Ever felt that you are heavily stuffed with your meals, yet you suffer from hunger pangs? You feel like you have something but want it to be rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Then what comes to your rescue? A good bowl of cherries! Healthy, tasty, delicious, and guilt-free.
But while munching on these snacks, have you ever wondered – Can Bearded Dragons Eat Cherries? So don’t worry, your Bearded Dragons can eat Cherries happily. Your Dragons love its sweet texture and soft taste. But to retain their happiness, you need to feed them the lovely Cherries occasionally. After all, moderation is the key.
So be seated, and within a minute, let us find out what cherries are. What is the nutritional value in their stores to offer you – their various types, benefits, and risks associated with you and your little Bearded Dragons too?
Cherries are a delicious small, red, and fleshy power-packed superfood of the fruit family Genus Prunus. They are highly rich in antioxidants.
There are more than 1000 varieties of cherries. Some common ones are – Dark Red Cherries, Red Cherries, Sour Cherries, Sweet Cherries, Yellow Cherries, and Black Cherries.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ), 100 gm of Cherries contain the following nutritional values:
| Ingredients | Nutritional Value |
|---|---|
| Water | 82.25 % |
| Energy (Calories) | 63 Kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 16.01 gm |
| Protein | 1.06 gm |
| Total Fat | 0.2 gm |
| Saturated Fat | 0.038 gm |
| Polyunsaturated Fats | 0.052 gm |
| Monounsaturated Fats | 0.047 gm |
| Trans Fats | 0 mg |
| Sugars | 12.82 gm |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.1 gm |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
As per the USDA, the number of minerals in 100 gm of cherries are:
| Minerals | Nutritional Value |
|---|---|
| Potassium (K) | 222 mg |
| Phosphorus (P) | 21 mg |
| Calcium (Ca) | 13 mg |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 11 mg |
| Iron (Fe) | 0.36 mg |
| Zinc (Zn | 0.07 mg |
| Manganese (Mn) | 0.07 mg |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.06 mg |
| Fluoride | 2 mg |
| Sodium (Na) | 0 mg |
| Calcium to Phosphorus Ratio | 1:1.6 |
The number of essential Vitamins in 100 gm of cherries is:
| Vitamins | Nutritional Value |
|---|---|
| Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) | 7 mg |
| Choline (Vitamin B4) | 6.1 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) | 0.199 mg |
| Niacin (Vitamin B3) | 0.154 mg |
| Alpha-Tocopherol (Vitamin E) | 0.07 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.049 mg |
| Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) | 0.033 mg |
| Thiamine (Vitamin B1) | 0.027 mg |
| Folate (Vitamin B9) | 4 mcg |
| Vitamin A RAE | 3 mcg |
| Vitamin A IU | 64 mcg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + 3) | 0 mcg |
| Beta Carotene | 38 mcg |
| Vitamin K | 2.1 mcg |
Cherries are highly packed in healthy nutrition and are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Cherries are fully loaded with essential vitamins and minerals. They have a plethora of benefits.
Cherries protect your hearts and prevent any cardiovascular diseases. It can also boost your exercise recovery. Cherries help improve sleep quality and help lower your stress, anxiety, and hypertension. It also improves any symptoms of arthritis and helps in lowering any risk of a gout attack.
Cherries help prevent cancer and also help curb cholesterol. Cherries have also proven beneficial for the health of your brain. It prevents Alzheimer’s disease and helps improve your migraine. It gives a boost to your brain.
Cherries help protect against diabetes and lower blood pressure levels as well. It also helps in controlling the lipid levels in people with diabetes and obese people. It also aids in reducing the risk of strokes.
Cherries have anti-aging properties. They not only maintain your skin’s pH balance but also promote your hair to become healthy. Cherries provide energy and can help boost your sex life as well. And what makes it guilt-free is its ability to facilitate weight loss.
With the wholesomeness of goodness, there can be certain risk factors aligned as well.
Since Cherries lack some vital vitamins and minerals they can be allergic to sensitive people, and some may even show symptoms of tingling/itching sensation in the mouth, swelling of lips, face, tongue, and throat, wheezing, breathing difficulty, and nasal congestion, skin rashes such as hives, or eczema, abdominal cramps, vomit, nausea and diarrhea, dizziness or fainting.
Cherries contain dietary fiber. So excess Cherries can cause some uncomfortable gastrointestinal problems – such as abdominal bloating, stomach pain, cramps, and gas.
Cherry pits, after being crushed, might be toxic, and hence one must not consume them.
Yes. Your bearded Dragons can eat Cherries but only as a treat, i.e., Occasionally. Since Cherries are high in sugars and contain fruit acids, they can disturb your little Beardie’s digestive functions.
Cherries are loaded with antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals. Therefore, they should form a part of your Beardie’s diet. But to maintain the goodness of this power food, the key is to feed them in moderation.
Cherries contain several essential nutrients, and thus, they are beneficial to your little Beardies as well. Though your Beardies might love Cherries since they are high in sugars and low in calcium, they can only have them every few weeks or once a month to be in a safer zone.
It also depends upon what other things are included in their daily dietary intake. If fruits high in sugars and low in calcium are there in your Beardie’s diet, then kindly avoid serving cherries on that particular day. There has to be balance in the vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits served to your Beardies.
Cherries should always be served as a salad topper over the greens – in small quantities. Normally 3 pitted Cherries are enough and not more than that.
Fruits altogether must not go over 5 % of your Beardie’s daily dietary intake.
I prefer organic and fresh Cherries. If you are serving inorganic ones, then be careful of the dirt and pesticides present on the skin of your Cherries. Always wash the Cherries thoroughly. Discard any cherry leaves. Remove their pits to prevent gut impaction. Chop the Cherries in half or quarter to avoid choking, as your little Beardie does not chew but swallows his food.
Serve the cherries only in a moderate amount as a salad topper to encourage your Beardie to eat his greens.
Know About: Why Is Your Bearded Dragon Not Eating?
Cherries do contain some essential Vitamins and Minerals for your little Dragons, such as:
If overfed, Cherries can have negative effects too.
Cherries can be bad if they are fed over moderation to your Dragons. Since they are high in sugars and fruit acids, they can cause trouble for your Beardie’s digestive system. Your Beardie can show symptoms of diarrhea, dehydration, and other health issues.
With a disproportionate Calcium to phosphorus ratio, your Beardies can have MBD and weak bones – which can further result in difficulty in walking and hunting.
Always wash the outer skin of Cherries thoroughly as it has dirt and pesticides. Before serving the Cherries, make sure you remove their pits and chop them as fine as possible. Be careful of the cherry leaves as they are not to be fed ever.
Since Cherries are low in Calcium, a high-quality calcium supplement is needed in your Beardie’s diet.
Before trying or adding any new food to your Beardie’s diet, always consult his Vet for the guidelines and guidance, if any. If you get a green signal, introduce the food as a treat. Check onto your Beardie while he is having his food. If he is reluctant to have it, do not force him to consume it. Monitor his activities for 24 hours after the introduction of any new food. In case of any adverse reaction or symptom, consult your Dragon’s vet ASAP.
And always serve fresh food to your little Beardie.
No. In comparison to fresh Cherries, dried cherries lose their natural goodness of vitamins and minerals. Especially Vitamin B and C. Some store-bought dried Cherries might have added sugars and preservatives. Even if they are naturally dried, they become difficult to chew for your Bearded Dragons. Hence, it is better to avoid giving your Beardies any dried form of Cherries.
No. Since Canned Cherries contain chemicals – preservatives, and additives, they can improve your Beardie’s health. It might lead to some grave consequences. Thus, it is recommended to keep canned Cherries away from your Dragon’s reach.
Yes. Frozen Cherries can be safe for your Bearded Dragons if they don’t contain any additives. But make sure to defrost them and let them come at room temperature before serving them to your Dragons. Otherwise, it can cause digestive issues to your Beardie, like diarrhea, dehydration, and other health problems.
No. Though the Cherry leaves are edible. But they can be toxic to your Bearded Dragons. Cherry pits and leaves contain Cyanide. Cyanide can be poisonous and deadly to your little Beardies and can result in various symptoms such as – headache, nausea, breathing issues, and weakness. Also, Cherry pits can choke your Beardies. Therefore, it is better not to serve Cherry pits and leaves to your Beardies ever.
No. Do not feed any blossoms to your Beardies ever. Blossoms also contain cyanide in small amounts. Hence, it can risk your Beardie’s life.
No. Store-bought Cherry juices might contain additional sugars, chemicals preservatives, and stabilizers. Hence, it may cause trouble for your Dragon’s health.
Though homemade, natural, fresh fruit juice can be added atop the leafy greens and vegetables in their shallow platter to entice your Dragons into eating their nutritional diet.
No. Glace cherries contain a high amount of sugar, and they may pose a threat to your little Dragons. Hence, keep your Dragon away from the Glace Cherries.
Yes. You can happily feed sweet cherries to your little dragons. But always serve them in moderation as they are high in fruit acids. Eating sweet cherries in high quantities too often can disturb your Beardie’s health system and may cause him digestive distress, causing him diarrhea dehydration, and other troubles.
After taking almost all the necessary information on Cherries, we may say that Cherries are wonderful for your Bearded Dragons if fed in moderation and occasionally as a treat.
Do not overfeed any fruit ever, as fruits are usually high in sugars but low in calcium. Refrain from giving foods in any processed form whatsoever. Always treat your Beardies with fresh and natural fruits.
And in case of confusion, always consult your Beardie’s Vet. After all, not every human food can be enjoyed by your little Dragon, but talking of the Cherries – they can be fed as a tasty treat.
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