The Low-Sugar Fruit Guide You Never Really Wanted
I can't think of many reasons why you might be looking for low-sugar fruits on the internet right now since fruits, though often sugary, aren't exactly junk food. Sure, eating a diet that's high in sugar isn't great for your health, and there is an increasing body of compelling evidence finding that consuming too much sugar is correlated with higher rates of heart disease and obesity. But the sugar in fruits is naturally occurring sugar, and all things considered, sugar in fruits is generally better for you than added sugars are. That's according to the American Diabetes Association, which considers the naturally occurring sugar in fruit to be healthier than sugar that's been added to processed foods like soda or sweets.
Having said that, if you're reading this article, you're probably looking to reduce your sugar intake for whatever reason-and there's no judgment here! Besides, knowing which fruits are high in sugar and which are not is still valuable information to have, even if you're OK with your daily sugar intake. That way, you can at least be aware of how much sugar you eat every day. Chances are good it'll surprise you.
Low-Sugar: Berries
Nearly every list of low-sugar fruits begins with berries. We're talking strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, specifically. A cup of raw strawberries and a cup of raw blackberries each have only about seven grams of sugar. A cup of raw raspberries has less than six grams of sugar.
High-Sugar: Cherries
Cherries, however, are super high in sugar. A cup of cherries with the pits has nearly 18 grams of sugar.
Low-Sugar: Watermelon
Raw watermelon, though sweet, has less than ten grams of sugar per cup of fruit.
High-Sugar: Lychee
A single, raw lychee fruit has only a couple grams of sugar-but you'd never eat a single lychee fruit. A cup of raw lychees has nearly 30 grams of sugar! And there's even more sugar if you're eating canned lychees.
Low-Sugar: Cantaloupe
A cup of cubed cantaloupe has only 12 grams of sugar.
High-Sugar: Grapes
A cup of raw grapes has about as much sugar as an eight ounce bottle of soda: nearly 24 grams!
Low-Sugar: Avocado
Yes, an avocado is technically a fruit, and yes, it is low in sugar, with less than a gram of sugar per fruit.
High-Sugar: Figs
A single, raw, large fig has nearly 11 grams of sugar. That means two large figs have 22 grams of sugar, which is a lot of sugar. But, again, this is sugar that's coming from fruit, so you shouldn't feel bad about indulging in an extra fig or two every once in a while. It's probably the healthiest way you can satiate your sweet tooth.
