Health - Wellness
How Much Sugar Is In An Orange?
By VINCENT MADRONE
Sweeter than other citrus fruits like lemons and grapefruits, oranges burst with a delicious flavor loved by young and old alike. While it may contain more sugar than other citrus fruits, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) classifies oranges as a "superstar food" due to their high amounts of fiber and vitamin C.
A single orange (approximately 154g) contains 14 grams of sugar, where half of its sugar content is sucrose, or pure sugar, while the rest is equal parts fructose or “fruit sugar” and glucose, the main type of sugar found in the blood. Despite a substantial amount of sugar, the glycemic index (GI) for oranges is 40, which is lower than other fruits, like apples and bananas.
Not only is the sugar in oranges benign, but the natural sugars in fruits give you a slower but more sustained spike that lasts for hours, giving you more energy than added sugars. However, orange juice does not have the same fiber level as whole oranges and has a slightly higher GI index of 50.