Most fruits are naturally low in fat and cholesterol. Additionally, fruits provide you with essential nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Therefore, eating fruits is ideal if you want a healthy lifestyle. But some fruits may be relatively high in sugar. Learn more about low-sugar fruits below so you can maintain a balanced, low-sugar lifestyle.
avocado
It may seem strange, but avocados are actually classified as a fruit. They contain only 1 gram of sugar on average, so they're ideal if you're trying to cut back on unhealthy foods. Although avocados are low in sugar, they are naturally high in fat, which means they still taste satisfying and nutritious.
berries
If you're craving a sweet, healthy treat, most berries will satisfy your cravings. For example, raspberries typically taste sweet but contain only 5 grams of sugar per cup. They're also high in fiber, so they'll help fill you up, too.
Strawberries are also surprisingly low in sugar—just 7 grams per cup. In addition to this, strawberries contain more than 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C, making them an ideal healthy snack. Try our easy chocolate-covered strawberries recipe so you can enjoy a hearty snack even if you don't eat sugar.
Blackberries also make a great healthy snack. With only 7 grams of sugar per cup, you can enjoy blackberries without worrying too much about your sugar intake. They're also high in antioxidants and fiber, so they're packed with nutrients to keep you feeling full and happy until your next meal.
Other tempting low-sugar berries you can try include blueberries, boysenberries, fresh gooseberries, currants, loganberries and cherries. Cranberries are another delicious, low-sugar berry that you can add to healthy meals, but if you make cranberry sauce, remember to use a good, healthy sweetener. Pre-made sauces like this often contain a lot of sugar - so it's best to avoid them if possible.
Melons
Most melons are also lower in sugar. Cantaloupe and honeydew melon are particularly sweet and delicious, even though they contain only 8 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Watermelon can also be a delicious and refreshing snack, but it is surprisingly high in sugar. With an average of 18 grams of sugar, watermelon is one of the sugariest fruits you can eat.
rhubarb
Rhubarb is surprisingly low in sugar - just 1g of sugar per 100g - making it a smart alternative to other sugary foods. Being part of the desert, preparation is also easy. All you have to do is simmer or microwave the rhubarb and add some cream, Greek yogurt, or sweetener to create a delicious dessert. However, most canned rhubarb contains unhealthy high-sugar syrup, so stick to fresh rhubarb when possible.
How to avoid sugar spikes
Eating more fruit is a great way to introduce vitamin C, potassium, fiber and folate into a healthy lifestyle. However, eating fruit can also cause a sugar spike, and your body may start craving more sugar.
To avoid this, it's important to include salty foods in your fruit whenever possible. Adding tasty treats like cheese, cream, nuts, and Greek yogurt to your fruit bowl will ensure you don't crave sugar during the day. Prosciutto with melon is also an appetizing sweet and salty combination that's perfect as part of a low-sugar lifestyle.
What to avoid
No matter which fruit you like best, fresh fruit is always better for you than prepackaged foods. For example, frozen fruit is often sweetened with extra sugar, which takes away all the goodness of the fruit you're eating.
If you adhere to a low-sugar lifestyle, you should also avoid certain high-sugar fruits. For example, pineapples, pears, bananas, apples, plums, and raisins are all high in sugar, so they should be replaced with low-sugar fruits whenever possible.
