With that being said, it’s important that we first take a look at sugar in different contexts. Added sugars, which are sugars that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed like fructose or corn syrup, can lead to health problems such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. These sugars should be avoided at all costs. This idea was highlighted by Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in their objectives for healthy people. Healthy People 2020 objectives .

Naturally occurring sugars such as those found in fruit, are not added sugars. Many people now believe that because added sugars are unhealthy, that the same must apply to fruits, since they also contain small amounts of fructose. However, this is completely false. Fructose is only harmful in large amounts and it is almost impossible to overeat fructose by eating fruit. The fact of the matter is that fruits contain a lot of nutrients that are important for health. These nutrients include fiber, vitamins, minerals, as well as antioxidants and phytonutrients.

At the end of the day, fruits are a great go-to snack option. They are nutrient dense and  will typically keep you satiated until your next meal. But with that being said, I would caution you against eating large quantities of tropical fruits and instead encourage you to eat a wider variety of low sugar fruits. Particularly if you’re trying to keep your glycemic index ( www.glycemicindex.com ) in check. Here is a list of some low sugar fruit options:

Lemons

Strawberries

Raspberries

Blackberries

Limes

Kiwi

Grapefruit