, either. Like most fruit, cherries are low in several essential amino acids, but the quantity is so small that completeness never becomes the deciding factor — there just is not enough protein for it to matter.
What cherries are genuinely great at
Set protein aside and cherries are an easy fruit to recommend. A cup delivers a generous dose of anthocyanins — the antioxidant pigments behind their deep red color, studied for anti-inflammatory effects — plus vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, all for about 87 calories. That makes them one of the more nutrient-dense ways to satisfy a sweet craving with whole food.
The smart play is to pair cherries with a real protein rather than expecting them to provide any. Stir them into Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, fold a handful into oats topped with nut butter, or serve them as the sweet note alongside a meal where eggs or another protein food carries the load. For the daily protein number your fruit is rounding out, see our guide on how much protein per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in cherries?
About 1.5 g of protein in a 1 cup serving of sweet cherries (138 g), which is 1.1 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 171719). That cup runs about 87 calories, most of it from natural sugar. Like nearly all fruit, cherries carry only a trace of protein — not enough to count toward a daily target.
Are cherries a good source of protein?
No. At roughly 1.5 g per cup, cherries are not a protein source in the way meat, dairy, or beans are — you would need several cups to match a single egg. Cherries earn their place as an antioxidant-rich, naturally sweet fruit, with the small amount of protein as an incidental bonus rather than the point.
How much protein is in 10 cherries?
Ten sweet cherries weigh roughly 70 g, so about 0.8 g of protein for around 44 calories. Whether you measure by the handful or the cup, cherries stay around a gram or two of protein — useful context, but far too little to lean on as a protein source.
Are cherries a complete protein?
It is not a meaningful protein source either way, so completeness is largely academic. Like most fruit, cherries are low in several essential amino acids, but with only about 1.5 g per cup the quantity is the limiting factor long before amino-acid profile is.
What are cherries actually good for nutritionally?
Antioxidants — sweet cherries are rich in anthocyanins, the pigments behind their deep red color, which are studied for anti-inflammatory effects — plus vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, all for about 87 calories a cup. They are a genuinely nutrient-dense fruit; just count them as a carb-and-antioxidant treat rather than a protein food.
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 USDA revises its underlying data.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.