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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!
Love today’s berry juice! Yum!
Hi! I’ve been using your green smoothie recipes on-and-off for a few years. Is there a way to search for recipes that use specific ingredients on your website (like you can on the app)? I recently started a low carb diet, and I am looking at your recipes that use the lower sugar fruits. My diet cuts out fruits for the first phase, although I can have an apple a day. I have also been reading about the health benefits of celery juice. I am looking for a low carb recipe that incorporates a lot of celery. I am thinking … celery, cucumber, and apple to sweeten it up? Or maybe add avocado? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Hey Christina,
At the top right of our website you will see a search bar and if you type in “celery” all of our recipes with that ingredient will show up. However if you are wanting recipes with a combination of specific ingredients you should check out our Daily Blends App! You will be able to search specific ingredients and the recipe will show up for you.
Hope that helps!
Thank you. This list is very helpful!
Hey Edwige,
You are welcome!! So happy it was helpful to you 🙂
Thanks much for the recipes. I particularly like the idea of using more greens to help cut down on the sugar as I am pre-diabetic and working hard to maintain a very low sugar level. Thanks much.
Hey Doris,
So glad that this recipe was helpful to you!
We make sure we try our best to accommodate everyone’s needs and I am so glad yours was one of them! 🙂
I can maintain my weight consuming fruitful green smoothies, but I don’t lose weight unless I cut way back on the fruit. So this is my basic low sugar combo: Greens, green apple, carrot, celery with unsweetened nut milk. Sound bland? Here’s the fun part: Add 1/4-inch peeled ginger, 1/8-inch slice of well cleaned organic lemon with the rind, and some vanilla protein powder. Works best in a Vita-Mix; I tried it with a Kitchen-Aid and it was way too chunky.
Hey Daun,
That sounds like a really delicious recipe! Love that you have found what works best for you and made it your own.
Cheers!
Thank you for this article! I need to cut back on natural sugars to heal my body, and knowing these low sugar fruits will definitely help with the transition!
Hey Amy,
So happy this recipe was helpful to you! Wishing you the best with your health journey.
xoxoxo
I actually don’t use any fruit in my smoothies anymore! After the October 21 day cleanse I noticed I prefer my smoothies with no fruit! I use coconut water, spinach, kale lemon and ginger. It is so so good, like a delicious green juice because my vitamix blends the greens so fine. I’ve had this everyday since the cleanse and I’m not bored of it yet!
I always use water in my smoothies. It’s a taste preference for me, but I know that helps keep the sugar content lower.
I’ve never bought pears due to their texture, but they would be a great addition to my smoothies. Thanks for the tip.
One idea to replace up sweetness without sugar is to blend with fresh mint. If I weren’t nursing, I’d be doing that äll the time (my body/supply is very sensitive to mint). Another awesome combination is peach and raspberry. I’d your peach is perfectly ripe, it’s smooth like a banana. Mint + peach + raspberry sounds awesome to me!
I love this recipe, I needed something like to help me with my sugar intake. Your blogs and emails have been so helpful to me. Can’t wait to have new recipe !!!
I rarely use fruit – instead celery, cucumber, broccoli and greens.
I have been passing this website to everyone I know. Your really doing a great job!
I’ve been trying to cut down on my sugars yet LOVE your green smoothies. This recipe and your tips are def going to help me reduce my sugars and still enjoy my smoothie. Thanks Jen! xoxox
Thank you for addressing diabetes for a better smoothie option with less natural sugar.
I never thought that I could get my kids to eat veggies especially spinach or kale but they do now with these smoothies and they love them! The Green Goblin is one of my favorites and so easy to make. I even started making my husband the tumeric tea for his hands because they hurt. Thank you so much for all the great ideas especially the smoothie pops for the kids. I love your app and use it daily!