Not Keto
Cherries
10.90g net carbs per 1/2 cup
Half a cup packs 10.9 g net carbs, which can eat up most of a strict 20 g daily budget in one small handful. Save them for a higher-carb day or skip them, since a few extra cherries push you over fast.
Built by Barron Hansen · Last updated July 2026
Nutrition Facts
Fits My Daily Budget?
Set your daily net carb limit to see how one serving fits.
One serving uses 55% of your 20g daily budget.
Plan the rest of your day
Good to Know
Sweet cherries like Bing and Rainier run higher in sugar than tart Montmorency types, but neither fits a keto day. Watch the dried and jarred versions even more closely, since dried cherries concentrate the sugar and many maraschino and canned cherries are packed in heavy syrup that pushes carbs way past the fresh number. If you want the cherry flavor, a few drops of unsweetened cherry extract in sparkling water gives you the taste without the 10.9 g.
Is Cherries Keto? The Full Answer
Cherries contains 10.90g net carbs per 1/2 cup (12.50g total carbs minus 1.60g fiber). Half a cup packs 10.9 g net carbs, which can eat up most of a strict 20 g daily budget in one small handful. Save them for a higher-carb day or skip them, since a few extra cherries push you over fast.
On a standard ketogenic diet, most people target 20-25g net carbs per day. A single serving uses 55% of a 20g daily carb limit. If you are following a strict ketogenic protocol, reach for a lower-carb option instead.
Better Keto Swaps
Cherries are tough to fit into keto. A half cup runs 10.9 g net carbs, and that sugar adds up fast. Here are a few swaps that scratch the same itch without the carb load. Raspberries are your best bet: a half cup gives you about 3.3 g net carbs, and they bring that same tart-sweet pop. Blackberries are close behind at roughly 3.1 g net carbs per half cup, with a deep berry flavor that works in yogurt or just by the handful. Want something even leaner? Try a few strawberries, around 4.1 g net carbs per half cup sliced, sweet enough to feel like a treat but easy to portion out.
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