Eating fruit can be seen a a slightly double-edged sword. People following very low carb diets avoid it thinking it’s too high in sugar. But nature never puts in fruit sugar without fibre. So eat it, don’t drink it.

A glass of orange juice is three orange’s worth of sugar and can be drunk in a gulp. Have you ever eaten three oranges?

From the sugar-content point of view  be careful with tropical fruits, such as bananas, grapes, and dried fruit such as raisins and dates – they’re high sugar.

© Patrick Holford & Piatkus

All the servings above have the same ‘5’ GL (glycemic load) effect on your blood sugar. The lowest GL fruits are all berries, cherries and plums. Eat as much as you can, especially in season. Blueberries and cherries are exceptionally high in antioxidants and polyphenols and are good for your brain. Frozen berries can be a great option as they are cheaper and frozen quickly after harvest.

Apples and pears are the next best. Conference pears are lower sugar and don’t need spraying. Try to eat all fruits organic where possible, especially those with edible skins, which are full of nutrients. Peaches and nectarines, in season, are good too.

Go easy on bananas, unless you’re climbing a mountain! Have mango and papaya as a treat. Or just eat a smaller portion. Avoid raisins and foods with added raisins or sweetened with grape juice concentrate. This is another name for sugar.

Make sure you eat a serving of these lower sugar, high antioxidant fruits a day. A handful of berries is a serving.