5 Low Sugar Fruits

Fruits are almost always concentrated sources of sugar. So, when you are trying to limit your overall calories and sugars in order to lose weight, fruit is an obvious choice to eliminate. This can be especially true for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients who are told to focus on incorporating sufficient amounts of protein into their diets and lowering their sugar intake.

But, sugar from fruit is not quite the same as sugar from candy, ice cream, cakes, or cookies. Fruit is a whole food and not processed like so many other sweet treats. Fruits also provide a ton of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are incredibly good for you and that you can’t get from many protein sources. When you eat whole fruit you also get the benefit of the fiber from skins, membranes, and the flesh. Fiber is important not only for the benefit of regularity, but also because it can help prevent rises in blood sugar and contribute to helping you feel fuller for longer.

In order to get the best of both worlds- a lower sugar diet and the nutritional benefits of fruits- bariatric patients may wish to incorporate lower sugar fruits into their diets. Just like how the sugar content of yogurts can vary greatly, so does the sugar content of fruits. Some fruits naturally have less sugar per serving than others.

Here are 5 fruits that have lower amounts of sugar:

1. Peaches-One cup of fresh peach slices has 61 calories and 13 grams of sugar. This is the fruit with the highest sugar content on our list, but it also provides fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, choline, folate, and copper.
2. Strawberries-One cup of fresh strawberries provides only 47 calories and 7 grams of sugar so not only is it low in sugar but it’s a nutrition powerhouse: fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin A, quercetin, anthocyanins, and other antioxidants.
3. Apples-You need to be cautious with apples as these days some are as large as grapefruits. In that case, one cup is not the same as one apple. One cup of fresh apple slices has 57 calories and 11 grams of sugar, and packs a huge amount of nutrients- vitamin C, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6, fiber, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and a host of phytonutrients which can help protect us from free radicals.
4. Watermelon-Some people think watermelon is just water and sugar, but this melon actually packs a nutritional punch. One cup has only 46 calories (the lowest on this list) and 9 grams of sugar. Watermelons is a rich source of vitamins A and C, and also has iron, calcium, copper, zinc, potassium, and more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable.
5. Blackberries-Blackberries may not be readily available all year round, but when they are go for them! One cup of blackberries provides 62 calories but only 7 grams of sugar, a feat which is made possible by the significant amount of fiber they have. They are also a rich source of vitamin C, and also have vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, and iron.

For weight loss surgery patients, adding lower sugar fruits into your post bariatric surgery diet can be a great idea. Not only do they provide much needed vitamins and minerals, but also the fiber you will need for bowel regularity. Fruits can be an easy part of a breakfast, make a great snack, or give you the sweetness you might crave for dessert.

The above is offered by Dr. Shilingford, MA, PA, a board certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic surgery, including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band surgery. His bariatric surgery patients can feel confident in choosing a Center of Excellence Surgeon who has performed over 4,000 bariatric procedures. Weight loss patients from nearby Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Coral Springs know that Northwest Medical Center, where Dr. Shillingford performs these weight loss surgery procedures, is one of the only area hospitals with a dedicated Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery. If you’re ready to start your weight loss journey with bariatric surgery, call Dr. Shillingford at (561) 483-8840 for a free consultation today.