Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can be a singular condition or may be associated with diabetes or severe illness. Food sugar and starch intake limits help to manage hyperglycemia and are included in many weight loss diets. Fruit provides important nutrition but also contains fructose, a simple carbohydrate. Some fruits, though, contain less fructose than others. For the lowest carbohydrate values, choose fresh, raw, portion-controlled low-carbohydrate fruits.
Tomatoes
The surprising tomatoe is also one of the lowest-sugar fruits. In addition to containing lycopene and plenty of fiber in its flesh, a whole small tomato will provide an average of 4.2 grams of carbohydrate, so splurge on a Caprese salad instead of sugary dressings or dried fruit toppings on specialty salads. Fruit juices concentrate carbohydrates, making most juices a no-no for those who wish to restrict their carbohydrate intake, but a half cup of tomato juice contains only about 5 grams.
Berries
Raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries all contain 5 or fewer grams of carbohydrates per quarter-cup serving and make great snack foods. Keep them refrigerated in pre-measured, washed packages to make them more convenient than starchy chips and sugary candies. Values for fruits must be only approximate allowing for fruit variety, ripeness and other variables.
Melons
Watermelon is low in carbohydrates--the unit of measure for the simple sugars in foods--at less than 3 grams per quarter-cup serving. Cantaloupe and ribbed musk melons contain just over 3 grams per quarter cup. Pale green honeydew contains almost 4 grams per quarter cup. Ripe melon satisfies cravings for sweets. Cube or scoop little balls out of melons and keep them in single-serving refrigerator dishes; discard skins or put them in the compost heap immediately to avoid starting a fruit fly colony. Even though melons are low in carbohydrates, they are not perfect; most, like watermelon, are also low in fiber.
Pineapple
Pineapple is full of fiber and low in carbohydrates; just under 5 grams per quarter cup. Like the melons, buy this fruit fresh and process it yourself to avoid the sugars often added to canned or prepared pineapple.
Stone Fruits
A quarter cup of cherries contains about 5 grams of carbohydrates; one whole apricot contains about 4g. A whole peach contains about 10 grams of carbohydrates; cut it in half to keep your count low. A quarter cup of mango meat contains 7 grams. Carbohydrate counts will vary with the size of the fruit where values are given for one fruit. Skins provide fiber. Sprinkle leftover fruit with a little lemon juice before storage in the fridge to keep it colorful for your next snack; a tablespoon of lemon juice contains 1.3 grams of carbohydrate.
