Q&A – Should I Avoid Fruit as I’ve Heard that it Spikes Sugar Levels?

Fruit does raise your blood sugar levels because it contains natural sugars, primarily fructose. When you eat fruit, your body converts this fructose into glucose, which then enters your bloodstream. 

However, this doesn't mean you should avoid fruit. Fruit is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and most importantly, fiber. Fiber helps to slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, preventing rapid spikes. This is a key difference between the sugar in whole fruit and the sugar in processed foods or fruit juice, which lack fiber and can cause a quicker rise in blood sugar. 

The impact of fruit on your blood sugar depends on several factors: 

• Type of fruit: Some fruits have a lower glycaemic index (GI) than others, meaning they cause a slower and smaller rise in blood sugar. Examples of low-GI fruits include berries, cherries, grapefruit, apples, pears, and oranges. Fruits with a higher GI, like watermelon, pineapple, and ripe bananas, can cause a quicker rise.
• Ripeness: More ripe fruits tend to have a higher GI.
• Portion size: All fruits can affect blood sugar negatively if consumed in very large quantities. Dried fruits, in particular, have a concentrated sugar content, so portion control is crucial.
• How it's consumed: Eating whole fruit is generally better than drinking fruit juice, as juice lacks the fiber that helps regulate blood sugar.
• What you eat it with: Pairing fruit with protein or plant fat (like nuts, yoghurt, or peanut butter) can further slow down sugar absorption and help prevent blood sugar spikes.

For most people, especially those without diabetes, consuming whole, fresh fruit as part of a balanced diet is very beneficial for overall health and is unlikely to cause problematic sugar spikes. If you have diabetes or are concerned about blood sugar management, it's helpful to be mindful of portion sizes, choose lower-GI fruits, and consider pairing them with other foods to balance their effect.