Which fruits contain the most sugar?

To lower your blood sugar, you need to eliminate sodas, cakes, ice cream, pastries… to put it simply, high-sugar foods. There is also one natural product to watch out for: fruits.

Asked by the Cleveland Clinicexplains nutritionist Beth Czerwony: “I don’t want anyone to fear the sugar in fruit because it’s natural sugar. The body processes it differently than the sugar in cookies, cakes and similar foods.”

However, it should not be abused either. For this reason, it is important to know the sugar content of the fruit you are biting, especially if you have a condition that requires blood sugar monitoring and control.

The expert therefore described the sugar content of nine fruits that often bear the nickname “Nature’s Sweets”.

The watermelon

The very water-rich watermelon is the star of the summer. The fruit has only 6g of sugar per 100g. He can be ‘much sugar’says the specialist “But it’s low-carb, which means eating a slice on a hot summer day shouldn’t send your blood sugar skyrocketing.” She keeps going.

the French Diabetic Association for his part, advises not to consume the watermelon alone to avoid the peak of glycemia and “to accompany it with yogurt to lower the glycemic index”.

The cherries

Cherries are rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants and melatonin (the sleep hormone). “Cherries are very good for you, but watch how much you eat”, advises the expert. In fact, it’s easy to eat a lot of them quickly. For cherries, the French Diabetic Association recommends limiting yourself to 100 g (ie 10 to 15 depending on size). This corresponds to about 13 g of sugar.

The grape

Depending on the variety, 100 g of grapes provide between 15.5 and 17 g of sugar. With its easy-to-nibble grains, you also have to be careful not to overdo it.

“Try to be conscious of the amount of sugar you’re consuming during the meal if you’re looking to limit sugar.”specifies the nutritionist in the article published on the website of the American hospital facility.

The banana

A banana contains an average of 15 g of sugar, which is the same as the sugar content of a donut. Another element to consider before biting the fruit. Its sugar content increases with age.

“Consider portion sizes when managing your sugar intake. Eating small bananas is better than choosing huge bananas, which would equal two servings.”explains Beth Czerwony.

pineapple

For a cup of pineapple you need 16.3 g of sugar. “Its amount of carbohydrates is higher than the average amount found in fresh fruit”specifies theAgency for research and information on fruit and vegetables.

When monitoring your blood sugar, be careful. The sugar content increases when the fruit is pressed, dried or served in a syrup. With this exotic fruit, moderation remains key with meals.

oranges

A large orange contains 17.2 g of sugar. “The fiber in oranges can help ease the release of sugar into your blood. But for this to work, eat the fruit instead of drinking a glass of orange juice.”, specifies the American establishment. Even freshly squeezed orange juice contains more sugar than the fruit itself.

pears

A medium-sized pear contains about 17g of sugar, which is equivalent to a cinnamon roll. If this fruit stays quite sweet, it has the advantage that it contains a lot of dietary fiber. However, to benefit from it, it must be eaten whole and fresh. And beware of canned pears: they’re generally bathed in a very sweet syrup that sends blood sugar levels skyrocketing.

apples

A large apple contains 25 g of sugar. However, most of the latter is fructose. The advantage of the latter? It doesn’t cause as many blood sugar spikes as glucose or sucrose.

The fruit is also very high in fiber. They promote glucose metabolism, which can also help ensure that sugar and insulin levels do not rise too high.

And if you want to limit your sugar intake, choose green apples over red ones. They are less cute.

mangoes

With their sweet and exotic taste, mangoes are very popular. the Table of the nutritional composition of foods from ANSES states that 14 g of carbohydrates should be contained in 100 g of mango. If that doesn’t seem huge to you, you have to consider that a mango weighs an average of 400 g. So if you eat it whole, you can take in more than 50 grams of sugar. Portion control, on the other hand, is essential for diabetics. Beth Czerwony suggests pairing the meal with a protein like low-fat Greek yogurt, which can help slow the release of sugar into your blood.

The sugars found in fruits should not make you give up these foods as they are rich in vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. “Unless you have diabetes or another medical condition that requires monitoring of your blood sugar, you probably aren’t eating enough fruit for the sugars in them to be a problem.”warns dietitian Beth Czerwony.