8 Low-Sugar Fruits That Won’t Leave You With a Sugar High
Before you freak out about the sugar in fruit, Katrin Lee, MS, RD, founder of Simply Nutrition NYC, recommends looking at the rest of the nutrition facts to get a better idea of how your body will respond. “Any fruits that have other major nutrients, like protein, fiber, or good fats will cause your blood sugar to spike slower because you’re also working to digest the other nutrients,” Lee explains. While your body reacts to sugar the same, whether it comes from a packet or a pineapple, eating the nutrient-dense food is always the better option.
Plus, “most fruit is actually considered low on the glycemic index, meaning it doesn’t raise your blood sugar as much as other carbohydrates,” adds Rebekah Blakely, RDN, registered nutritionist for The Vitamin Shoppe.
To help guide your grocery shopping endeavors, here are some low-sugar fruits dietitians love that are nutrient-rich and full of benefits (besides their incredible taste, of course).
8 low-sugar fruits to serve up for snack time, dessert time, or any time
1. Strawberries
Sugar: 8 grams per cup
We’re berry, er very, pleased to inform you that you can whip up a dairy-free milkshake with said cup of strawberries. They’re also rich in vitamin C and potassium, which are good for your skin, immune system, and bones. Eating those berries straight will get you five grams of fiber, too.
Another way to use strawberries—this healthy version of shortcake:
2. Raspberries
Sugar: 5 grams per cup
Raspberries pair their low sugar content with a relatively high load of fiber: eight grams of fiber per cup. Sounds like a win for your taste buds and your digestive system to me.
3. Peaches
Sugar: 13 grams per cup (sliced)
Everyone (not just the cast of Call Me By Your Name) deserves a summer fling with peaches. So bite through the skin of this fuzzy fruit and earn a bonus of two grams of fiber, along with vitamins A and C and calcium.
4. Blackberries
Sugar: 7 grams per cup
Blackberries pack almost eight grams of fiber per cup, so add them to your morning parfait for a digestively perfect breakfast.
5. Lemon and lime
Sugar: 1 gram per lemon (juice only) and 0.7 grams per lime (juice only)
Can’t say I’ve ever seen someone eat a lemon straight (unless they’re in a viral video), but the juice of lemons and limes are necessary components of many a mixed drink. Plus, you just can’t beat a salad dressing that includes fresh citrus.
6. Avocado
Sugar: 0.33 grams per 1/3 fruit serving
In case there was any question in your mind, the queen of all healthy fats also rules the fruit kingdom. It’s both super low in sugar and high in fiber (three grams in just a third of the fruit). Basically, it’s the healthy fat’s world and we’re all just living in it.
7. Grapefruit
Sugar: 8 grams per half-fruit serving
With about two grams of fiber per cup-size portion, this tart morning fave offers some of the major nutritional components you need to kickstart your day (and your digestion). So grab a spoon or make yourself some freshly-squeezed juice.
8. Mulberries
Sugar: 11 grams per cup
ICYMI, mulberries are the under-hyped fruit that’s a favorite of celebrity Kristen Bell. They’re also rich in antioxidants and apparently taste great tossed into sparkling water. Sold.
Additional reporting by Amy Marturana and Jennifer Kass.
This article was originally posted on June 16, 2011. It was updated on June 24, 2019.
Now! Let’s talk vegetables. Here’s how to make a milkshake that includes two whole servings of veggies, and a definitive ranking of the very best sweet potato, kale, and beet chips on the market.
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