List of 11 Sugar Free Fruits & Juices For Diabetics

Last updated on September 12th, 2024

If you have a family history of diabetes or other conditions requiring a low sugar intake, or if you’re someone monitoring your carbohydrate and sugar consumption (and you should be!), it’s essential to know which fruits are best to include or avoid. While fruits are often misunderstood to contain high sugar levels, not all of them do. In fact, many fruits are low in sugar, and some can even be considered sugar-free naturally. In this blog, we’ll explore the best sugar-free fruits for diabetics. Plus, we’ll reveal some low-sugar juice options and a list of sugar-free dry fruits. Ready to dive in? Let’s begin!

Here’s a list of 11 Sugar Free Fruits For Healthy Living

Below is a list of fruits that are naturally low in sugar or sugar-free, featuring the top fruits with minimal natural sugar content. Let’s have a look:

1. Lemons

One of the top sugar free fruits is lemon. It’s high in vitamin C. Therefore, lemons are sour fruits. You can eat them plain (if you can stand the tang) or enjoy them as healthy lemonade. They are also added to some dishes owing to their strong flavour and acidity. No matter how you include this sugar free fruit in your diet, you can enjoy the fruit without increasing your sugar intake. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, lemon consumption helps regulate blood sugar and reduces the chances of abrupt blood sugar spikes.

Read More: Is Mushroom Good for Diabetes Patients?

2. Jamun

Jamun is a proud member of the Berry family. Jamun is a top sugar free fruit perfectly suited for diabetes patients. Jamun has anti-diabetic effects due to the presence of bioactive compounds. Regular consumption of jamun and making jamun sugar free fruit juice can improve your insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Jamun fruit, its leaves, and its seeds can all be consumed and are very popular in India.

Reports published by Business Standard suggest jamun consumption enhances blood sugar reduction by up to 30% and has proven hypoglycemic effects. A 100 grams of these sugar less fruits has just 60 calories and 1.4 grams of dietary fiber. Jamun fruit drinks without sugar can be a good early morning or evening drink in a diabetes diet plan.

 Read More: Is Ash Gourd Good For Diabetes?

3. Strawberries

This is another sugar free fruit that is an excellent choice for snacking in a diabetic diet. Strawberries and all other berries available can be used in a fruit salad or as an ingredient in a smoothie. You can also try strawberry fruit juice without sugar. Strawberries are surprisingly very low in sugar, although they taste sweet and delicious. Not just strawberries, all berries are generally the lowest in sugar and, therefore, come in the fruits without sugar category. Berries are one of the highest in antioxidants and other nutrients like fiber, among other fruits. For example, in 100 grams of strawberry, there is less than 5 grams of natural sugar. Plus, it contains about 6 grams of dietary fiber and 2 grams of protein.

Read More: Is Bottle Gourd Good For Diabetes?

4. Avocados

Not a lot of people like the taste of Avocado. Some do not even consider it to be a fruit. But, they are fruits indeed and healthy ones indeed. This sugar free fruit has very little sugar content. They are packed with healthy fats that keep you full for a longer period. Nutrients included in these diabetes sugar free fruits are vitamins A, B6, C, K, and E. Reports published by PubMed suggest avocado consumption betters glycemic control in diabetic patients.  Moreover, it also has minerals like potassium, copper, etc. If you don’t like to eat them plain, you can enjoy them as a smoothie or as a spread.

Read More: Is Jamun Good For Diabetes?

5. Guavas

Guava is more than just a fruit that has no sugar. Actually, it helps with many health issues, including diabetes-related complications. Guava has a good amount of dietary fiber and antioxidants. This sugar free fruit helps with constipation, diarrhoea, and high blood pressure. They are an exception to the tropical fruits, which are generally sweet and have high GI. Guava is included in the diabetes sugar free fruits list as it has a low glycemic profile.

Moreover, studies published on the NIH website show how guava consumption helps lower blood sugar levels, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels. Surprisingly, guava has more vitamin C than some citrus fruits like oranges. Studies show that the consumption of guava helps in minimizing the chances of diabetes mellitus.

Read More: Is Guava Good For Diabetic Patients ?

6. Watermelons

Watermelons are next on the list of sugar free fruits for diabetics. Although watermelon has a high glycemic score of 72, it has a low glycemic load. This means it impacts blood sugar less. This sugar free fruit is enjoyed by all, essentially because of its taste and juiciness. Although sweet, they are low in sugar. A 100 g watermelon has just 6 grams of sugar. This means you can munch a considerable portion of this summer fruit. And still have your carbs in check. What’s more, they’re also rich in iron. This sugar free fruit has good water content, thus hydrating your body. It also has compounds like vitamin A and lycopene and has Viagra-like effects on your body.

Read More: Is Watermelon Good For Diabetes?

7. Papaya

Papaya is among the top sugar less fruits. This fruit is available all year long. Raw or ripe, it can be enjoyed both ways. Either way, it’s a great way to get vitamin C into your system. They are lower in sugar than the other tropical fruits. Papaya fruit that has no sugar also has zero cholesterol. Its low sodium count and lycopene content are good for your heart’s health.

According to the Romanian Journal of Diabetes Nutrition, papaya has proven diabetes-regulating properties. Its low glycemic index value means its consumption doesn’t result in sugar spikes. Moreover, it regulates bowel movement and promotes optimum blood flow. Papaya’s high vitamin A and C content improves vision. Also, it has a good fiber presence, which is very beneficial for diabetics.

Read More: How Papaya Go0d For Diabetic Patients?

8. Cucumber

Cucumber is another great addition to the sugar free fruits list. It has 96% water and has very little calorie count. The cucumber is a popular summer fruit and is widely eaten raw as salad. This sugar free fruit has a cooling and hydrating effect on your body. It’s a good diet food and very good for overweight diabetics looking to control body weight.

Studies published by PubMed reveal cucumbers have anti-hyperglycemic properties. Also, they have very few calories and low glycemic index, making them an ideal fruit for diabetic patients. Important nutrients in cucumbers are potassium and vitamin C. This fruit that has no sugar can be used widely in multiple meals and dishes.

Read More: How Cucumber Good For Diabetes?

9. Kiwi

The green color sugar free fruit is much more beneficial than it looks. It has a good amount of vitamin C, E, and fiber. In sugar free fruits for diabetics, kiwi, along with other sugar less fruits, can be included as a good evening snack dish. A 100 grams of kiwi offers 3 grams of fiber and minerals like copper, potassium, and magnesium. Kiwi fruit also lowers triglycerides, so it is good for your heart.

10. Tomato

In sugar free fruits and vegetables list now comes tomatoes. Tomatoes contain vitamin A and have very low calories. Studies show tomatoes contain a compound called lycopene, which has anti-cancerous properties. Moreover, these no sugar fruits and veggies also promote good cardiovascular health. Tomatoes contain 95% water and have very low calories. In 100 grams of tomato, there are just 18 calories and 1.2 grams of fiber.

According to Taylor and Francis’s online website, tomatoes have diabetes-benefiting properties, such as helping reduce diabetes-induced oxidative stress. All these traits are ideal for diabetes patients. Moreover, this sugar free fruit prevents night blindness and is good for your skin.

11. Peaches

Peaches are also in this sugar free fruits list. They are low in calorie count, contain many beneficial nutrients, and are low in sugar. A 147-gram serving of these sugar less fruits has just 50 calories, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein, etc. Peaches help you manage your blood pressure and improve your RDI. It also has nutrients like vitamins C, A, potassium, etc.

Best Sugar Free Fruit Juices

Sugar free fruit drinks are good beverages for diabetes patients and a great alternative to traditional tea and coffee. To take the maximum benefits of these non sugar juices, consume them without adding any amount of sugar. Below are the top fruit juices without sugar that diabetics can use in their diet plan

1. Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is a good and healthy sugar free fruit juice for diabetics. This nutritious sugar free fruit juice has a good amount of nutrients. To gain maximum benefits, drink as no added sugar fruit juice. A 250 ml quantity of tomato juice contains:

• Calories: 41 Cal
• Proteins: 2 grams
• Sugar: 5 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram

Moreover, this tomato sugarless fruit juice has essential nutrients like folate and potassium. It has vitamins like A, E, K, and C. Tomato juice improves the immune system and promotes good heart health. Lycopene compound present in tomatoes has the ability to reduce heart attacks by 12% to 13%.

Read More: Is Cranberry Juice Good for Diabetics?

2. Apple Juice

Another common sugarless fruit juice you can include is apple juice. You can consume apple juice in two forms. First is cloudy juice with its pulp, and second is clear apple juice. However, for diabetics, we recommend you choose cloudy, pulpy apple juices with no added sugar. Studies published by the NIH show apple juice consumption helps regulate postprandial blood sugar. Therefore, the consumption of juice between meals is advisable. 

Also, apple juice has the presence of potassium, which replenishes your body like electrolytes. It enhances nerve functioning and is good for heart health. A 240 ml serving of sugarless fruit juice of apple has the following:

• Calories: 114 Cal
• Carbs: 28 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Sugar: 24 g

Moreover, the pulpy variant of this juice has 3 to 5 more antioxidants than the pulp-less one.

Read More: How Apple Cider Vinegar Helps In Diabetes?

3. Orange Juice

Yes, you read it right: the luscious orange tangy juice is next on this list of non sugar juices. A popular juice in India, orange juice is a good sugarless fruit juice to try out. You can consume it as a mid-day snack, but do not add sugar and salt. Orange juices without sugar will have nutrients like:

• Calories: 112 Cal
• Carbs: 26 g
• Proteins: 21 g
• Sugar: 21 g

According to NIH-published reports, orange juice, despite having high sugar content, has antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids that help reduce the progression of diabetes. These citrus non sugar fruit juices provide high amounts of antioxidants and vitamin C. Citrus fruits like oranges also enhance bone density.

4. Grapefruit Juice

Our last recommendation among sugar free fruit juices is grapefruit juice. Grapefruit has a delightful taste and a good nutritional profile. It can also included as non sugar fruits. The grapefruit juices without sugar improve your immune system and are comprised of good antioxidants. According to the Diabetes Research & Wellness Foundation, grapefruit has excellent anti-diabetic properties and, at times, mimics the effectiveness of metformin.

• Calories: 95 Cal
• Sugar: 19 g
• Proteins: 2 g
• Carbs: 20 g

Read More: Are Grapefruits Safe for Diabetics?

Sugar Free Dry Fruits List

After revealing all kinds of sugarless fruits for sugar patients and their juices, we are here with sugar free dry fruits list. These sugar free dried fruits can be very well included in diabetes diet programs. Below are some common dry fruits you can try:

1. Walnut

When talking any sugar free dry fruits list, the top place is taken by walnuts. Walnuts are a top source of getting healthy fats. Use them as a snacking option and well included in a diabetes meal. According to the Science Direct website, walnuts contain alpha-lipoic acidic compounds, which help lessen inflammation. Moreover, walnuts have the second highest fiber content in dry fruits, which is 7 grams per 100 grams. All these nutritional attributes are ideal for diabetes-friendly foods.

Read More: How Walnut Good In Diabetes?

2. Almonds

Almonds are another great nutritional dry fruit for diabetics. According to Healthline, almond consumption helps lessen blood sugar and improve insulin absorption. Almonds have the highest fiber content in the sugar-free dry fruits list, about 13 grams per 100 grams. They help regulate B.P. and the digestive tract.

3. Pista

Another super dry fruit option is pistachios. However, for diabetics, we recommend roasted but unsalted pistachios. Salted pista has excessive sodium content, which can disturb your BP levels.

4. Apricots

Apricots are a good dry fruit option that diabetics can try. However, only include unflavoured plain apricots free of sugar.

Read More: Is Apricot Good for Diabetics?

5. Berries

Berries can also be consumed as sugar free dried fruit extracts and candies. However, choose the unsweetened, preservative-free variant of berry candies. Generally, dry fruits should be consumed without sugar, and plain versions of salted and masala variants should be chosen.

Incorporating Sugar Less Fruits in Your Diet

When talking about diabetes management, the most important factor to consider is diet. Dietary management of diabetes isn’t easy, but at the same time, it is not that tough. Switch to a well-balanced diet plan and include the above suggested sugar less fruits, dry fruits, and juices as part of it. All these can help you control diabetes, manage your weight, increase immunity, etc. Calculate your total sugar and carbs consumption per meal and adjust it accordingly.

Breakfast

For a diabetes-friendly breakfast, you need to eliminate high-GI and sugary foods. You can include some sugar-free fruits in oatmeal. You can consume one or two avocado toast and, along with it, have three to four sugar-free dried fruits. You can also have a tomato-cucumber omelet with a bowl of the above sugar-free fruits list.

Before breakfast, you can also have lemon-squeezed lukewarm water as a detox drink. Another breakfast suggestion would be sprouts, cucumber and tomato salad. Garnish the salad with lime juice.

Read More: Best Breakfast Recipes For Diabetes?

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch and dinner are heavy meals, and you end up consuming excessive calories in these meals. Fill a part of your stomach with these sugar free fruit salads. Prepare sprouts or cucumber, tomato, guava, or papaya salad. Include raw papaya in the daal to increase its iron and fiber content. Use berries and oranges as a slide dish for lunch and dinner.

For dinner, use avocados as salad toppings, and prepare a mixed veg dish with avocados. You choose one to have roasted beans and sprouts clubbed with these sugar less fruits.

Read More: Perfect Diet Meal Plan For Diabetics?

Snacks

The list of sugar free fruit juice can be used as a mid-day or evening snack as a beverage. Prepare a mixed smoothie consisting of guavas, strawberries, apples and watermelon. In place of fried, processed snacks, you can choose a healthy bowl of fruits without sugar, like kiwis, peaches, etc.

On some days, you can switch to the sugar free dry fruits list and have like 6 walnuts and 6 almonds as an evening snack. You can replace normal butter with healthy avocado butter.

Read More: Are Peanuts Good for Diabetics?

Conclusion

Following a properly balanced meal plan is very important for controlling and reversing diabetes. The sugar free fruit, sugar free fruit juice and dry fruits suggested above can make your boring diabetes meals flavourful. Along with flavour sugar free fruits for diabetics also provide important nutrients and don’t spike your sugar levels much. All the above fruits can replace unhealthy snacks and help in your diabetes journey. However, what’s necessary is to consume them in moderation. And before making windfall changes in your diet, consult with your doctor.

Facing any diet-related issues? We at Breathe Well-Being are here to help you. We have a team of experienced health experts and coaches who have expertise in diabetes diet management. We have a proven record of reversing and controlling diabetes. Connect with us today and get a free consultation!

Read More: 16 Best Fruits Juice For Diabetes.

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