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Which dried fruits are highest in sugar and which are lowest? Dried fruit – let’s face it, if it is a fruit it has probably been dried. We grab handfuls of it when we want something sweet but are still trying to be “healthy” (dried papaya and pineapple I am looking at you). But exactly how much sugar is in dried fruit? Which dried fruits are highest in sugar and which dried fruits are lowest in sugar? Well, in this post I will be answering this question. To do this I have looked at the total sugar content of a 40g serving of 11 different types of dried fruit (selecting a handful of dried fruit brands based on different fruit categories).
So, let’s dig in – which dried fruits are highest in sugar and which are lowest?
Which Dried Fruits Are Highest in Sugar and Which Are Lowest?
As a general rule, sweetened dried pineapple and sweetened dried cranberries are the highest sugar dried fruits. Unsweetened dried cranberries and prunes tend to be the lowest sugar dried fruits.
Below is a summary table for the sugar content of all the main types of dried fruits available (based on a 40g serving).
| Types of Dried Fruit | Total Sugar Content Range Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Sweetened Dried Pineapple | 30g-32g |
| Unsweetened Dried Pineapple | 16g-29g |
| Sweetened Dried Cranberries | 28g-29g |
| Dates | 24g-27g |
| Dried Mango | 23g-27g |
| Raisins | 21g-27g |
| Dried Banana | 17g-22g |
| Figs | 19g-21g |
| Dried Apricots | 14g-24g |
| Prunes | 15g-16g |
| Unsweetened Dried Cranberries | 6g-7g |
Ranking the Sugar Content of Dried Fruits – Item-by-Item
1. Sweetened Dried Pineapple – 30g-32g of Total Sugar
If you are looking for a lower-sugar dried fruit, then sweetened pineapple is not it. Sweetened dried pineapple was the highest sugar dried fruit I came across in this experiment – there tend to be 30g-32g of total sugar per 40g serving of sweetened dried pineapple.
If you love dried pineapple, then it is not all bad news – dried pineapple that doesn’t contain added sugar does also exist – check out number 2 below.
| Sweetened Dried Pineapple Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Yupik Diced Pineapple | 32g |
| Amrita Dried Diced Pineapple | 31g |
| Oh! Nuts Dried Pineapple Chunks | 30g |
| We Got Nuts Dried Pineapple Chunks | 30g |
2. Unsweetened Dried Pineapple – 16g-29g of Total Sugar
As you can see from the below table, unsweetened dried pineapple isn’t as high in total sugar content as sweetened dried pineapple.
If you are looking for a lower sugar dried pineapple my number 1 recommendation is Made In Nature Organic Dried Pineapple, which is just made from organic dried pineapple and contains an impressively low 16g of total sugar per 40g serving.
You can try this lower-sugar dried pineapple for yourself on Amazon here.
| Unsweetened Dried Pineapple Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Unsweetened Dried Pineapple | 29g |
| Solely Organic Dried Pineapple Rings | 25g |
| Mavuno Harvest Dried Pineapple | 23g |
| Made in Nature Organic Dried Pineapples | 16g |
3. Sweetened Dried Cranberries – 28g-29g of Total Sugar
Another higher-sugar dried fruit is sweetened dried cranberries. I have written a whole post on the sugar content of dried cranberries, which you can read here – Are Dried Cranberries High in Sugar? Are Any Sugar-Free?
Essentially there tends to be 28g of total sugar per 40g serving of sweetened dried cranberries. If you are hankering after some dried cranberries but want some with lower sugar content, make sure to read on to find out about unsweetened dried cranberries (spoiler alert – they only contain 6g-7g of total sugar per serving).
There are also reduced-sugar dried cranberries you could opt for, which you can read more about here – Are Dried Cranberries High in Sugar? Are Any Sugar-Free?
| Sweetened Dried Cranberry Brand | Total Sugar Content Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Ocean Spray | 29g |
| Good And Gather | 28g |
| Great Value | 28g |
| Amrita | 28g |
4. Dates – 24g-27g of Total Sugar
First off, I love dried dates. They are a delicious and sweet treat. If your priority for a dried fruit is that it is sweet but added sugar free, then dates could be a great option. This is because dates do not tend to contain added sugar.
However, dates do tend to still be fairly high in total sugar though, so that is worth bearing in mind. There tends to be 24g-27g of total sugar per 40g serving of dates.
| Date Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Medjool Dates | 27g |
| We Got Nuts Pitted Dates | 26g |
| 365 by Whole Foods Market Pitted Dates | 25g |
| Royal Palm Pitted Dates | 25g |
| Sun-Maid Deglet Noor Pitted Dried Dates | 24g |
5. Dried Mango – 23g-27g of Total Sugar
Dried mango tends to have a similar total sugar content to dates – generally around 23g-27g of sugar per 40g serving. The good news is that as mango is naturally sweet, sugar does not tend to be added to dried mango.
| Dried Mango Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Mango Slices | 27g |
| Kirkland Organic Dried Mangoes | 24g |
| Made in Nature Organic Dried Mangoes | 24g |
| Mavuno Harvest Organic Dried Mango | 23g |
6. Raisins – 21g-27g of Total Sugar
Raisins also tend to have a fairly similar sugar content to dates and dried mango, coming in at 21g-27g of total sugar per 40g serving.
| Raisin Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Food To Live Raisins | 27g |
| Sun-Maid California Sun-Dried Raisins | 26g |
| Dole California Seedless Raisins | 24g |
| 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Thompson Raisins | 24g |
| Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Raisins | 21g |
7. Dried Banana – 17g-22g of Total Sugar
Dried banana is a slightly more unusual dried fruit but definitely one to try nevertheless. A lot of dried banana is added sugar free and contains 17g-22g of total sugar per 40g serving.
| Dried Banana Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Mavuno Harvest Dried Banana Chips | 22g |
| Trader Joe’s Dried Baby Bananas | 22g |
| Made in Nature Organic Dried Chewy Banana Slices | 19g |
| Barnana Organic Chewy Banana Bites | 17g |
8. Figs – 19g-21g of Total Sugar
Figs are another super common type of dried fruit (another one that I personally love). Figs tend to be a lower sugar dried fruit option, coming in at 19g-21g of total sugar per 40g serving.
| Fig Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Organic Dried Smyrna Figs | 21g |
| Drybox Organic Dried Turkish Figs | 20g |
| Made in Nature Organic Turkish Smyrna Figs | 20g |
| Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Smyrna Turkish Figs | 20g |
| Organic Prebiotic Dried Figs | 19g |
9. Dried Apricots – 14g-24g of Total Sugar
Another super common type of dried fruit you will find is dried apricots. Dried apricots do not tend to contain added sugar, and they tend to be a lower-sugar dried fruit option. If you are looking for a low-sugar dried apricot, then my recommendation is Sun-Maid Mediterranean Dried Apricots which contain a very low 14g of total sugar per 40g serving.
If you want to try them for yourself from Amazon here.
| Dried Apricot Brand | Total Sugar Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Sunny Frut Organic Dried Apricots | 24g |
| Nature’s Eats Apricots | 21g |
| Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Apricots | 18g |
| Oh! Nuts Dried Turkish Apricots | 16g |
| Sun-Maid Mediterranean Dried Apricots | 14g |
10. Prunes – 15g-16g of Total Sugar
Ah, prunes. You could not have a dried fruit list without dried prunes. Did you know that prunes are one of the lowest sugar dried fruits out there?
Yes, that’s right!
As a general rule, there are 15g-16g of total sugar in a 40g serving of prunes.
| Prune Brand | Total Sugar Content Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| Sunbest Natural Prunes | 16g |
| Sunny Fruit Prunes | 15g |
| Sunsweet Prunes | 15g |
| 365 by Whole Foods Market Prunes | 15g |
| Terrasoul Prunes | 15g |
11. Unsweetened Dried Cranberries – 6g-7g of Total Sugar
Okay, so one of the lowest sugar dried fruits (if not THE lowest) you can opt for are unsweetened dried cranberries. Unsweetened dried cranberries contain a very low 6g-7g of total sugar per serving.
Sounds too good to be true right?
Well, there is a catch – they are pretty bitter!
If you don’t think you could handle the bitterness then you can find out about a reduced sugar dried cranberry option here in the article I wrote – Are Dried Cranberries High in Sugar? Are Any Sugar-Free?
| Unsweetened Dried Cranberry Brand | Total Sugar Content Per 40g Serving |
|---|---|
| My Berry Organics Unsweetened Dried Cranberries | 7g |
| Honestly Unsweetened Dried Cranberries | 7g |
| Cherry Bay Orchards Unsweetened Dried Cranberries | 6g |
Which Dried Fruits Are Highest In Sugar And Which Are Lowest? – The Final Bite
Which dried fruits are highest in sugar and which are the lowest? What have we learned from the above? Well, when it comes to dried fruits, they can be a delicious and sweet treat. However, the type of dried fruit you pick can have a big impact on its sugar content. For example, did you know that dried pineapples had the highest sugar content for types of dried fruits (and I love dried pineapples)? If you are looking for the lowest sugar dried fruit option, then your best choice is any type of unsweetened dried fruit. Pick unsweetened cranberries, prunes, or apricots which all then to be the lowest in sugar. But remember just because they are lower in sugar does not mean they are sugar-free.
And Remember…
Ingredients and/or manufacturing processes may change. Always double-check ingredient lists and nutritional information before purchasing any food items.
WANT TO FIND MORE LOW SUGAR OPTIONS?
Do you want to learn about some other low-sugar options at your favorite coffee chains, fast food, or restaurant joints, or just while you are shopping for groceries? If you do, then check out some of my other articles below:
