11 Low-Glycemic Fruits: Best and Worst Fruits to Eat for People With Diabetes

Fruit is an important and nutritious part of everyone’s diet. And fruit is a great alternative to other forms of sugar. This can be particularly true for people with diabetes who want to keep their blood sugar levels in check but are also craving something sweet, juicy, or refreshing. 

Fruits do contain natural sugar. But they also contain other important nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And studies show that eating fruit may lower the risk of health complications in people with diabetes.

All fruit can fit into a nutritious, diabetes-friendly eating plan. But choosing mostly low-glycemic fruit might be a better option for blood sugar balance. Here, we’ll go over how fruit impacts blood sugar, plus which fruits are the best options if you have diabetes. 

How does fruit impact blood sugar?

Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose. When you eat fructose, your liver quickly breaks it down. This leads to a rise in your blood sugar levels.

Fruit also contains fiber. Fiber slows down the digestion of sugars, which prevents spikes in blood sugar. So, since fruit’s natural sugar is accompanied by fiber, it doesn’t cause much of a blood sugar spike. This is different from eating foods with added sugars and no fiber (like candy). Plus, fiber has many other health benefits, including reducing fasting blood sugar in people with prediabetes and diabetes. Fiber may also reduce hemoglobin A1C, a marker of longer-term blood sugar control.

Fruits with an edible peel — like apples, pears, and berries — have the most fiber. Fruit juices, on the other hand, have no fiber.

Which fruits are best for people with diabetes?

The glycemic index (GI) is a useful tool for choosing the best fruits to eat if you have diabetes. The GI ranks food based on how quickly it impacts blood sugar levels. Fruits with a higher GI cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. Fruits with a lower GI cause a slower rise in blood sugar. So, fruits with a lower GI are better for people with diabetes.

The GI ranking system looks like this:

• Low GI: 1-55

• Medium GI: 56-69

• High GI: 70 and up

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Below are examples of low-GI fruits (and their GI scores).

1. Apples (36)

Apples are one of the most convenient and popular fruits. Their fiber helps slow down the blood sugar response and may also help lower cholesterol levels. This is especially important for people with diabetes, who have an increased risk for high cholesterol. 

Apples are also a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant. Antioxidants are nutrients that help protect cells from damaging free radicals that can contribute to heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Try pairing apple slices with nut butter. Nut butter adds protein and healthy fats, which can keep you full for longer. Like fiber, protein can help regulate your blood sugar.

2. Blackberries (25)

Blackberries are one of the healthiest fruits for people with diabetes. They’re among the highest-fiber fruits, with nearly 8 g of fiber in a cup — nearly a quarter of your daily needs. Blackberries are also low in sugar, with just 7 g per cup. And blackberries are loaded with antioxidants.

3. Cherries (22)

Cherries’ low GI isn’t the only thing they have going for them. Research found that women with diabetes who drank 40 ml (about 1.5 oz) of tart cherry juice for 6 weeks had decreased A1C levels. 

Cherries are also powerful inflammation fighters. They contain polyphenols and vitamin C, both of which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This may help protect against chronic conditions like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And research suggests that polyphenols may help lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. 

4. Grapefruit (25)

Grapefruit packs a lot of nutrition. Just half of a medium-sized grapefruit provides about 50% of your daily needs for vitamin C. The vitamin C is an antioxidant that supports your immune system. And grapefruit has just 41 calories and 10 g of carbohydrates, making it a great choice for people with diabetes. 

Just make sure the grapefruit won’t interact with any of your regular medications. 

5. Oranges (35)

Oranges are known for being a great source of vitamin C. One medium navel orange provides:

• Over 100% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C for women

• Over 90% of the RDA for men

Note: It’s best to consume oranges as whole fruit rather than drinking the juice. This way, you get fiber without the added sugar that’s often found in juice.

6. Strawberries (25)

Many people don’t know that strawberries are even higher in vitamin C than oranges. One cup of sliced strawberries provides about 98 mg of vitamin C, which is over 100% of the RDA for both men and women. Strawberries are also low in sugar — with only 8 g per cup — and they have 3 g of fiber per serving. 

Many people enjoy strawberries whole. You can also add them to smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, and salads.

7. Pears (33)

One pear has about 6 g of fiber, which is higher than many other fruits. The soluble fiber in pears not only stabilizes your blood sugar. It’s also excellent for digestive health, helping with regular bowel movements. 

8. Apricots (34)

Apricots are a low-calorie and low-carbohydrate fruit. One raw apricot has just 17 calories and 4 g of carbohydrates (1 g of which is fiber). This makes it easy to enjoy a few apricots without being worried about eating too much sugar or carbs if you have diabetes. Apricots contain various antioxidants, including polyphenols.

9. Peaches (35)

Peaches are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin A. Like apricots, they contain polyphenols. One medium peach has about 15 g of carbohydrates and 2 g of fiber. 

10. Plums (35)

Plums’ antioxidants may support brain and heart health. While plums only have about 1 g of fiber per fruit, they’re very low in calories and carbohydrates. One plum has just 30 calories and about 8 g of carbs.

11. Blueberries (53)

Blueberries are higher in sugar than some of the other fruits on this list. But they’re still considered a low-GI fruit. Blueberries are also rich in antioxidants that give it anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Blueberries may reduce the risk of: 

• Heart disease

• High blood pressure 

• Type 2 diabetes

• Excess weight 

High-glycemic fruits

Now that you know what some of the best fruits for diabetics are, you may be curious to know about the worst fruit for diabetics. But there are no universal worst fruits for diabetics. Fruit sugar affects each person differently.

Still, certain fruits have a high GI and will have a bigger impact on blood sugar. So some people with diabetes choose to avoid high GI fruits. Others may just choose to limit their intake of these fruits higher in sugar.

Examples of high-sugar fruits to avoid or limit (and their GI scores) are: 

• Mango (60) 

• Banana, ripe (62) 

• Dried cranberries (64) 

• Pineapple (66) 

• Raisins (66) 

• Watermelon (76)

It’s also important to note that the riper the fruit, the higher its GI. For example, a brown banana (riper) has a higher GI than a green banana (less ripe), so it impacts blood sugar more. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy these fruits if they’re some of your favorites. Just be mindful of your serving size and how they affect your blood sugar.

How much fruit should people with diabetes eat?

If you have diabetes, you can include fruit in your daily diet. But it’s important to pay attention to serving size and the type of fruit. Try to stick with one serving of low-GI fruit per meal. One serving of fruit contains roughly 15 g of carbohydrates. 

The table below has some examples of one serving of low-GI fruit.

What about canned and dried fruit and fruit juice?

If you have diabetes, it’s best to focus on eating mostly fresh or frozen fruit instead of canned fruit, dried fruit, and fruit juices. 

If you do consume those options, here are some things to consider:

• Be sure to read the ingredient label on canned fruit. Canned fruits sometimes contain added sugars like cane sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Look for “no added sugar,” “unsweetened,” or “packed in its own juices” on the front of the label. 

• Eat dried fruits in smaller portions. Even though dried fruits like raisins and dried cranberries contain fiber, they’re higher in carbohydrates per serving. This can lead to bigger blood-sugar spikes compared to eating whole fruits. Aim to limit dried fruit to ¼ cup per day, and opt for fresh fruit the rest of the time. 

• Minimize fruit juice. Fruit juice lacks fiber and can cause your blood sugar to increase quickly. 

Tips for eating fruit if you have diabetes

When deciding which type of fruit to eat, choose low-glycemic fruit most of the time. And consider the “no naked carb” rule. In other words, pair your serving of fruit with a protein, like: 

• ½ cup of Greek yogurt

• A tablespoon of peanut butter

• An ounce of cheese

Eating protein along with your fruit (and other carbohydrates) can slow down digestion, keep you fuller for longer, and help balance blood sugar. 

Here are six easy ways to add fruit into your diet: 

1. Eat 1 cup apple slices with 1 or 2 tbsp of all-natural nut butter.

2. Mix 1 cup sliced strawberries into ½ cup plain Greek yogurt. 

3. Pair 1 cup blackberries with a small handful of plain mixed nuts.

4. Add 1 cup of orange slices to an arugula salad. 

5. Cut a grapefruit in half, broil it for 3-5 minutes, and top it with yogurt and crumbled pistachios. 

6. Pair 1 cup of cherries with 1 oz of cheese. 

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Written by:

Victoria Eaton, RDN, LDN, IFNCP

Victoria Eaton, RDN, LDN, IFNCP began her career in the functional medicine space in 2015. She has experience in private practice and working with individuals with digestive issues, chronic migraines, and macular degeneration.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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