How Sweet is Your Fruit?

Fruit is sometimes referred to as nature’s candy, which is a fitting moniker—fruit is sweet! It has natural sugar, which is a better alternative to refined sugar which has been shown to be a contributor for various health issues. While fruit is generally less of a problem than refined sugar, the amount of sugar can vary widely between types of fruit. If you are looking to monitor all of your sugar intake, not just refined sugar, here is a quick list of a few different types of fruit and their sugar content.*

•   Apples: An apple a day keeps the doctor away! That may or may not be true for you, but 3 oz of apple only contains 8.8g of sugar.**

•   Apricots: Apricots are rich in vitamin A as well as a wonderful source of fiber with only 7.8g of sugar per 3 oz.[1]

•   Bananas: This potassium-filled snack has 10.4g of sugar per 3 oz.[2] We think Curious George might be onto something here . . .

•   Blackberries: Just one cup of raw blackberries has 30.2mg of vitamin C and 3 oz has only 4.2g of sugar![3]

•   Blueberries: Blueberries were the preferred fruit for picking in the famous children’s book, Blueberries for Sal, but did you know Sal was out picking such a powerhouse fruit? Blueberries contain iron, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, manganese, zinc, vitamin K, and only 8.4g of sugar per 3 oz.[4]

•   Cherries: Cherries are a rich source of polyphenols and vitamin C, but they’re among the sweeter options on this list with 10.9g of sugar per 3 oz.[5]

•   Grapefruit: Grapefruit is a known natural immune system booster (handy as we head into cold and flu season!) and only has 5.9g of sugar per 3 oz.[6]

•   Grapes: These little powerhouses are packed with vitamins K and C, but they also have the highest sugar content on this list with 13.8g of sugar per 3 oz.[7]

•   Oranges: Oranges are, of course, known for their vitamin C content as well as their immune boosting qualities. Most of their fiber is in the white pith between the slices (so opt for eating an orange rather than drinking the juice), and they contain 8g of sugar per 3 oz of fruit.[8]

•   Peaches: Peaches are packed with vitamins A and C as well as a host of other nutrients and minerals the human body craves, including folate, zinc, potassium, and many others.[9] 3 oz of peach contains 7.1g of sugar, making it a great mid-range option of the fruits listed here.

•   Pears: Pears have one of the highest fiber contents of fruits as well as a decent amount of vitamins C, K, B2, B3, and B6 and 8.4g of sugar per 3 oz of fruit.[10]

•   Raspberries: Red raspberries contain a lot of vitamin C as well as a host of antioxidants.[11] Additionally, they have the lowest sugar content on this list with only 3.7g of sugar per 3 oz.

•   Strawberries: This little heart-shaped fruit brings the love with vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants as well as only 4.1g of sugar per 3 oz![12]

•   Watermelon: This summer fruit is 92% water, but each bite is full of vitamins like A, C, and B6 while only carrying 5.3g of sugar per 3 oz.[13]

Which one is your favorite to enjoy alongside a glass of Happy? Tag us on social media @therealbodepro and let us know!

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*Bod•ē Pro recommends consulting with your physician or health care professional prior to starting any new exercise or diet plan.

**Note: All measurements are based on 3 oz of each respective fruit.

[1]  Nandy, Priyadarshini. “8 Amazing Benefits of Apricot (Khubani): The Nutritional Heavyweight Among Fruits.” NDTV Food, NDTV Food, 23 Aug. 2018, food.ndtv.com/opinions/8-apricot-benefits-the-nutritional-heavyweight-among-fruits-1248312.

[2]  “Potassium.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-potassium#1.

[3]  “Blackberries: Health Benefits and Nutrition Information.” Healthline, Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-blackberries.

[4]  LD, Megan Ware RDN. “Blueberries: Health Benefits, Facts, and Research.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 5 Sept. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710.php.

[5]  Kelley, Darshan S., et al. “A Review of the Health Benefits of Cherries.” Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports., U.S. National Library of Medicine, Mar. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872786/.

[6]  Borreli, Lizette. “Juicy Fruit: 6 Unexpected Health Benefits Of Grapefruit.” Medical Daily, 17 July 2014, www.medicaldaily.com/juicy-fruit-6-unexpected-health-benefits-grapefruit-293512.

[7]  “Top 12 Health Benefits of Eating Grapes.” Healthline, Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-grapes.

[8]  Szalay, Jessie. “Oranges: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts.” LiveScience, Purch, 30 Sept. 2014, www.livescience.com/45057-oranges-nutrition-facts.html.

[9]  Ensle Ed.D., RDN, FAND, CFCS, Karen. “Health Benefits of Peaches: A Delicious Summer Fruit.” (Rutgers NJAES), June 2015, njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/message/message.php?p=Health&m=301.

[10]  Sugar, Jenny. “Forget Apples! Why You Should Be Eating a Pear a Day.” POPSUGAR Tech, 5 Nov. 2017, www.popsugar.com/fitness/Health-Benefits-Pears-5144004.

[11]  Zhoa, Yanyun, et al. “Health and Healing Fact Sheets.” Health and Healing Fact Sheets, Blackberries ~ Connecting Berry Health Benefit Researchers, berryhealth.fst.oregonstate.edu/health_healing/fact_sheets/red_raspberry_facts.htm.

[12]  Gabrick, Andrea. “Nutritional Benefits of the Strawberry.” WebMD, WebMD, 31 Mar. 2008, www.webmd.com/diet/features/nutritional-benefits-of-the-strawberry.

[13]  Szalay, Jessie. “Watermelon: Health Benefits, Risks, & Nutrition Facts.” Livescience, 10 May 2017, https://www.livescience.com/46019-watermelon-nutrition.html.