What fruit has the lowest sugar intake? Avocado and berries ranked

November 8, 2025 •

3 min read

Did you know that not all fruits are created equal when it comes to sugar content? Many people concerned with their sugar consumption are surprised to learn that avocado is technically a fruit and contains one of the lowest sugar counts, challenging the common perception of what fruit has the lowest sugar intake.

Quick Summary

This guide ranks fruits by sugar content, highlighting low-sugar favorites like avocado, lemons, and berries. Learn about fiber's role, manage portion sizes, and make smart fruit choices for overall health.

Key Points

Avocado is Lowest: With under 1.5g of sugar per fruit, avocado is technically a fruit and contains one of the lowest sugar contents, providing healthy fats and fiber instead.
Berries are a Top Choice: Berries like raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are low in sugar and high in fiber and antioxidants, helping regulate blood sugar.
Citrus Fruits Offer Flavor: Lemons and limes are exceptionally low in sugar, making them ideal for adding tart flavor to beverages and meals.
Fiber is Key: The fiber in whole fruits slows the absorption of natural sugars, mitigating blood sugar spikes compared to high-sugar processed foods or juices.
Consider Portion Size: Even with low-sugar fruits, moderation is important, and combining fruit with protein or fat helps manage blood sugar levels more effectively.
Avoid Concentrated Sugar: Dried fruits and fruit juices concentrate natural sugars, making them less ideal for managing sugar intake than their whole-fruit counterparts.

The Surprising Truth About Avocados and Sugar

When most people think of fruit, they imagine something sweet and juicy. However, the botanical definition of a fruit is a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. This is why the creamy, savory avocado is classified as a fruit, and it’s also the key to understanding why it's a top contender for the title of what fruit has the lowest sugar intake. A single raw avocado contains only about 1 to 1.5 grams of sugar, making it an excellent choice for those following a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet. Beyond its low sugar profile, the avocado is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and dietary fiber, which help promote satiety and stable blood sugar levels by slowing down digestion.

Citrus Fruits: Zesty and Low in Sugar

Lemons and limes are another pair of fruits that boast incredibly low sugar content. With just about 1 to 2 grams of sugar per fruit, their tart flavor makes them a great way to add a zesty kick to water, teas, and savory dishes without contributing significant sugar. A medium raw lemon contains approximately 1.45 grams of sugar, alongside a healthy dose of vitamin C. While not typically eaten alone as a snack, these citrus powerhouses are invaluable for flavoring and can help satisfy cravings for something tangy and refreshing.

The Berry Family: A Low-Sugar Treasure Trove

Berries are among the most popular low-sugar fruits, packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Different varieties offer slightly different sugar profiles, but most are excellent choices for blood sugar management due to their fiber content and low glycemic index.

Low-sugar berry options include:

Raspberries: With only about 5 grams of sugar per cup and a high fiber content, raspberries are a filling and healthy treat.
Blackberries: A cup of blackberries contains approximately 7 grams of sugar and is rich in anthocyanins, which offer anti-inflammatory benefits.
Strawberries: These sweet, red gems contain just 7 grams of sugar per cup when halved, and provide over 100% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin C.

Melons: Hydrating and Mildly Sweet

Several melon varieties also qualify as excellent low-sugar fruit choices, particularly because of their high water content. This makes them less calorie-dense and helps dilute their natural sugar.

Watermelon: A cup of diced watermelon contains less than 10 grams of sugar and is an excellent source of hydration and lycopene.
Cantaloupe: Known for its beta-carotene content, a cup of cantaloupe contains about 13 grams of sugar, which is still significantly lower than many other fruits.
Honeydew: Similar to cantaloupe, honeydew has a high water content and roughly 11 grams of sugar per cup.

Understanding Portion Size and Fiber's Role

While comparing the sugar content per 100 grams is useful, it’s also crucial to consider portion sizes. The fiber in whole fruits is what helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing the rapid spikes that can occur with processed sugary snacks. For instance, a whole orange is a much better choice than orange juice, as the juice removes the beneficial fiber and concentrates the sugar. For optimal health benefits, pairing fruit with a source of protein or healthy fats—like having berries with plain Greek yogurt or apples with nut butter—can further slow digestion and sugar release.

Comparison Table: Low-Sugar vs. High-Sugar Fruits

To illustrate the difference in sugar content, here is a comparison of common low-sugar fruits versus their higher-sugar counterparts, based on data per 100g.


Fruit Category	Low-Sugar Examples (Sugar per 100g)	High-Sugar Examples (Sugar per 100g)
Lowest Sugar	Avocado (~0.7g), Lemons (~2.5g)	N/A
Berries	Raspberries (~4.4g), Blackberries (~4.9g)	Dates (~65g), Raisins (~65g)
Melons	Watermelon (~6.2g), Cantaloupe (~7.9g)	Mango (~13.7g)
Other	Papaya (~7.8g), Peaches (~8.4g)	Grapes (~17.3g), Cherries (~13.9g)

Conclusion

While all whole fruits are beneficial to a healthy diet, those mindful of their sugar intake can make informed choices by prioritizing low-sugar options. Avocados and berries consistently rank as having the lowest sugar content, offering a wealth of nutrients with minimal impact on blood sugar. When selecting fruits, prioritizing whole, fresh or frozen varieties over dried or juiced products is always the best strategy to ensure you benefit from the crucial fiber that accompanies natural fruit sugars. For personalized dietary advice, particularly for conditions like diabetes, consulting with a healthcare professional or dietitian is recommended.

For more detailed nutritional information and guidance on portion sizes, the American Diabetes Association provides useful resources on incorporating fruit into a healthy diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Avocado is often cited as having one of the lowest sugar contents, with a single fruit containing less than 1.5 grams of sugar.

Yes, berries like raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are naturally low in sugar and high in fiber, which helps minimize their impact on blood glucose levels.

While fresh fruit is generally healthy, individuals managing diabetes may want to limit portion sizes of higher-sugar fruits like grapes, mangoes, and bananas. Dried fruits and juices should also be consumed in moderation due to concentrated sugar.

Whole fruits, especially those high in fiber, are less likely to cause a rapid blood sugar spike compared to processed sugary foods. The fiber helps slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream.

It is generally better to eat fresh fruit over dried fruit when watching sugar intake. Dried fruits have a much higher concentration of sugar because their water content has been removed.

You can add low-sugar fruits like berries to yogurt or oatmeal, include avocado or melons in salads, or use lemon and lime juice in water and marinades. Pairing them with protein or healthy fats also helps.

For a snack, you can swap sugary items for berries mixed with plain yogurt, a small bowl of melon, or a portion of avocado. These options provide nutrients without the excessive sugar.