This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I can earn a small commission from items you purchase (at no cost to you).
Have you ever skipped making a smoothie after checking the sugar content? If so, this post is for you.
Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to eat more plants, but sugar can feel confusing or even intimidating. I want to help you feel confident choosing fruits that keep your smoothies balanced, satisfying, and blood-sugar friendly—without sacrificing flavor.
Below, I’m breaking down my favorite low sugar fruits, explaining why natural fruit sugar is different from processed sugar, and sharing a simple smoothie formula you can use every day.
Table of contents
Why I Care About Sugar in Smoothies
Drinking one smoothie a day is one of the simplest habits I know for supporting a healthy diet. There’s something powerful about sipping 16 ounces of leafy greens, fruit, and plant-based goodness. It supports digestion, boosts nutrient intake, and yes—often shows up as clearer skin and better energy. But if concerns about sugar are keeping you from blending, I want to remove that roadblock. You can enjoy smoothies while keeping your blood sugar happy.
Low Sugar Fruits
These fruits are naturally lower in sugar and work beautifully in smoothies, especially when paired with greens, protein, and healthy fats.
Lemon
1-2 g sugar per fruit
Bright, tart, and refreshing, lemon adds a clean citrus punch without sweetness. It pairs well with leafy greens, berries, cucumber, and ginger to balance flavors and wake up mild smoothies.
Lime
1-2 g sugar per fruit
Lime has a sharp, zesty flavor that adds instant freshness with almost no sugar. It works beautifully with tropical ingredients like mango or pineapple, and also with greens, avocado, and herbs.
Raspberry
5 g sugar per cup
Raspberries are tangy, slightly sweet, and packed with tiny seeds that add texture. They pair well with vanilla, cacao, lemon, and creamy bases like almond milk or yogurt.
Strawberry
7 g sugar per cup
Strawberries are lightly sweet with a juicy, familiar flavor most people love. They blend smoothly and pair well with banana, spinach, citrus, and nut butters.
Blackberry
7 g sugar per cup
Blackberries have a deep, rich berry flavor with mild tartness and visible seeds. They pair well with apple, pear, lemon, and greens, especially when blended with a high-speed blender.
Kiwi
6 g sugar per fruit
Kiwi is bright, tangy, and slightly tropical with a soft, creamy texture when blended. It pairs well with strawberries, pineapple, spinach, and citrus for a refreshing smoothie.
Grapefruit
9 g sugar per 1/2 fruit
Grapefruit is juicy and bittersweet, adding bold citrus flavor without much sugar. It pairs well with strawberries, oranges, spinach, and mint to balance its bite.
Avocado
1 g sugar per fruit
Avocado is mild, creamy, and nearly sugar-free, making it perfect for thickening smoothies. It pairs well with berries, cocoa, vanilla, greens, and citrus for balance.
Watermelon
10 g sugar per cup
Watermelon is light, juicy, and refreshing with a subtle sweetness. It pairs well with lime, mint, cucumber, strawberries, and leafy greens for hydrating smoothies.
Cantaloupe
13 g sugar per cup
Cantaloupe is soft, juicy, and gently sweet with a mellow flavor. It pairs well with citrus, ginger, yogurt, and berries to keep smoothies light and refreshing.
Orange
12 g sugar per fruit
Oranges are bright, juicy, and naturally sweet with a smooth citrus flavor. They pair well with carrots, strawberries, spinach, and tropical fruits for balanced smoothies.
Peach
13 g sugar per fruit
Peaches are soft, juicy, and mildly sweet with a floral flavor. They pair well with berries, vanilla, almond milk, greens, and ginger for creamy, comforting smoothies.
Natural Sugar VS Processed Sugar
Not all sugar is created equal. Fruit contains natural sugar plus fiber, water, vitamins, and antioxidants. Fiber slows sugar absorption and helps prevent sharp blood sugar spikes—something refined sugar can’t do. Research shows that regular fruit intake is associated with better metabolic health, not weight gain. That said, if fruit causes blood sugar spikes for you, it’s always wise to work with a practitioner to find what works best for your body.
A Simple Formula for Low Sugar Smoothies
My go-to smoothie formula is:
- 1.5 cups fruit + 1 cup leafy greens + 1 cup liquid
If you’re watching sugar, here’s the easy swap:
- 1.5 cups leafy greens + 1 cup fruit + 1 cup liquid
You still get a sweet, delicious smoothie—just with more fiber and fewer sugars. This approach works especially well for anyone managing blood sugar or looking for steadier energy.
Low-Sugar Fruit Smoothie Recipes
These smoothies are my go-to when looking for a low sugar option. Try a few of these and then let me know what you think!
- Raspberry smoothie
- Strawberry banana smoothie
- Apple celery smoothie
- Lime smoothie pops
- Banana oatmeal smoothie
- Strawberry smoothie
- Avocado smoothie
- Cherry Vanilla Diabetes Smoothie
All of the smoothies above have less than 20 grams of sugar per serving. Plus, they’re loaded with fiber to help process that sugar into useable energy in the body. If you are looking for smoothies low in sugar then check out my list of smoothies for diabetics… or just anyone looking for a sugar stable drink.
How to Reduce Sugar Spikes Even More
If you’ve ever felt a sugar crash after a smoothie, it likely needs more balance.
Adding protein and healthy fat helps slow digestion and stabilize blood sugar. Your body works best with carbs, protein, and fat working together.
My favorite add-in is a plant-based protein powder, like my Homemade Protein Powder. One serving adds protein and healthy fats designed specifically for smoothies.
Common Questions
While fruits naturally have some sugar, there are options that are low… and have fiber to help your body process that natural sugar to keep your glucose from spiking. This includes: papaya, lemons, watermelon, grapefruit, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.
Pomegranates, mango, bananas and oranges are higher in natural sugar. Choose greener bananas for a lower sugar option and eat these after eating a meal loaded with vegetables, protein and healthy fat to lower a potential sugar spike.
Stick to my low sugar fruit list for fruits that will give you the smallest amount of natural sugar, and eat those fruits after eating other foods like vegetables, protein and healthy fat. Eating fruit with things like almonds, cashews, nut butter, in a salad with plenty of vegetables and leafy greens, or with a meal or in a green smoothie can all help your body best process those fruits.
What are your fav low sugar fruits and how do you like to eat them? Drop a comment and share!
I am so happy that there is on option for everyone to be healthy
We love putting avocado in instead of banana… Or grocery store has Frozen avocado chunks which makes it super easy!
I like to add healthy fats and protein to balance out my smoothies and keep my blood sugar stable. My current favorite combo is chia seeds and coconut oil.
LOVE this! I’m on a very low sugar/carb diet right now and this is super helpful. Avocado (SO CREAMY)+a half a scoop of chocolate protein powder added to ANY combination if fruit + greens instantly makes it taste like a milkshake! Today used spinach, almond milk, protein and literally nothing except a small handful of frozen blueberries and it was a delicious nutritious start to my day! Full fat coconut milk is low sugar too & adding chia seeds of milled flax always helps up the fiber 🙂
Great post! Cauliflower has also been a great option for me to add creaminess, less sugar and more veggies!
I love this idea! Is the Cauliflower cooked? Or do you blend it raw into the smoothie? Thanks!
I will definitely be sharing these tips with my diabetic mommy-friends so they can enjoy some simple green (and yummy and healthy!) smoothies too!!
For convenience and time savings in the morning, we bag up the ingredients in reverse order and then freeze. This way the greens are on top of the bag and first in the blender.
Sounds so good! I have a diabetic in my family, and they always add a peach to their breakfast whether it’s oatmeal, cereal, or just as a side! I’ll show this recipie to her because she was always afraid of smoothies for their high sugar content, she’ll be happy this is something she can have!
I love using zucchini in smoothies to get a nice creamy texture. Avocado in place of banana is another one of my go-to low sugar swaps. I also find that adding extracts like caramel or vanilla add flavour without sugar, so you don’t miss the sweetness as much.
Thank you for this post! So important to have a reminde that not all fruit is high in sugar and in fact, not all sugar is bad! So happy my very favorite fruit (strawberry) is in this list along with several other favorites. Happy Blending!
My favorite low sugar green smoothie combo is spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, green apple, grape fruit, ginger and lemon.
This is so helpful! My dad is pre-diabetic, and I knew there had to be better things than fake sugar drinks that he’s been drinking!
Dark Sweet Cherries are great in smoothies!
I’ve fallen off the green smoothie truck for a bit, have just been busy and not taking the time. This is a great reminder that lowering sugar intake is so important and that green smoothies are a great way to do it.
I just found out on Tuesday that I am now considered a diabetic according to my blood results. Since then I have been feverishly searching everything I can to find out what I should do, what I should eat…and then your email popped up today about your friend! It was a relief to see someone took the time to make a low sugar recipe and share it, it gave me some ease that I can do this and hopefully get my body back to normal. Thank you!
As a cancer survivor, I also try to keep my sugar intake as low as possible. I love these low sugar smoothie recipes. What I have done in the past is to halve the fruit from the Simple Green Smoothie recipes… tastes ‘green’ at first but your taste buds adapt after a week or so… and now these smoothies seem delicious.