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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!
I love these, I have been trying to cut back on my sugar and these are perfect.
I love a creamy smoothie but my husband hates bananas so I like to add avocado. I buy a bag of them, quarter them and put in the freezer ready for smoothies anytime! I also like to make batches of green smoothies and freeze in mason jars, then thaw one in the fridge overnight, to save time in the mornings.
I listened to you on the Wellness Mama podcast. I have had one green smoothie a day ever since! My fav is the original with spinach, banana, pineapple & mango. Thank you so much for turning me on to this!
Wow, this article is awesome! I twice now have signed up for the 7 day cleanse and I never even try to follow it because the smoothies have too much sugar for my liking. Please keep coming out with more low sugar recipes! I’m trying to get into the healthier eating lifestyle and lot of your smoothie recipes scare me away. For years I’ve been making smoothies with 70% greens, 10% water, 10% protein, 10% berries only as fruit and never once has it been hard to swallow or digest. I encourage more people to lower the sugar, especially if it’s for breakfast. If I have a high sugar smoothie in the morning I always get a mid afternoon crash regardless of how much other nutrients are in it. Sorry if this sounds critical. I’m very excited about this article and I would love to see more low sugar recipes in the future.
Great post, type 2 diabetes runs on my paternal side of the family, so these are great recipes for me to start drinking myself as well as sharing them with family! Thank you!
Thank you for this post! Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family so I’m always mindful of my sugar intake. When I make my smoothies I opt for H2O or coconut water instead of OJ or another juice to add a little liquid.
Through Simple Green Smoothies I have learned a lot about sugars! I try and stick to berries as much as possible, I also buy green apples versus other varieties as they tend to be lower in sugar. I also sub avocado for bananas whenever possible as then I get the same smooth consistency, plus healthy fats, without as much sugar!
Green smoothies are a daily must! They really have made all the difference for me! And if we watch that our eating every meal is whole foods than those natural sugars from fruit will definitely not hurt! Love your recipes and blog!
I let my kids pick the fruits bc then I know they will enjoy it!
To increase the amount of veggies and reduce fruit but still make a smoothie look delicious rather than brown, I add a few cubes of beets that I precook and freeze. It keeps smoothies a beautiful color!
Thanks for the post as i was very interested in looking to lower my sugar in smoothies.
I like to blend my smoothies the night before to save time in the mornings! Grab & Go!
Green smoothies have been key in reversing my Type 2 diabetes! I also eliminated all animal products and oils. Sticking to unprocessed, whole plant foods, including green smoothies, has brought me back to non-diabetic status medically, and it’s a sustainable delicious way of eating. Thanks for these yummy recipes!
I believe your friend could benefit from green smoothies without any fruit for a short while to detox her liver and aid healing of her gut. An example would be spinach, lettuce, mint, avocado, lemon juice and maybe a little hemp. Even the red and purple fruit you suggest is sugar which our bodies can benefit with a rest from. Seasonal fruit is best but even that should be limited in her case.
In Kindness,
Janice
Thanks for your tips on low sugar options. I’ve been doing green smoothies a day for over two weeks with the extra greens and it’s been great!
Thank you for this post, Jen!! I have MS and I need to reduce the sugar intake so this article is a true blessing to know which fruits are low in sugar!! On a side note, also lemons and limes are low in sugar and could be a great addition to a smoothie 🙂
Did you know that cinnamon can help yo stablize blood sugars!?!?!
I appreciate the fruit sugar breakdown. I am often trying to push the limit of how little fruit/ sugar I can put in. A smoothie and still have my daughter drink it!