8 Low-Sugar Fruits That Fit Your Diabetic Diet

8 Fruits with Low Sugar for Diabetics

Have you ever picked up a packaged food item and looked at how many grams of sugar are in a serving?

You might be surprised. For example, there's 39 grams of sugar in a typical can of soda, and 17 grams of sugar in a chocolate bar. But even seemingly healthy foods can be high in sugar. Did you know some yogurts may contain 20 to 30 grams of sugar in a single serving?

When you have diabetes, you have to carefully monitor the amount of sugar and carbohydrates you consume to avoid large fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Obviously you want to avoid or limit foods that are exceptionally high in sugar. Even some fruits like bananas and mangoes, are higher in sugar than other fruits. So what are the best fruits for diabetes?

But there are some low-sugar fruits that can be part of a Diabetic-Friendly diet:

1. Avocados.

That's right. Technically, an avocado is a fruit. It's a good source of healthy fat, and contains very little sugar.

2. Blackberries.

Want to add something sweet and a little sour to cereal, oatmeal, or a fruit smoothie? Try blackberries. Blackberries contains about 4 to 5 grams of sugar per cup, and they're also a good source of fiber.

3. Grapefruit.

Split a grapefruit with someone for breakfast, and you'll only be getting about 11 grams of sugar from this citrusy diabetes-friendly fruit. If you're taking medication, ask your doctor about potential side effects linked to eating grapefruit.

4. Honeydew.

This light-green-colored melon tastes great on it's own, added to a fruit salad, or tossed in with other fruit to make a smoothie. It's also low in sugar at about 11 grams per serving.

5. Lemons and limes.

Most people don't eat lemons and limes in slices like an orange. But the juice of these diabetes-friendly fruits works well to flavor water, grilled fish, or a salad. And there's just 2 grams of sugar per lemon or lime.

6. Oranges.

At 14 grams of sugar, oranges contain the most sugar compared to other fruits on this list. But it's still a lot less than a soda. It's best to eat oranges raw. Orange juice typically contains a lot more sugar than a peeled orange.

7. Peaches.

Did you know the states that grow the most peaches are California, South Carolina, and Georgia? Just these three states alone produce about 844,000 tons of peaches a year. A medium-sized peach contains about 13 grams of sugar.

8. Strawberries.

Here's another low-sugar fruit that taste great on their own, or adds some healthy sweetness to salad, cereal, or oatmeal. About a half-cup of strawberries contain 8 grams of sugar.

Paying attention to how much sugar you consume can help you keep your blood sugar levels under control. It's also a good practice that can help you manage your weight.

You want to avoid overeating during the holidays. But good food is part of the fun. Eat healthy most of the time. Make time for exercise. And you’ll be just fine.