Look, some people can eat a bucket of cherries and feel fine. They are the chosen ones. The rest of us? We’re not. If you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or a general sensitivity to FODMAPs (don’t worry, I can’t pronounce it either), cherries are basically a landmine.
You might be thinking, “But they’re a fruit! How can fruit betray me?” Fruit is a tricky friend. It means well, but sometimes it pushes your boundaries. Especially if you eat them whole. That tough skin is all fiber, my friend.
The “Cherry Bomb” Effect
Ever popped a cherry in your mouth and accidentally swallowed the pit? Don’t worry, you won’t grow a cherry tree in your stomach (that’s an old wives’ tale). But the pits do contain trace amounts of a compound that turns into cyanide. Before you freak out: you’d have to eat a lot of crushed pits to get sick. Like, a ridiculous, YouTube-challenge amount.
But the pit can be a choking hazard for kids, so keep an eye on the little ones. Mostly, the pits are just annoying to deal with while you’re trying to binge-watch a show and eat cherries by the handful.
