Which fruits contain less sugar? The featured fruits below contain some of the least amount of sugar content. Eating fruits is one of the many ways you can take care of your health and live a longer life. But not all fruits are created equal. Some have more sugar than others. Of course, eating fewer juices also means that you will be benefitting from the other vitamins and minerals found in the fruit, but here are some of the low-sugar fruits that you may want to include in your diet:
Here are 15 fruits that are low in sugar content, which include tomatoes, strawberries, lemons, and oranges.
Although fruits are undoubtedly powerhouses of nutrients, many people tend to avoid them fearing their natural sugar content.
- Sugars are simple carbohydrates that are sweet to taste, which include sucrose (table sugar), fructose (also called fruit sugar), and glucose.
- Nonetheless, several fruits contain fewer sugars per unit weight and healthy fiber content that provide an ideal snacking option for weight-watchers, people on a keto diet, and those with diabetes.
15 low-sugar fruits
15 fruits that are low in sugar (contain on average less than 11 grams of sugar per 100 grams of the fruit) include
- Tomatoes
- (2.6 grams sugars and 3.9 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Watermelons
- (6 grams sugars and 7.5 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Cantaloupe
- (8 grams sugars and 8 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Peaches
- (8 grams sugars and 10 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Strawberries
- (4.9 grams sugars and 8 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Avocados
- (0.7 grams sugars and 9 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Blueberries
- (6 grams sugars and 9 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Honeydew
- (8 grams sugars and total 9 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Lemons
- (2.5 grams sugar and 9 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Pineapples
- (10 grams sugars and 11 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Plums
- (10 grams sugars and 11 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Oranges
- (9 grams sugars and 12 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Raspberries
- (4.4 grams sugars and 12 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Dragon fruits
- (7.6 grams sugars and 13 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
- Guava
- (9 grams sugar and 15 grams total carbs per 100 grams)
7 fruits that are high in sugars
Some of the fruits that are known to contain a high amount of sugars include:
- Mangos
- Grapes
- Bananas
- Pears
- Cherries
- Figs
- Lychee
Although a distinction can be made between fruits based on their sugar content, it is the serving size that matters a lot.
Therefore, if you consume a hearty wedge of watermelon (300 grams) containing just six grams of sugars per 100 grams of the fruit, you may end up consuming about 20 grams of sugar. This is comparable to consuming a cup of cut mango pieces containing about 23 grams of sugar.
Hence, the key is moderation or having smaller servings. You will be able to enjoy your favorite fruits this way without any fear of spiking your sugar levels.
What Fruits Are Low in Natural Sugar Content
Natural sugar in fruit varies depending on which fruit you choose and on the fruit’s size. Generally speaking, the sweeter and denser the fruit, the more grams of sugar it contains. But the taste or density measures aren’t foolproof in identifying sugar levels. That said, any fruit makes a great diet choice because all fruits are nutrition dense, containing healthy elements, like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, in addition to sugar. What’s more, the fruit you choose will absolutely contain less sugar than the cookie or piece of pie you might otherwise eat.
Low Sugar Fruits
Whether you want to cut back on the calories you get from fruit or you’re counting carbohydrates on a diabetic or low-carb diet, fruits with less sugar work well. Those that are among the lowest in natural sugar content, with up to 5 grams of sugar per 1/2-cup serving, include:
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Grapefruit
Fruits with 6 to 10 grams of sugar per 1/2-cup serving include:
- Apricots
- Apples
- Bananas
- Blueberries
- Cantaloupe
- Grapes
- Honeydew melon
- Nectarines
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Pineapples
- Plums
A few other fruits fit into the range of medium-sugar fruits, with 11-16 grams per serving. Examples include mangoes and persimmons.
Dried Fruits and Canned Fruits
Once fruits are dried, they typically contain more sugar than they have when fresh. While raw peaches contain about 7 grams of sugar in 1/2 cup, the same amount of dried peaches contains 34 grams of sugar. Drying condenses the fruit and concentrates the natural sugars. The same concentration happens with fruits packed in their own juices, not to mention those packed with heavy syrup or i cups with sugary gelatin, making those forms of fruits higher in total sugars than their fresh counterparts.
Ways to Enjoy Fruits
Increase the amounts of low-sugar fruits in your diet by adding them to your morning bowl of oatmeal, sprinkling them on salads and in meat sauces, tossing them in smoothies and serving them with yogurt for dessert. Try blueberries or raspberries on breakfast cereals, sliced strawberries or orange segments in salads and blackberries or plums blended into meat and poultry sauces. Bananas make an especially good addition to breakfast smoothies, giving them a nice thickness.Writer Bio
Susan Lundman began writing about her love of cooking, ingredient choices, menu planning and healthy eating after working for 20 years on children’s issues at a nonprofit organization. She has written about food online professionally for ten years on numerous websites, and has provided family and friends with homemade recipes and stories about culinary adventures. Lundman received her M.A. from Stanford University.
Fruits Low in Sugar: Why You Need to Monitor Your Sugar Intake
Sugar has been left out of a lot of popular diets recently because too much sugar in your diet can lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease among other health problems.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to avoid all sugars altogether as there are plenty of fruits that are low in sugar and provide other nutritional benefits.
In this article, we will discuss 10 fruits low in sugar and why you need to watch your intake of it.
We will also highlight 5 fruits that are high in sugar if you are trying to avoid sugar in your diet.
Why do I need to monitor my sugar intake?
There are a few reasons why you might want to keep your sugar intake low. The reasons to eat less sugar include:
Weight gain
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate, and too much of it can lead to weight gain due to it not being nutritious and having empty calories.
If your diet calls for you to watch your carb intake then you need to avoid sugary foods and drinks to maintain your low-carb diet and help maintain your weight loss goals.
Diabetes
It can also cause spikes in the levels of sugar in your blood, which can be dangerous if you have diabetes.
The reason your blood sugar level spikes are not because the sugar goes straight to your bloodstream, but because the sugar is a simple carbohydrate that gets broken down by your body into glucose, which is also called blood sugar, which is then absorbed into your bloodstream causing the blood sugar spike.
Pancreas
Your body uses insulin to process the glucose in your blood for energy. The extra glucose from eating too much sugar can also cause your pancreas to make more insulin, which, if your body stops responding to it, can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Teeth
If you have a sweet tooth, you need to know that eating too much sugar can also lead to cavities and tooth decay because the sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which then produces acid that attacks your teeth.
Heart
There is also a link between eating too much sugar and developing heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than six teaspoons, or 24 grams, of added sugar per day, and men consume no more than nine teaspoons, or 36 grams.
The effect too much sugar can have on your heart health can also lead to heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke.
Brain
When you eat sugar, your brain releases dopamine which makes you feel good. If you stop eating sugar, your brain will want the dopamine that sugar provides which leads to cravings.
Any sugar, whether it is a natural sugar found in fruits or a processed sugar like high fructose corn syrup, not only affects these parts of your body but it can also have adverse effects on your kidneys, joints, skin, joints, and sexual health.
What are 10 fruits that are low in sugar?
So now that you know some of the reasons why you need to monitor your sugar intake, let’s look at 10 fruits that are low in sugar.
All serving sizes below are one cup unless otherwise noted and the nutritional value is based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The fruits with low sugar include:
Strawberries
Strawberries contain just over 7 grams of sugar per cup according to USDA. The same serving also contains almost 83% of your daily intake of vitamin C, which helps repair your tissues and is needed for a healthy immune system.
Raspberries
Raspberries not only contain 8 grams of fiber per serving, but they are also low in sugar. One cup of raspberries contains about 5.4 grams of sugar and is a good source of vitamin C and manganese too.
10 Best Low Sugar Fruits To Eat For Weight Loss
Blackberries
Per serving, blackberries contain about 7 grams of sugar and are also a good source of fiber content and a rich source of antioxidants too.
Peaches
Peaches contain almost 13 grams of sugar, which is less than one large peach but more than a smaller one.
Even though this is more than the above-listed fruits, 13 grams is still low in sugar.
Lemons and limes
A whole small lemon only contains less than 1.5 grams of sugar or a little over 2 grams for larger lemons while limes contain roughly the same amount.
Please be aware that this amount of sugar is for the whole fruit when most people only use slices on their food or in their drinks. Both of these citrus fruits are also high in vitamin C.
Watermelon
A cup of diced watermelons contains under 9.5 grams of sugar despite being a refreshing summer treat.
As the name indicates, this fruit choice has a high water content and is an ideal snack to stay hydrated during the hot summer months.
Oranges
If you eat a whole orange, it is only 12 grams of sugar and is an excellent source of vitamin C.
Please note to avoid or read the labels on any store-bought orange juice or fruit juices as they may contain added sugars.
Grapefruit
Half a raw grapefruit for breakfast will contain almost 9 grams of sugar. If you eat a whole one or a larger one, it will contain even more sugar so be aware of your serving size.
Grapefruits are also a good source of vitamin C.
Avocados
Although you may not think of them as fruits, avocados are technically a fruit with about 1/3 of a gram of sugar per cup when sliced.
Avocados also contain healthy fats that can help manage your cholesterol and blood pressure and are a good source of a number of vitamins.
Cantaloupes
Cantaloupes contain approximately 12.5 grams of sugar per cup. These melons are also high in vitamin C and vitamin A.
Please note to read the label on any fruit you buy to watch your sugar intake.
Also, be cognizant of the serving size and how much you plan to eat to accurately gauge how much sugar you will consume.
Which Fruits Have the Least Sugar?
Curious about which fruits have the least sugar? And is fructose in fruit bad for you? Get the details about sugar and fruit, plus a list of healthy low-sugar fruits.
Trying to lose a few pounds? Or simply want to eat healthier? You might be afraid of fruit. But don’t be!
Let’s first get a few things straight. You should definitely cap your daily added sugar intake.
The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons, or 25 grams, of added sugar daily and that men take in no more than 9 teaspoons, or 36 grams per day. Per this medical advice, natural sugar such as honey and maple syrup counts as added sugar.
You definitely don’t want to take in excessive sugar that’s added sugar because this can cause health issues, such as increasing your risk of type 2 diabetes. Added sugar is found in processed foods.
What Fruits Have the Least Sugar?
While some fruits contain upward of 20 grams of sugar, these are naturally occurring sugars and not the added sugars (think granulated sugar, brown sugar, and even agave and honey) that can harm your health if you take in too much. Sugars such as fructose and glucose are naturally occurring sugars. Fructose is the sugar found in fruit.
Because fruit does contain a good amount of carbs, I typically recommend pairing a banana, apple, or other fruit with a protein or healthy fat such as a Tablespoon or two of nuts. This helps keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Fruit is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can help you be healthier. They’re also foods with no added sugar. So if you’re a fruit skeptic, keep on reading to learn about the nutritional superpowers of berries and beyond. And find out if it really matters what fruits have the least sugar.
And just so you have it, here’s a list of the fruits that have the least sugar, by the cup. This list of fruits with the least sugar could be really helpful if you’re following a low-carb diet.
- Raspberries: 5 grams
- Strawberries: 7 grams
- Watermelon: 9 grams
- Blackberries: 7 grams
- Wild blueberries: 10 grams
- Apple: 11 grams
Do Bananas Have Too Much Sugar?
They’re a staple in your fruit bowl. But if you’re worried bananas aren’t the best fit for your healthy eating plan, take a look at my Food Network article. I unravel all the nutritional details of the fruit, including its sugar content.
Fun fact: When it comes to sugar in fruits, un-ripe fruits have less fruit sugar. Green bananas have different health benefits than their yellow counterparts! Love bananas like I do? Then you’ll enjoy a smoothie with banana.
The Benefits of Eating Fruit
Now that you’ve found out which fruits are lowest in sugar, let’s talk about the health benefits of fruit. Eating fresh fruit can help your health in many ways: For one, fruit is 90% or higher in water so can help you stay hydrated—and help prevent overeating that can stem from dehydration.
Getting all your servings is important for not only helping you keep your weight in check but also lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain cancers.
Fruit intake is also linked with chronic disease prevention. And a study in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that Chinese people eating fresh fruit daily (mostly apples and oranges) had lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
These people were also less likely to have a major cardiovascular event, such as a stroke.
Consider adding fruit to at least two eating occasions a day—for instance, have fresh blueberries with breakfast and a sliced apple with peanut butter as an afternoon snack. Eating frozen, canned, and dried fruits counts, too.
Just make sure they’re unsweetened. When shopping for canned fruit, look for fruit canned in 100% fruit juices and that doesn’t have any table sugar or high fructose corn syrup added.
Major Reasons to Eat More Blueberries
Not only are blueberries a colorful addition to any smoothie (ahem, blueberry peanut butter smoothie), they’re also a nutritional powerhouse.
Rich in antioxidants and important vitamins, the berries are a healthy addition to any diet. I reveal a few of the fruit’s most significant health benefits in this LIVESTRONG article.
Wondering about the sugar content of blueberries? A cup of conventional berries has 15 grams of sugar, while the same amount of wild blueberries has 10 grams of sugar.
Do People Eat Enough Fruits and Vegetables?
The question of vegetable and fruit intake is a good one. Researchers decided to determine how many Americans are meeting the daily guidelines for fruits and vegetables set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1 ½ and 2 cups of fruit daily and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily).
The scientists published a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, looking at what percent of the 11,742 Americans studied consumed fruit two or more times in a day and vegetables three or more times.
The results for how many people are getting their proper servings of fruit and veggies are less than ideal: 14% of the study population met or exceeded daily fruit recommendations, while only 8% met daily vegetable recs. Interestingly, intake by state varied widely:
Highest Fruit Intake
- Connecticut (17%)
- New Hampshire (17%)
- Vermont (17%)
- California (18%)
- Washington, DC (18%)
Lowest Fruit Intake
- West Virginia (7%)
- Tennessee (8%)
- Kentucky (9%)
- Louisiana (9%)
- Mississippi (9%)
- Oklahoma (9%)
Highest Vegetable Intake
- Alaska (10%)
- Arizona (10%)
- Colorado (10%)
- Hawaii (10%)
- New Hampshire (10%)
- California (11%)
- Vermont (11%)
- Washington, DC (11%)
- Oregon (12%)
Lowest Vegetable Intake
- Louisiana (5%)
- West Virginia (5%)
- Mississippi (6%)
- North Dakota (6%)
- Oklahoma (6%)
- South Carolina (6%)
- South Dakota (6%)
- Tennessee (6%)
- Wisconsin (6%)
Note that the following foods were excluded from the study: fried potatoes, non-100-percent-fruit juices, baby food, dried fruit, condiments like ketchup and spaghetti sauce, olives, pickles, relish, vinegars and produce eaten on a sandwich.
The fruits with the most and least sugar
Fruits are an excellent source of energy, nutrients, water, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants. Fruits contain natural sugar, something which we do not need to worry about. This natural sugar is not harmful to the body. Though we do not need to worry about the sugar in fruits, it still counts towards our daily calorie intake. People who need to control their blood sugar levels must know which fruits have high sugar and not consume them.
Here is a list of fruits that have the maximum sugar and thus must be consumed in moderation by diabetics and weight watchers.
Mangoes
Mangoes are everyone’s favourite. But mangoes have a whopping 45 grams of sugar per medium-sized fruit. Do not choose mangoes if you are trying to lose weight or cut back on your sugar intake.
Maybe you can enjoy a slice or two, but do not go overboard.
Grapes
A cup of grapes has around 23 grams of sugar. You can slice them in half to consume them slowly and this consumes lesser sugar. You can also slice and deep freeze grapes to be used in smoothies, shakes and oatmeals.
Cherries
One cup of cherries has around 18 grams of sugar and you easily lose track of how many you have had. So, before you sit down to eat cherries, measure them before hands so that you know how many exactly you have consumed.
Pears
One medium-sized pear has around 17 grams of sugar. If you are trying to cut back on sugar do not eat the whole thing, just put a few slices in low-fat yoghurt or on the top of your favourite salad.
Watermelon
A medium wedge of this summer fruit has 17 grams of sugar. As the name suggests, watermelon is loaded with water and has special minerals called electrolytes that is just what your body needs to recharge itself. But just keep it two slices at a time.
Bananas
Bananas are a powerhouse of energy. One medium-sized banana has 14 grams of sugar. You can slice half a banana in your morning cereal or smash some pieces in the middle of your peanut butter sandwich.
Fruits that have less sugar
Avocado
One whole avocado has only 1.33 grams of sugar. You can put it in a salad, spread it on the toast or use it in your smoothie. But while being low in sugar, avocado is high in calories. Not all fruits are loaded with sugar and avocado is one of them.