Dried Fruits: Sugar Bombs in Tiny Packages
Let me tell you something that might shock you – just two tablespoons of raisins pack the same carbohydrate punch as a small apple. Only two tablespoons of dried fruit like raisins or dried cherries contains 15 grams of carbohydrate, making them one of the most concentrated sources of sugar you’ll find in nature. Due to the removal of water in the drying process, dried fruits have a much higher sugar concentration by comparative volume with fresh fruits, meaning the suitable portion size is much smaller. Raisins contain 60 percent sugar, which means more than half of every bite is pure sweetness. A cup of grapes weighs approximately 92 grams and has 16 grams of carbohydrates, but a cup of raisins (dried grapes) weighs approximately 165 grams and has 130 grams of carbohydrates. What’s really scary is how easy it is to mindlessly munch through a handful without realizing you’ve just consumed more sugar than in a candy bar. While all individuals—including people with diabetes—can and should consume carbohydrates as part of a balanced diet, there are certain carbohydrate-based foods that cause blood sugars to rise more quickly, dried fruit included.
Mangoes: The Ultimate Sugar Trap
Here’s a wake-up call that’ll make you think twice before devouring that entire mango – one mango has 46 grams of sugar. That’s more sugar than you’ll find in a can of soda, wrapped up in what seems like healthy packaging. One mango has a whopping 46 grams of sugar — not your best choice if you’re trying to watch your weight or how much sugar you eat. Per 100 grams, you can find 12.2 grams in bananas and 13.7 grams in mangoes, making mangoes slightly higher in sugar content than bananas on a weight-for-weight basis. The problem isn’t just the sugar content – it’s how incredibly easy it is to eat an entire mango in one sitting because they’re so darn delicious. Maybe enjoy a couple of slices and save the rest for later. Think of it this way: if you wouldn’t drink a full can of Coke in one go, maybe reconsider polishing off that whole mango.
Grapes: Nature’s Candy That Lives Up to Its Name
The phrase “nature’s candy” exists for a reason, and grapes are probably the poster child for this comparison. One cup of grapes contains 14.9 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to a slice of angel food cake. But here’s what makes grapes particularly dangerous for low-sugar dieters – they’re incredibly easy to overeat. Grapes may be even easier to eat than cherries. (After all, there’s no pit to spit!) A cup of these has about 23 grams sugar. That’s a lot for something that’s so easy to pop in your mouth. Some people eat fruit infrequently, but have larger portions when they do eat them, which can mean the carbohydrate portion in one sitting is quite high. It is easy to consume a lot of dried fruit, grapes and tropical fruits in one go, for example, and this can have a bigger impact on blood glucose levels. The small size and addictive sweetness make it nearly impossible to stick to a reasonable portion.
Cherries: Small Fruits, Big Sugar Impact
Don’t let their tiny size fool you – cherries are sugar powerhouses that can derail your low-sugar goals faster than you can say “fruit salad.” One cup of cherries contains 19.7 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to a regular-sized Snickers bar. Cherries are a delicious and nutrient-rich fruit, but they also contain a high amount of sugar relative to their serving size. A single cup of cherries can contain up to 18 grams of sugar. Because cherries are small and often consumed in large quantities, it’s easy to ingest a significant amount of sugar in just one sitting. Bite-sized cherries are extremely easy to eat. A bowl of them can disappear quickly if you start munching. The worst part? Most people don’t measure out their cherry portions – they just grab a handful and keep going until the bowl is empty. “Cherries are wonderful for you, but try to pay attention to how many you eat,” advises Czerwony. “It’s not hard to go overboard.”
Pineapple: Tropical Sweetness That Packs a Punch
That refreshing tropical taste comes with a hefty sugar price tag that might surprise you. One cup of pineapple chunks contains 16.3 grams of sugar, and a cup of pineapple chunks contains 16.3 g of naturally occurring sugar. Pineapple is a tropical fruit known for its sweet and tangy flavor, but it also has a high sugar content and a relatively high glycemic index (GI). A single cup of pineapple chunks contains about 16 grams of sugar, which can quickly raise blood glucose levels. The high glycemic index of pineapple means it is rapidly digested and absorbed, leading to quick spikes in blood sugar. Pineapple’s sticky sweetness owes itself to high sugar levels — and those levels only go up if the fruit is juiced, dried or served in a sugary syrup. Moderation is key if you’re trying to get the benefits of eating pineapple without a sugar rush. What makes pineapple particularly problematic is that its sweet, acidic flavor makes you want to keep eating more, and before you know it, you’ve consumed way more sugar than intended.
Bananas: The Breakfast Saboteur
That innocent banana you toss into your morning smoothie or cereal bowl is hiding more sugar than you might think. One medium banana has 14 grams sugar, which might not sound like much until you realize that many people eat more than one banana at a time. Some fruit, such as bananas and mangoes, have a higher amount of natural sugar than many others. The real problem with bananas isn’t just their sugar content – it’s how we typically consume them. If that seems like more than you bargained for, slice half of it into your morning cereal or smash a small piece in the middle of your peanut butter sandwich. “Think about portion size if you’re watching your sugar intake,” recommends Czerwony. “If you’re eating little bananas, that’s going to be better than if you’re choosing gigantic bananas that would qualify as two servings.” Most grocery store bananas these days are enormous compared to what they used to be, meaning you’re getting even more sugar per fruit.
Figs: Ancient Fruits with Modern Sugar Problems
Fresh figs might seem like an exotic, healthy choice, but they’re surprisingly high in natural sugars. Fruits with the highest sugar content include mangoes, watermelons, bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, and figs. A 2019 review notes that figs are plentiful in phenolic compounds and carotenoids, which have antioxidant properties. Their health benefits may include fighting cancer, as well as fungal and parasitic infections. But here’s the catch – their sugar content can be problematic for those trying to limit their intake. As far as figs are concerned, the glycemic index of fresh fruit is lower than the dry fruit version. Fresh fruit is better than dried figs. Dried figs can be taken only by people whose blood sugar levels are under control. The problem with figs is that they’re often eaten multiple at a time because of their small to medium size, and most people don’t realize just how quickly the sugar adds up. Two figs is considered a single portion of dried fruit, but when they’re fresh and delicious, it’s easy to eat three or four without thinking about it.
Pomegranates: Antioxidant Superstars with a Sugar Surprise
Everyone knows pomegranates are antioxidant powerhouses, but what they don’t tell you is how much sugar you’re getting with those health benefits. A whole pomegranate contains 38.6 g of sugar, so a preferable alternative is a half-cup serving of the pomegranate seeds, which contain 11.9 g. A 2020 review indicates that pomegranates may promote a beneficial effect on blood pressure and have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The issue with pomegranates isn’t necessarily the sugar per seed – it’s that eating pomegranate seeds is almost meditative, and you can easily consume far more than you intended. Those little ruby-red arils are like nature’s Pop Rocks, and before you know it, you’ve eaten half the fruit. The marketing around pomegranates focuses so heavily on their superfood status that people forget they’re still a high-sugar fruit that needs to be consumed in moderation.
Watermelon: Summer’s Sweet Deception
Watermelon feels like it should be low in sugar because it’s mostly water, right? Wrong. One cup of diced watermelon contains 9.42 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to a medium chocolate chip cookie. Fruits with the highest sugar content include mangoes, watermelons, bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, and figs. While watermelon may be high in sugars but it’s low in carbohydrates, which means that eating a slice on a hot summer day shouldn’t send your blood sugar levels skyrocketing, the problem is portion control. If a person wants to limit fruits higher in sugar, they may wish to avoid watermelon, bananas, and pineapples. Nobody eats just one cup of watermelon – we eat wedges, and big ones at that. A typical watermelon wedge can easily contain two to three cups worth of fruit, meaning you’re looking at 20-30 grams of sugar in what feels like a light, refreshing snack. Watermelon contains more lycopene — a red pigment and powerful antioxidant that’s linked to lower blood pressure and lower stroke risk — than tomatoes. It’s also rich in potassium and magnesium, making it a heart-healthy fruit, but that doesn’t change its sugar content.
Fruit Juices: Liquid Sugar Bombs Disguised as Health Food
If you’re serious about reducing sugar, fruit juice should be your enemy number one, even if it’s 100% natural with no added sugars. 100% fruit juice is so loaded with sugar that it’s often compared to soda. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that drinking fruit juice during a meal or on its own quickly raises a person’s blood sugar levels. Unlike eating fresh fruit, which contains fiber, fruit juice is a concentrated source of sugar that can quickly raise a person’s blood sugar. Eight ounces of apple juice has 29 grams of carbs, and it doesn’t have fiber to slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes such as whole fruit does. Research even links drinking lots of fruit juice to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Juicing a fruit partly breaks down its fibers, which means that sugar from juice will enter the bloodstream more quickly than sugar from whole fruit. Drinking a large glass of pineapple juice will likely trigger a glucose spike even if the juice is labeled “unsweetened” or “100% juice.” The worst part? Most people drink fruit juice thinking they’re making a healthy choice, when they’re actually consuming more sugar than if they’d just eaten candy.
