Fruits with the highest sugar content include bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, and figs. The natural sugars in fruit differ from the added sugars found in some other sweet foods.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adult females get 1.5–2 cups of fruit per day and adult males get 2–2.5 cups per day.
While fruit promotes good health despite its natural sugar content, foods with added sugar
This article explains which fruit has the highest amounts of sugar, the health benefits of fruit, and how much fruit to eat.
The natural sugars in fruit are different from the added sugars that many processed sugary foods have. Fruit contains the sugars fructose and glucose, but because it also contains fiber, it
Additionally, when a person eats a piece of fruit, they ingest an array of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. In contrast, when they eat processed sugary foods, they ingest unhealthy ingredients, such as unnecessarily high fat content and refined grains, which are extremely low in nutrition.
Examples of added sugar in products
- corn sweetener
- high-fructose corn syrup
- honey
- malt sugar
- fruit juice concentrate
- sugar molecules, such as:
- dextrose
- fructose
- glucose
- maltose
Manufacturers add such sugars to a host of products that
- ice cream
- candy
- cakes
- pies
- cookies
- doughnuts
- colas and other sugary beverages, such as sweet tea
- fruit drinks
- energy drinks
While fruits are very beneficial for health, some contain more sugar than others. The difference in sugar content can be important to people with diabetes, who must take care in monitoring their sugar intake. Below are fruits with higher quantities of sugar.
One medium apple contains about
One banana contains about
Bananas are a good source of potassium and healthy fat.
A large fig contains
A
A cup of grapes contains
A
A cup of chopped mango contains
Nutrients in mangoes include vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and beta carotene, a pigment with antioxidant properties.
A large orange contains
As with other citrus fruits, oranges are a good source of vitamin C. They also contain calcium and potassium.
A cup serving of cubed pears contains
An older
A pomegranate contains
A
A cup of sweet, pitted cherries contains
A
A cup of diced watermelon contains around
A
USDA guidelines for fruit consumption vary with a person’s biological sex and age. They recommend 1.5 to 2 cups for adult females and 2 to 2.5 cups for adult males. One piece of fruit is approximately equal to a 1-cup serving.
The fruits with the highest sugar content include mangoes, pomegranates, oranges, and pears. If someone has diabetes, they can still have these fruits, but they may wish to ask their doctor if they should eat them in smaller portions.
When people eat a piece of fruit, in addition to natural sugars, they also ingest fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Conversely, when they eat foods with added sugars, they ingest very little fiber and nutrients compared to fruit.
Along with vegetables, fruits are an important part of a healthy diet. They may help protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory conditions.