Sugars are carbohydrates that are produced by most plants. Sugars vary in terms of the level of their chemical complexity; they can be monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides. Their chemical complexity determines how fast they are absorbed to the blood, measured in glycemic index, and their role in health. 

Below are lists of fruits and alcoholic drinks (spirits) and their total sugar content. The estimate of the total sugar content is based on the sum of monosaccharides (galactose, glucose, and fructose), and disaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose). The items are listed in the order of high to low sugar content.

Table 1. Drinks (vodka, wine, whiskey, gin, rum)

Alcoholic drink typeSugar content (grams/100 grams drink)
Alcoholic beverage, liqueur, coffee, 53 proof  46.42
Alcoholic beverage, pina colada, prepared-from-recipe  22.33
Alcoholic beverage, wine, dessert, sweet  7.78
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, white  0.96
Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, red  0.62
Alcoholic beverage, beer, light  0.09
Alcoholic beverage, beer, regular, all  0.00
Alcoholic beverage, distilled, all (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) 80 proof  0.00
Alcoholic beverage, distilled, all (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) 86 proof  0.00
Alcoholic beverage, distilled, all (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) 90 proof  0.00

 

Table 2. Fruits

Sugar food sources Sugar content (g/100 gram food)
Dates, deglet noor  63.35
Apples, dried, sulfured, uncooked  57.19
Peaches, dried, sulfured, uncooked  41.74
Plums, dried (prunes), uncooked  38.12
Plums, dried (prunes), stewed, without added sugar  24.98
Strawberries, frozen, sweetened, sliced  24.01
Plums, canned, purple, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids  22.31
Plums, canned, purple, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids  22.30
Peaches, frozen, sliced, sweetened  22.18
Blueberry, frozen, sweetened 19.72
Peaches, canned, heavy syrup pack, solids and liquids  18.64
Grapes, red or green (european type varieties, such as, Thompson seedless raw)   15.48
Mangos, raw  14.80
Plums, canned, purple, juice pack, solids and liquids  14.22
Bananas, raw  12.23
Apple juice, canned or bottled, unsweetened, without added ascorbic acid  10.90
Apples, raw, with skin  10.39
Peaches, canned, juice pack, solids and liquids  10.27
Apples, raw, without skin  10.10
Blueberry, raw 9.96
Apricots, raw  9.23
Plums, raw  9.92
Kiwi fruit, (chinese gooseberries), fresh, raw  8.99
Peaches, raw  8.39
Melons, honeydew, raw  8.12
Melons, cantaloupe, raw  7.86
Papayas, raw  5.90
Strawberries, raw  4.67
Corn, sweet, white, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt  4.06
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels on cob, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt  3.59
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, vacuum pack, regular pack  3.56
Corn, sweet, yellow, canned, cream style, regular pack  3.23
Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt  3.17
Corn, sweet, yellow, frozen, kernels cut off cob, boiled, drained, without salt  3.07
Lemon juice, raw  2.40

Sugar content data adapted from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20 (2007).

 


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