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Have you ever not blended a smoothie after seeing the sugar content? If so, then this post is for you! I’m sharing what fruits are low in sugar and highlighting my fav low sugar fruits, as well as sharing the best smoothie recipes using fruits with less sugar.
Why do I care about the sugar content of my smoothies? Well…
Drinking one green smoothie a day is one of the simplest ways to maintain a healthy diet.
There’s just something about drinking 16 ounces of pure leafy green and fruit goodness that makes the skin glow. And if the sugar content is keeping you from drinking a daily smoothie, then I want to help!
Table of Contents
Which Fruits are Low in Sugar?
I’m sure this question has everyone naming a variety of berries, yet berries aren’t the only fruits with less sugar. Check out this sweet list:
- Lemon 1-2 grams per fruit
- Lime 1-2 grams per fruit
- Raspberry 5 grams per cup
- Strawberry 7 grams per cup
- Blackberry 7 grams per cup
- Kiwi 6 grams per kiwi
- Grapefruit 9 grams per 1/2 fruit
- Avocado 1 gram per fruit
- Watermelon 10 grams per cup
- Cantaloupe 13 grams per cup
- Orange 12 grams fruit
- Peaches 13 grams per fruit
Since 1 serving of green smoothie has 1.5 cups of fruit, feel free to swap out a higher sugar fruit in any of my smoothie recipes for 1.5 cups of any fruit on this list. That will immediately lower the sugar content.
Natural Sugar VS Processed Sugar
It’s super important to note that not all sugar is created equal. 1 cup of refined sugar is NOT the same as 1 cup of fruit sugar. Why? because fruit not only contains sugar, but also fiber. Fiber is essential for breaking down sugar, and keeping our bodies from a sugar crash.
Daily consumption of fruit can actually combat obesity, according to a study done by the US National Library of Medicine. Yet, if fruit still causes your blood sugar to spike, then speak to your practitioner for the best diet plan for you.
Green Smoothie Formula for Low Sugar Smoothies
My tried and true green smoothie formula is this: 1.5 cups fruit + 1 cup leafy greens + 1 cup liquid. Use this and you can’t go wrong! Yet, if you’re trying to keep your blood sugar happy, then I’ve got a trick for you…. just flip the formula.
That’s right, turn that smoothie formula into 1.5 cups leafy greens + 1 cup fruit + 1 cup liquid. A deliciously sweet smoothie, yet lower in sugar! This way you can still enjoy a variety of fruits and also keep your body from experiencing a sugar crash. I’ve got quite a few smoothies for diabetics that meet this criteria!
Fruit Smoothies with Less Sugar
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.
More ways to process sugar in smoothies
If you want to lower the sugar in your smoothie even more, then boost it with protein + healthy fat. Your body needs carbs (sugar + fiber) and protein, as well as healthy fat to function properly. If you find yourself having a sugar crash after drinking a smoothie, then you should be boosting it to help process the carbs you just ingested.
My fav way to boost a smoothie is with a plant based protein powder, like homemade protein powder. This protein powder is designed especially for smoothies. 1 serving adds 10 grams of protein as well as 4 grams of fat to every smoothie.
Low Sugar Fruits FAQs
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!
These recipes are the best smoothie recipes out there! I just wish there was a way to get rid of the strawberry/blackberry seeds. The tip about blending the greens and liquid first completely changed our ability to drink smoothies with greens in them! Perfect for getting those 3 cups of greens a day with the walls or AIP diets!
I use a ton of greens in any of my smoothies. My favourite additions to smoothies would be hemp hearts or chia seeds & a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon.
Thanks for this post it reminded me about the 60/40 all though I will use an avocado instead of the banana.
This are great recipes I did the 7 days of Green Drinks and it was great! Need to do again.
Thank you!
Love this simple recipe. I worried about sugar but this post explains a lot, so I’m not afraid to try it anymore. The idea of a fruitless smoothie sounded awful, good to know it doesnt have to be that way. I always add collagen to my smoothies to help with protein.
I like to add more veggies like green peppers and cucumbers to keep green smoothie low in sugar.
So many new recipes to try! Can’t wait!
Jens ‘flip the ratio’ ratio advice was just what I needed to make smoothies with whatever I have in the fridge and freezer, no excuses! I have found that adding coconut oil really helps me feel full longer.
This blog came at the perfect time! I’ve been a rawkstar for a couple of years now (feels a little strange saying that 🙂 and have loved the smoothies but have lately been craving something not so sweet. I will definitely try the flipped ratio!
Also, if you’re really looking for help with inflammation, drink the hot water/lemon/ginger morning drink and then add ginger to your smoothie! I know there are a few recipes in the Simple Green Smoothies recipe book, so if you don’t have that, I recommend it! Ginger adds a great zing and personally, I feel the difference when I add more of it into my diet.
Love the options, so varied. I also add parsley for a boost of iron, and a great green colour!
I add celery and cucumber (in addition to my base of kale or spinach) and then 1-2 frozen fruits. That way its not just a veggie base and a bunch of fruit! Also, I add ground flaxseed and sometimes hemp hearts, too. Balance 🙂
An allergy test confirmed that I am allergic to raw sugars, that includes fruit. I had stopped making green smoothies due to the stomach cramps, this will allow me to hopefully make daily for breakfast again. Thank you so much, the avocado swap for banana is genius, keep the recipes coming!!!!
I too am a type 2 diabetic but I also have gastoparesis which a slow emptying tummy, for me anything blended is better than solid foods. My struggle is that I still want to eat solid foods so I try to eliminate the starchy ones by leaving out breads and pastas and having more fully cooked vegetables. For my pastas I use the spiralaized veggies. Hope that this helpful to some who may be dealing with some of the same issues.
I appreciate today’s blog as I’m a Type II diabetic. This article is a helpful kick in the butt to get me making smoothies again instead of late night meals in my busy schedule. I use to also bag the ingredients backwards so the leafy greens were on top to blend first then add the rest of the ingredients. Using this low glycemic list of fruit, I’m encouraged to start again and lower my A1C level. My goal is to get rid of my diabetic medication through the healing of food and exercise. The struggle is real but not impossible. Also JEN – your video of running at the Grand Canyon was inspirational. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I am allergic to bananas so I love Putting avocado in my smoothies. Less sugar but still gives that creamy texture!
You can also sub the banana with zucchini. It’s low sugar but still adds the creaminess. 🙂
Ugh, I misspelled my email address. It’s cwalsh at new dot rr dot com.
Thank you so much for always giving so much of yourself. I can feel your heart in all that you do! 🙂
I have been looking for some low sugar options, and can’t wait to incorporate more of these fruits. I’ve done green smoothies now with you book for years and I love it! Have definitely noticed a lot of health benefits (less migraines, energy, weight maintenance)