Bing cherries are a type of sweet cherry with fragrant, sweet flesh and dark red skin. The variety is high in pigmented anthocyanin antioxidants and a good source of fiber, vitamin C and potassium.
Regular consumption of Bing cherries is good for constipation relief, weight loss, high blood pressure and skin health and provides antiaging benefits and benefits for arthritis, gout, diabetes and even sleep.
Side effects of eating Bing cherries may include allergic reactions and stomach upset with diarrhea, especially with IBS, and, more rarely, teeth sensitivity due to the natural organic acids in the fruit.
What do Bing cherries look like?
Bing cherries have a typical cherry appearance: plump, slightly heart-shaped with a faint groove along one side. The Bing cherry is a relatively large fruit with firm, juicy flesh and smooth and shiny thin skin. The skin varies in color from red in fruit that are yet to ripen completely to dark red, reddish brown and purple-red in fully ripe fruit. The flesh is also colored, ranging from dark red to purple-red. Bing cherry juice is dark red in color and extremely flavorful.
Each cherry has one hard-shelled, brown pit or stone in the center with one milky white seed kernel inside. See what Bing cherries look like in the pictures below.
What do Bing cherries taste like?
The Bing cherry is a sweet cherry cultivar, meaning it tastes more sweet rather than sour. Bing cherries are large, with firm, but juicy flesh, offering a generous, crisp bite. The cherries are extremely sweet, and taste and smell vividly of fruits. The rich fruity flavors are complimented perfectly by delicate tangy notes that round up the resonant flavor profile for an exquisite taste experience. Bing cherry season starts early June and typically lasts till late August. In some areas you can find Bing cherries in stores even earlier, in May, but the best cherries to buy are the ones from mid-June onwards.
Bing cherry nutrition facts
Bing cherries nutrition is, for the most part, the nutrition of sweet cherries in general. That means that Bing cherries are low in calories (about 63 kcal/100 g) and a moderate source of carbs (16 g of total carbohydrates/100 g of which 12.8 g sugar and 2.1 g dietary fiber). Bing cherries are a modest source of vitamin C with an average content of 7 mg of vitamin C/100 g. Other notable vitamins in Bing cherries include vitamins B1, B2, B5 and B6 at under 5% of daily values per 100 g serving, and the minerals copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium at 5% or lower daily values.
Vitamin K content in Bing cherries is low, and so is the content of vitamins B3, B9, choline, calcium and zinc, fat and protein. Bing cherries have almost no vitamin A and vitamin E, no vitamin D, no vitamin B12, no selenium and are essentially sodium-free. However, they are high in pigmented anthocyanin antioxidants and a source of melatonin, two components that account for most of their benefits for health.
What are the benefits of Bing cherries?
Bing cherries are not just good to eat, but also good for you. See below what are the top benefits of the cherry variety.
Anti-inflammatory benefits
Studies show Bing sweet cherries lower levels of several inflammation markers in the blood, including C-reactive protein, RANTES and nitric oxide (source).
Benefits for arthritis pain relief
By lowering levels of C-reactive protein, nitric oxide and other inflammation markers in the body, Bing cherries can help with arthritis joint swelling and pain.
Find out more about the benefits of cherries and cherry juice for arthritis pain.
Benefits for gout
Studies show regular consumption of fresh cherries and cherry extract can reduce gout attacks by up to 35% (source). Bing cherries and cherries in general are further good for gout because they are low purine foods, reducing risks of the disease and associated flareups. Find out more about the benefits of cherries and cherry juice for gout.
Minor benefits for sleep
Bing cherries are a natural source of melatonin and can help with sleep problems by improving sleep quality and even increasing sleep time.
The good content of potassium and magnesium in the fruit and especially fruit juice exerts vasodilating effects and is conducive to relaxation which favors sleep.
Find out more about the benefits of cherries and cherry juice for sleep.
Benefits for blood pressure
Bing cherries are good for high blood pressure due to being almost sodium-free and a decent source of potassium and magnesium which help lower blood pressure numbers. Bing cherry juice has just as good a content of potassium and magnesium and also exerts blood pressure lowering benefits.
Benefits for weight loss
With a little over 60 kilocalories per 100 g, Bing cherries can help you lose weight in a healthy manner, provided intake is reasonable. Bing cherries are also a good source of dietary fiber to help with satiation, and are great for curbing cravings, preventing overeating. To put things in better perspective, half a kilogram of the fresh cherries only gets you a little over 300 kcal (kilocalories, calories).
Benefits for constipation
Bing cherries are a good source of dietary fiber which promotes peristalsis, contractions of the digestive tract that move food along. This stimulates the digestive system in a way that improves transit time and provides benefits for constipation relief.
The fact that the cherries are also naturally high in water helps with constipation – soluble dietary fiber such as pectin in Bing cherries and other varieties of sweet and sour cherry absorbs water, increasing stool volume which contributes to soft, but well formed bowel movements that are easy to pass.
Benefits for gums, teeth and bones
Bing cherries are a good source of vitamin C needed for healthy gums and teeth – vitamin C strengthens the walls of capillaries, blood vessels that nourish and oxygenate gum tissue, helping keep gums healthy and ensuring optimal adherence to teeth. Bing cherries also have small amounts of calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium and phosphorus that go into building bone tissue and are needed for strong, healthy bones and teeth.
Blood thinning properties
Low in vitamin K, but a good source of vitamin C, Bing cherries have blood thinning properties and are safe to eat if you are on anticoagulants such as warfarin.
The lack of vitamin K does not encourage blood clotting, while vitamin C exerts antibleeding effects, hence the reason you can eat Bing cherries safely if you have a predisposition for blood clots.
Benefits for diabetes
You can eat Bing cherries with diabetes (in reasonable amounts) and enjoy benefits such as better blood sugar control, better blood pressure numbers and weight management.
Despite being naturally high in carbs and moderately high in sugar, Bing cherries have a low glycemic index score and have limited effects on blood sugar, provided intake is reasonable.
Not just this, but the dietary fiber in the fruit skin and pulp delays digestion time and slows down the absorption of sugar from the fruit into the bloodstream, preventing spikes in blood sugar and contributing to better blood sugar control. Low in calories, they make a good food to eat for weight management and can even be incorporated into a weight loss diet for better diabetes management.
Antiaging benefits
Bing cherries are high in pigmented anthocyanin antioxidants which help prevent, reduce and counteract oxidative stress and associated cell damage via photoprotective effects. A source of vitamin C, the fruit stimulates the production of collagen in the skin which improves skin elasticity and even the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant with antiaging action.
Tonic, energizing properties
Source of dietary minerals and natural sugars, and high in water, the Bing sweet cherry has tonic, energizing effects. It combats tiredness, lethargy and muscle weakness due to low blood sugar levels and boosts energy levels and vitality.
