Eat EmpoweredWatching your sugar? Here are 5 lowest-sugar fruits that satisfy your sweet tooth
By Anthea LeviHome » Eat Empowered » Watching your sugar? Here are 5 lowest-sugar fruits that satisfy your sweet tooth
As we talked about in our post on fruits that are highest in sugar, it bears repeating that fruit is your friend. Sure, a staggering one in 10 Americans has diabetes, but strawberries are not to blame.
Unlike ultra-processed foods that are filled with added sugars (think: corn syrup and cane sugar), fruit contains natural sugar called fructose. Fruit also provides hydration — most fruits are about 90% water! — and fiber. The presence of fiber helps to slow down the body’s absorption of sugars like fructose from the gut into the blood, meaning you experience less of a blood sugar spike after eating an apple compared to, say, a cookie.
In general, we recommend sticking to two or three servings of fruit per day. Be sure to choose whole fruits instead of juices, which lack that critical fiber we mentioned.
Curious which fruits are lowest in sugar? Read on for our low-sugar fruit list and then check out our high-sugar fruit list here.
5 Lowest-Sugar Fruits
1. Avocado
Yep, avocado is technically a fruit. And since avo is one of the healthiest foods around—thanks to its high fiber content and heart-friendly monounsaturated fats—it’s topping our low-sugar fruits list.
One-third of an avocado delivers more than 4 grams of fiber and less than 1 gram of sugar. Smash avocado on top of your favorite seedy toast or bake an egg into it for a low-carb, high-protein breakfast.
RELATED: 35 Ways to Get Protein in at Breakfast if You Don’t Eat Eggs
2. Raspberries
When it comes to low-sugar fruits, berries beat most other options. One cup of raspberries contains just 5 grams of sugar.
Fun fact: Raspberries are also the highest fiber fruit, with that same one-cup serving bringing an impressive 8 grams of fiber to the table. That covers a third of a woman’s fiber needs for the whole day!
3. Blackberries
Packed with powerful antioxidants, blackberries are fairly low in fructose. A one-cup serving of blackberries provides 7 grams of sugar, plus more than 7 grams of blood sugar-friendly fiber.
4. Strawberries
Did you know that just one cup of strawberries delivers more than 100% of your daily needs for vitamin C? They’re also low in sugar (one cup = just 8 grams of sugar) and ultra-hydrating. Strawberries are 91% water by weight!
5. Asian Pear
If you like a nice, crisp apple, then you’ll love Asian pears. They offer a refreshing crunch that serves as the perfect addition to savory salads.
How do Asian pears stack up to their peers sugar-wise? An Asian pear serves up 8.5 grams of sugar, while a medium Bosc pear provides more than twice that amount, with 18 grams of sugar. So there’s that.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Worst Fruits to Eat If You’re Watching Your Blood Sugar
(Image: Shutterstock)
Anthea Levi, MS, RD, is a Brooklyn-based registered dietitian and health reporter. She currently works in private practice at Culina Health and contributes to various media outlets, including Livestrong.com and Nutritious Life.
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