Fruits are essential ingredients for a balanced healthy diet. Most of us do not eat enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis to capture the health benefits from eating these natural food powerhouses. Dried fruit is an excellent source of nutrients, but is higher in sugar content due to the dehydration process used in preparation.
For those following a low-carb diet, read below carefully to select proper fruit choices and avoid fruits high in natural sugar content.
Low Sugar Fruits
Fruits Lowest in Sugar
The fruits with the lowest sugar content are easy to predict. Limes, lemons, rhubarb, raspberries and blackberries are all among the lowest sugar containing fruits. These fruits are excellent for infusing drinks with extra flavor, desserts and eating raw.
Fruits Low to Medium in Sugar
Fruits in this category include blueberries, cantaloupes, casaba melon, watermelons, nectarines, papaya, peaches and strawberries. These are the best choices for anyone working to lose weight and stick to a carbohydrate restricted diet plan. Other choices include apples, grapefruit, honeydew melons, guavas and apricots.
High Sugar Fruits
Fruits fairly high in sugar
Those include oranges, kiwifruit, pears, pineapple and plums. Pineapples and plums are commonly dried and are a popular snack food.
Fruits very high in sugar
Fruits in this category are cherries, grapes, figs, bananas, mangos, figs, tangerines and pomegranates. Dried fruits, including dates, raisins, apricots and prunes, are very high in sugar content.
Sugar Contents in Common Fruits
Fresh Fruits (85 g) |
Total Sugar (g) |
Apple |
8.8 |
Apricot |
7.9 |
Banana |
10.4 |
Blueberries |
8.5 |
Cantaloupe |
6.7 |
Cherries |
10.9 |
Elderberries |
7 |
Figs |
13.8 |
Grapefruit |
5.9 |
Guava |
7.6 |
Grapes |
13.2 |
Kiwifruit |
9.5 |
Jackfruit |
7.5 |
Lemon |
2.5 |
Lime |
0.4 |
Mango |
12.6 |
Nectarine |
6.7 |
Orange |
9.2 |
Passion Fruit |
11.2 |
Papaya |
5 |
Peach |
7.1 |
Pear |
10.3 |
Plum |
8.4 |
Pineapple |
8.4 |
Pomegranate |
10 |
Raspberries |
8.8 |
Strawberries |
4.2 |
Watermelon |
5.3 |
Dried Fruits (100g) |
Total Sugar (g) |
Dates |
64.2 |
Apricots |
38.9 |
Figs |
62.3 |
Mango |
73 |
Papaya |
53.5 |
Peaches |
44.6 |
Pears |
49 |
Prunes |
44 |
Raisins |
65 |
Golden raisins |
70.6 |
Zante currants |
70.6 |