White cherries are a more discolored variety of cherry, but are they actually white? Is there even such as variety of cherry as white cherries? What gives white cherries their color? Where do white cherries come from? What do white cherries taste like? Are white cherries better for you than red? What is the nutritional value of white cherries vs red cherries? How are white cherries good for you?
Are there white cherries?
Yes and no. White cherries exist in the sense that there are cherries called ‘white cherries’. However, white cherries are not actually white, as in white watermelon, white strawberries, white mulberries, white eggplant, white cauliflower, white winter radishes such as the Daikon radish or white asparagus. No. White cherries is what varieties of pale yellow cherries blushed with red are called. So there isn’t really anything white about white cherries.
What are white cherries?
When you hear white cherries, know that it’s a common name for pale yellow cherry varieties that are also typically blushed with red – if they aren’t, that is, they are yellow all over, then they are commonly called yellow cherries. The most representative variety of white cherry is the Rainier cherry. And you’ve guessed it: Rainier cherries are yellow blushed with red, not white. And the white cherry tree, as in the tree that yields white cherries, looks no different from other cherry trees.
What do white cherries taste like?
White cherries are one of the sweetest cherry varieties. Overall, they taste like other sweet cherries, with the observation that they are not acidic at all. Because they have no acidity, their natural sweetness takes precedence. So white cherries have quite a straightforward sweet taste, with strong fruity flavors and an inviting fruity scent. They are a good cherry variety to eat fresh, and better than other cherries for GERD or acid reflux disease because of their lack of acidity.
Are white cherries better than red?
That white cherries are good for you, there’s no doubt. But are white cherries healthier than the more common red cherries? When fruits come in multiple colors, there’s always the question of which is better between the two. Especially when one color is not as common, or readily available to buy, people want it to be the better choice, somehow healthier than the color that is more accessible.
Whether it’s white cherries vs red cherries vs yellow cherries or white asparagus vs pink asparagus vs purple asparagus or white mulberries vs pink mulberries vs black mulberries or white bell pepper vs red bell pepper vs chocolate bell peppers, know that each fruit and vegetable color is healthy in its own way.
At the end of the day, the different colors are the exact same fruit and they provide the same bioactive components in roughly the same amounts, with a few exceptions. And that doesn’t mean that one color is less healthy just because it’s a different color – all colors are healthy, but in different ways.
The same goes for white cherries vs red cherries – both are equally healthy, with a few differences in their content of bioactive components, differences driven by color. But both the components that give white cherries their color and those that give red cherries their color are healthy and good for you, and equally important for good healthy, just in different ways.
White cherries nutrition
White cherries have a poor nutritional value as in they have very small amounts of most essential vitamins, dietary minerals and macronutrients.
The average content of vitamins and minerals in white cherries is under or up to 5% of total daily values for the average adult (per 100 grams of fruit).
White cherries are highest in vitamin C at around 10% of daily vitamin C values for the average adult, according to the new dietary guidelines.
White cherries also have a good content of dietary potassium: 5% of daily potassium values. They also provide about 2 grams of dietary fiber per 100 grams of raw fruit with skin which is close to 6% of daily values.
- How many calories in white cherries? White cherries have over 60 kcal (kilocalories, calories) per 100 grams which makes them a moderately caloric fruit.
- How many carbs in white cherries? 100 grams of the raw, ripe fruit provides, on average, 16 grams of carbohydrates.
- How much sugar in white cherries? The ripe fruit provide 13 grams of natural sugars for every 100 grams.
- How much fat in white cherries? The cherry color is very low in fat with only 0.2 grams of fat per 100 grams of fruit.
- How much protein in white cherries? White cherries protein content: 1.1 grams per 100 grams or 1.1% protein per weight.
Are white cherries good for you?
White cherries are definitely good for you, despite their modest nutritional value. What makes white cherries healthy is their content of pigmented yellow and pink-red antioxidants.
White cherries are a source of pigmented yellow carotenoid antioxidants called xanthophylls. Lutein and zeaxanthin xanthophylls in the cherry variety are scientifically proven to lower risks of cataract and AMD (age-related macular degeneration).
White cherries also have carotenoid antioxidants with vitamin A activity. Beta-carotene and other carotenes in the cherry variety get converted into vitamin A in the body and serve all the functions of vitamin A. This means that white cherries are a source of benefits for eyesight, skin and the immune system via their content of provitamin A carotene antioxidants.
Not just this, but white cherries have a limited glycemic impact. That is, while they have a relatively high sugar content, white cherries have a low glycemic index score all thanks to the dietary fiber content that mediates their effects on blood sugar. The glycemic index value of white cherries is between 20 and 30, which is low.
White cherries are good to eat for transit and contribute to bowel movement regularity and constipation relief. They can be successfully incorporated in a weight loss diet and even a diabetic diet so long as intakes are kept low. White cherries are good for high blood pressure thanks to their potassium content, and promote teeth and gums health via a good vitamin C content.
They are a good food to eat with gout as they are naturally low in purines and help control levels of uric acid in the blood. White cherries are an anti-inflammatory food with proven benefits for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. See how cherries help with arthritis pain.
Eating white cherries also holds some benefits for sleep. See the benefits of cherries for sleep. All cherry varieties, red, yellow, black and white, help with muscle recovery following exercise. See the benefits of cherries for muscles.
White cherries are a good option for an upset stomach and can be included in a diet for acid reflux as they are very low acidic. You can eat white cherries in gastritis too, but only after you’ve gained some degree of control over the condition with the help of a strict diet.
