{"id":159165,"date":"2025-06-05T03:19:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T03:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/159165\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T03:19:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T03:19:15","slug":"which-fruits-have-the-most-sugar-and-which-are-best-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/159165\/","title":{"rendered":"Which fruits have the most sugar \u2014 and which are best for you?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bananas are having a boom. Research reported yesterday by Kantar Worldwide found the quantity of bananas sold in the UK jumped by 70 million last year \u2014 a rise that has been attributed to a trend for banana-based, fruit-packed smoothies on TikTok. But fruit fanaticism has its drawbacks \u2014 fruit is full of sugar. The fitness coach Joe Wicks has just completed \u201ca week without fruit\u201d as part of a \u201ccircuit breaker\u201d to cure his sugar addiction, because, he said \u201ccomplete abstinence\u201d from all forms of sugar was the only solution.<\/p>\n

So how much fruit should we be eating? Do the benefits outweigh the sugary drawbacks? \u201cGiving up fruit altogether is definitely not a good idea,\u201d Laura Southern, a nutritionist and the founder of London Food Therapy, says. \u201cIt\u2019s an essential source of fibre \u2014 for some people their main source \u2014 and nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants. That said, it can be really high in sugar, which can cause inflammation, diabetes, blood sugar spikes and cravings.\u201d<\/p>\n

The type of fruit we eat, the amount we consume and the way we prepare it make all the difference, Southern says. <\/p>\n

\"Man<\/p>\n

Joe Wicks has just cut out all fruit for a week to crack his sugar addiction<\/p>\n

DAVID CUMMINGS<\/p>\n

Bananas \u2014 swap out smoothies for a whole one <\/p>\n

18.1g sugar per 100g (27.2g per banana)<\/b>
It is one of the highest-sugar fruits, but bananas are also a great source of potassium, with each one containing about 422mg, \u201cwhich helps muscles and heart health,\u201d Southern says. A 2021 study in the journal Nutrients found people who consumed more than 3000mg potassium a day had a 25 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Bananas are also rich in magnesium \u2014 one banana provides about 8 per cent of your daily requirements of the mineral, shown to improve moods and sleep. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey provide a great burst of quick energy before a workout but if you\u2019re watching your weight I\u2019d limit to two or three a week,\u201d says Southern, who advises against smoothies: \u201cEven blending at home breaks down the fibre of the fruit so your body extracts the sugar quicker, leading to blood sugar spikes.\u201d She advises buying less-ripe bananas. \u201cThey are lower in sugar and a particularly good source of prebiotic fibre.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Apple \u2014 eat Granny Smiths for the fibre <\/p>\n

11.6g per 100g (15.4g per apple)<\/b>
Apples contain 2.4g of fibre per apple, including a type called pectin \u201cthat is important for healthy gut microbes and lowering cholesterol\u201d, Southern says. The fibre in apples has also been shown to increase satiety and linked with potentially lower BMI.<\/p>\n

You should eat an apple with the skin on because that\u2019s where most of the fibre is located. Apples are rich in antioxidants \u2014 research in 2021 found polyphenols, or plant compounds, they contain could stop cancerous cells from multiplying. \u201cThey are also a good source of quercetin, a natural antihistamine that can reduce symptoms of hay fever and itchy skin,\u201d Southern says. Sugar content in apples vary \u2014 Granny Smiths, at 11.8g per 100g (16g per apple) \u2014 are a better bet than a Pink Lady at around 19g per apple. Stewed apples have been shown to calm the gut lining, reducing inflammation, she adds.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

Pineapple is good to eat after a meal<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

Pineapples \u2014 can help ease digestion <\/p>\n

10.1g per 100g (8.3g per slice)<\/b>
An enzyme called bromelain in pineapple makes it feel stringent on the tongue. However, \u201cBromelain helps break down food so pineapple is good to eat after a meal to ease digestion,\u201d Southern says. Studies have found bromelain may also reduce inflammation and could help symptoms of arthritis \u2014 research in the Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences found supplements containing bromelain to be as effective as regular painkillers in alleviating osteoarthritis in the lower back. \u201cOne small pineapple between a family of four is probably a reasonable serving size,\u201d Southern says. <\/p>\n

Mango \u2014 eat with the skin on and avoid snacking on it dried<\/p>\n

10.4g per 100g (46g per mango)<\/b>
Yes they\u2019re delicious, but mangos are also high in sugar \u201cso try and limit to a quarter per day or chop it up and freeze,\u201d Southern says. She eats hers with the skin on, \u201cwhich adds fibre to slow the release of sugar into the blood.\u201d Research from the University of Queensland found the skin from Irwin and Nam Doc Mai mangos contained high levels of compounds called phytochemicals that inhibit the development of human fat cells. Like most orange and yellow fruits, mango is high in the antioxidant beta carotene, \u201cwhich our bodies convert to vitamin A and is essential for a strong immune system and good eye health \u2014 many of us are deficient,\u201d Southern says. Beware dried mango \u2014 the sugar content is more concentrated. \u201cIt often sticks to teeth, causing fillings. Dentists hate it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Bowl<\/p>\n

Blueberries release sugars slowly into the blood<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

Blueberries \u2014 have a handful a day for memory<\/p>\n

9.1g sugar per 100g (5.6g per handful)<\/b>
A much-trumpeted superfood, and for good reason, Southern says: \u201cThey\u2019re one of the richest fruits in anthocyanins \u2014 an antioxidant in the flavonoid family known to reduce oxidative stress which leads to ageing and help protect against cognitive decline.\u201d A 2023 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found consuming the equivalent of one cup of blueberries in powder form daily could improve memory in older adults. Southern says they are a low GI (glycemic index) food, \u201cWhich means they release sugars slowly into the blood. This is likely because they have a high fibre content (2.4g per 100g).\u201d That said, scoffing a punnet at your desk every morning under the guise of healthy eating will still strain your waistband. <\/p>\n

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Nectarines \u2014 eat whole rather than juicing<\/p>\n

9.8g per 100g (13.7g per nectarine)<\/b>
Nectarines are rich in antioxidants such as beta carotene and lutein, and the riper you buy them the better. \u201cA deeper yellow colour means more antioxidants,\u201d Southern says. Eating whole fruit is always better than drinking juice, she adds: \u201cEven juicing it at home you\u2019re only getting the vitamins and not the fibre. The vitamin content in shop bought juice is likely to have been degraded or it could be made from concentrate.\u201d <\/p>\n

Oranges \u2014 good for vitamin C but avoid juice<\/p>\n

8.2g per 100g (8g per orange)<\/b>
One of the highest fruits in vitamin C, a single orange contains 92 per cent of your daily allowance, with the vitamin \u201cessential for everything from immune function to collagen production,\u201d Southern says. \u201cWe can\u2019t absorb iron without it, which can lead to fatigue.\u201d Orange juice should not be seen as a viable alternative, she says: \u201cYes you\u2019re getting a big hit of vitamin C but with no fibre to slow the absorption of sugar, you\u2019re also getting blood sugar spikes.\u201d Like apples, oranges contain 86.8 per cent water, \u201cand getting a source of plant liquid is helpful for overall health, especially in summer,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\"Kiwi<\/p>\n

Kiwis are high in vitamin C<\/p>\n

GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n

Kiwis \u2014 can reduce blood pressure <\/p>\n

6g sugar per 100g (5.6g per kiwi)<\/b>
The green fruit contain polyphenols such as caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid that have anti-inflammatory effects, while an eight-week study in the journal Blood Pressure found kiwi to be a particularly helpful fruit in reducing the risk of heart disease, with participants who ate three kiwis a day ending up with lower blood pressure than those who ate one apple a day. Southern says it also has \u201ca great laxative effect because of its digestive enzymes\u201d. Kiwi contain about 47mg of vitamin C per fruit \u2014 over the 40mg NHS daily adult guidelines. Southern says: \u201cI eat them with skin on to increase the fibre content.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strawberries \u2014 help to improve heart health<\/p>\n

6.1g sugar per 100g (6.5g per bowl of 20 small strawberries)<\/b>
With a relatively low GI, 91 per cent water, and filled with more than 25 anthocyanins \u2014 or flavonoids \u2014 associated with improved heart health, reduced inflammation and risk of type 2 diabetes, strawberries temporarily overtook bananas to become Britain\u2019s most popular fruit in 2020, according to The Grocer magazine. The most abundant anthocyanin is pelargonidin, linked to improved cognition and a reduced risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Strawberries also contain the antioxidants ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which have been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bananas are having a boom. Research reported yesterday by Kantar Worldwide found the quantity of bananas sold in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":159166,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4318],"tags":[105,4434,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-159165","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114628602714981394","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159165"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159165\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}