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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!
Hi Jen
My name is Julie. My Dad is 84 and has bladder cancer. Looking for smoothies that can help my Dad have regular movements daily. I am looking for low sugar and fiber. I will watch for you email. Thank youJulie
Hi Julie! I’d recommend checking out these 15 smoothies for diabetics, don’t let the name fool you, anyone can try these out!
Did anyone else beside me actually tested before having this drink, I did. I switched from the banana knowing even a 6″ size no brown spots would spike. However would keep you fuller. I opted for the avocado. I tested was before was (this is Canadian) 8.9 after went up to 10.2. I didn’t bother to rate it just gave my opion, test, test, test. You would be surprised. Dieticians only know what science tells them. I wish they would start letting people do this.
Hello – what amount of avocado to replace the half banana? Thank you
Awesome question May! We’d start off with 1/4 avocado to replace 1/2 banana. If you’d like a thicker creamier smoothie, then add a bit more avocado.
Great Read, and very informative Blog.
I try this recipes this morning, but instead of water I used organic coconut water and instead of adding protein power I added Chia seeds. It taste good.
Hello- Should the fruit be fresh or frozen? Also, would it be okay to just add a plant based protein powder? Thank you.
Awesome questions! The fruit can be fresh or frozen, yet using at least 1 frozen helps to make your smoothie colder. And a plant based protein powder is def a great idea! Check out our homemade protein powder – 10g of clean organic protein per serving.
Glad you shared these options!
I love this smoothie! It’s nice to have low-sugar ideas. 🙂
I make this at least once a week for my kids- we all love it.
My father-in-law is diabetic, love having these ingredients on hand to help keep his sugar levels low.
I did not have strawberries and blueberries so i used just spinach ginger turmeric banana and pineapple. I actually liked the taste and blending the greens and water first makes a whole lot of sense
That sounds delicious and we are big advocates of blending greens + liquid first. It makes for a nice, creamy smoothie!
I read this online – is it true? :
If you blend fruit, the natural sugars are released from within the cell walls of the fruit and become “free sugars”. Free sugars include any added sugars (including honey and maple syrup) and are the kind we should all be cutting down on to protect our teeth as well as lower our energy intake to help maintain a healthy weight. Even if they have some added vegetables like spinach or kale, they are still likely to be high in sugar.
Hi Karen. Blending fruit does not increase its sugar content. If you have 1 1/4 cup of berries with 17g of carbohydrates, 5g of fiber and 11g of sugar, that nutritional information will stay the same. What does change is how quickly that fruit gets absorbed into your body. I’m not sure where you read that blending fruit creates “free sugars” but that is incorrect. Blending fruit will not alter or change the type of sugar fruit contains. If you are worried about the sugar content in your smoothies, use more leafy greens, vegetables (e.g., celery, cucumber), and herbs and less fruit.
British Heart Foundation is one source of the “free sugars” info. It is in fact correct. See number 3:
Hi Sarah. The article you link to makes these claims but they don’t cite any studies that back up what they are saying. Furthermore, the video they link to under #3 speaks only about juices and soft drinks, not about smoothies.
Melissa Montalto, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, writes for the Whole U at the University of Washington. She states that “with smoothies, you retain the fiber [of fruits], which can help you feel fuller and improve your digestive health.” The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health confirms that whole fruit smoothies containing skin, pulp and flesh retain the nutrients and fiber present in the fresh fruit. This is one reason we are Simple Green Smoothies, not Simple Green Juices; we love that blending keeps all the wonderful fiber you get from whole fruits and veggies.
Again, what does change when you blend a whole fruit is how quickly that fruit + its nutrients, fiber, and sugars are absorbed into your body.
You will notice that the majority of our smoothie recipes calls for at least one leafy green or vegetable, if not more. It’s important to remember you always have the option of using more leafy greens, more vegetables, and more herbs in your smoothies and less fruit. Our recipes are made to be tweaked and changed according to an individual’s tastes and dietary needs.
Please I really want to be clarified of this to make my smoothies worth enjoying for me. Can I say that 2 cups of apples, pear, peach, is equivalent to 4 medium size of each. Also can 2 sticks of banana be a equivalent to 2 cups of banana.
Thanks
Hi Njideka! There’s really no exact science to blending green smoothies. For the purposes of our smoothies, we usually say one apple, banana, pear, or peach is roughly equal to one cup of that fruit.