Nutrition and Diet: What Tomato Has the Least Amount of Sugar?

October 26, 2025 •

4 min read

While all fresh tomatoes are relatively low in sugar, the actual sugar content can vary significantly between different varieties. Understanding what tomato has the least amount of sugar can help individuals on low-carb diets or those simply managing their overall sugar intake.

Quick Summary

Compare the sugar content of various tomato types, exploring lower-sugar options like large beefsteaks versus smaller, sweeter cherry varieties for dietary planning.

Key Points

Low Sugar Varieties: Larger, more acidic tomatoes like beefsteak, Cherokee Green, and many heirlooms generally have lower sugar content than smaller, sweeter types.
The Brix Scale: Sugar content is measured using the Brix scale (°Bx), with a lower number indicating less sugar and a more acidic taste.
Growing Conditions Matter: Environmental factors such as water availability, soil composition, and temperature swings can all affect the final sugar level of a tomato.
Cherry vs. Beefsteak: Cherry tomatoes are typically sweeter and higher in concentrated sugar, while large beefsteak tomatoes have a more diluted, less sweet flavor.
Focus on Freshness: Opting for fresh tomatoes over processed products is the best way to avoid added sugars often found in sauces and canned goods.
Nutrient-Dense: All fresh tomatoes are low-calorie and rich in beneficial nutrients like lycopene, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, regardless of the sugar content.

Understanding Tomato Sugar: The Brix Scale

Before diving into specific varieties, it's helpful to understand how sugar content in fruits and vegetables is measured. The Brix scale (°Bx) is a measurement system used to determine the soluble solids content in a liquid, which is predominantly sugar in the case of tomatoes. A higher Brix value indicates a sweeter fruit, while a lower value suggests a more acidic flavor profile with less sugar. While the Brix score can be influenced by growing conditions, it serves as a reliable indicator for comparing different tomato varieties. In general, the relationship is inversely proportional to size; smaller tomatoes tend to have a higher concentration of sugars, whereas larger tomatoes, like beefsteaks, have a more diluted, less sweet flavor.

The Least Sugary Tomato Varieties

For those seeking the least amount of sugar in their tomatoes, opting for larger, more acidic varieties is the best strategy. Heirloom tomatoes, which are often valued for their complex, tangy flavors, are typically less sweet than their modern hybrid counterparts. Several specific varieties are consistently noted for their lower sugar content:

Beefsteak Tomatoes: These large, meaty tomatoes are known for their classic, robust tomato flavor and are generally less sweet than smaller types. Varieties like Rutgers Select are often recommended for their lower sugar profile.
Cherokee Green and Cherokee Purple: While most green tomatoes are unripe, the Cherokee Green is a unique heirloom that stays green when mature and offers a low Brix score. The Cherokee Purple also has a relatively low sugar content.
Vine Ripe Hybrid: A modern variety that offers a good balance, possessing a lower sugar content compared to sweeter alternatives.
White Potato Leaf: This heirloom variety is mentioned as a low-sugar option, valued for its more acidic and less sweet flavor.

Factors Influencing Tomato Sugar Levels

Beyond the specific variety, several environmental and agronomic factors can influence the final sugar content of a tomato. For home gardeners and consumers alike, understanding these factors can help in selecting the right product or improving their harvest.

Water Content: As tomatoes are primarily water, the amount of water a plant receives can significantly affect sugar concentration. Less water can lead to a more concentrated flavor and higher sugar content, while overwatering can dilute the sugars.
Growing Conditions: Tomatoes grown in hot climates with consistent temperatures tend to have higher sugar levels. Conversely, large diurnal temperature swings can result in more acidic, less sugary tomatoes.
Soil pH and Nutrients: The nutrient composition of the soil, including potassium and trace elements, can impact flavor and sugar. Maintaining a slightly acidic soil pH is beneficial for balanced flavor.

Low-Sugar Tomato Varieties vs. High-Sugar Varieties

To illustrate the difference in sugar content, the table below compares typical Brix values for popular low-sugar and high-sugar tomato varieties. Remember that these values can fluctuate based on growing conditions.


Tomato Variety	Approximate Brix Rating (°Bx)	Sugar Level Description	Typical Usage
Cherokee Green	~6.16	Very Low	Salsas, Sandwiches
Beefsteak	~5.36 (Vine Ripe)	Low	Slicing, Salads
Cherokee Purple	~5.23	Very Low	Fresh Eating, Sandwiches
Roma	~4.03 (Net Carbs)	Low-Medium	Sauces, Pastes
Cherry Tomatoes	~8.8 (Favorita)	High	Salads, Snacks
Sun Gold	~12.0	Very High	Snacking, Salads

Choosing Low-Sugar Tomatoes for Your Diet

Making conscious choices about the types of tomatoes you consume can be particularly important for individuals managing conditions like diabetes or following a low-carb eating plan, such as the keto diet. All fresh tomatoes have a low glycemic index, but selecting lower-sugar varieties can further help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Here are some tips for incorporating low-sugar tomatoes into your diet:

Read Labels: If purchasing canned or processed tomato products, always check the label for added sugars, as these can drastically increase the total carbohydrate and sugar content.
Choose Fresh: Opt for fresh, whole tomatoes rather than processed versions to avoid any hidden additives.
Home Gardening: For maximum control, consider growing your own low-sugar heirloom varieties, where you can manage the soil, water, and heat to influence the flavor profile.
Pair Wisely: Pair lower-sugar tomatoes with healthy fats, like olive oil, to enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants like lycopene.

Nutritional Benefits Beyond Sugar

It's important to remember that all tomatoes, regardless of their sugar content, are a nutrient-dense food packed with health benefits. They are a major source of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Additionally, tomatoes are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, including:

Vitamin C: An essential antioxidant that supports immune function.
Potassium: Key for regulating blood pressure and fluid balance.
Vitamin K: Important for blood clotting and bone health.
Folate (Vitamin B9): Crucial for normal tissue growth and cell function.
Fiber: Supports digestive health and helps manage blood sugar levels.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice

While smaller, sweeter cherry tomatoes contain more sugar, larger, more acidic beefsteak and heirloom varieties offer a delicious, lower-sugar alternative. Your choice ultimately depends on your flavor preference and dietary goals. For those aiming to minimize sugar, prioritizing varieties like beefsteaks, Cherokee Green, or Cherokee Purple is a great strategy. However, regardless of the variety, all fresh tomatoes provide a wealth of nutrients and health benefits that make them a valuable part of any healthy diet. By paying attention to variety and growing conditions, you can make informed decisions that align with your nutritional needs and taste preferences.

For more information on the wide variety of tomatoes and their nutritional profiles, a great resource can be found on the Cleveland Clinic's health essentials pages: Cleveland Clinic: Health Benefits of Tomatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

While it's difficult to pinpoint a single variety as the absolute lowest, large beefsteak tomatoes and heirloom types such as Cherokee Green or Cherokee Purple are generally considered to have the least amount of sugar due to their more acidic flavor profile.

Compared to larger tomato varieties, cherry tomatoes are higher in sugar concentration, giving them their notably sweet flavor. Despite this, their overall sugar content is still relatively low compared to many other fruits.

Cooking tomatoes doesn't decrease the amount of sugar, but it can concentrate it as water evaporates. More importantly, cooking enhances the bioavailability of lycopene, a beneficial antioxidant found in tomatoes.

Yes, tomatoes are generally an excellent food for people with diabetes. They have a low glycemic index and are high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. Choosing fresh, lower-sugar varieties is a good strategy.

Color can be a clue but isn't a definitive rule. For example, yellow and orange varieties are often sweeter and less acidic than red ones, while some darker heirlooms like Cherokee Purple can be lower in sugar. Ripeness, however, plays a bigger role, with red, ripe tomatoes being sweeter than green, unripe ones.

Plain canned tomatoes can be a low-sugar option, but it is crucial to read the nutritional label. Many commercial canned sauces, pastes, and ketchups have significant amounts of added sugars, negating the natural low-sugar benefits of the fruit.

To grow less sweet, more acidic tomatoes, control the amount of water your plants receive, especially as the fruit ripens. Limiting nitrogen fertilizer can also help, as can choosing naturally less sweet varieties.