15 Low Sugar Foods That Still Taste Good
Cutting sugar does not mean eating cardboard. These foods have minimal sugar while delivering real nutrition and flavor.
Data-backed ranking of the strongest food sources
Daily value context so the numbers mean something
Usage tips and tradeoffs, not just a list of names
Created By
EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
Reviewed By
Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
How This Page Is Made
Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
This ranking focuses on foods that meaningfully deliver sugars per 100g, using USDA FoodData Central as the source of truth. It is a concentration ranking, not a full health score, so the most useful way to read it is to look for foods that fit both your nutrient target and your normal portion sizes.
Why it matters
Added sugars are one of the biggest drivers of excess calorie intake, weight gain, and metabolic disease. While naturally occurring sugars in whole fruits come packaged with fiber and nutrients, isolated sugars in processed foods spike blood sugar and provide empty calories. Finding low-sugar options helps manage weight and metabolic health.
Daily target
The FDA daily value limit is 50g of added sugars. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 36g for men and 25g for women. The average American consumes about 77g per day — well above any guideline. Natural sugars in whole foods are generally less concerning.
How to use the list
Focus on whole, minimally processed foods. Protein, fat, and fiber all slow sugar absorption. Be aware that 'healthy' foods like flavored yogurt, granola, and smoothies can be loaded with added sugars. Check labels — 4g of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.
Screening rule
Foods had to clear basic practicality filters before ranking so the list stays useful, not just technically correct.
Best use case
Use this template when you want the single strongest sources of one nutrient and you are willing to compare foods mainly on that axis.
Main caveat
Per-100g leaders are not always everyday staples, which is why calorie density and tradeoffs are called out inside the list.
Bologna, beef and pork, low fat earns the top spot with 0.0g of sugars in a 100g serving. It also chips in with some protein (23% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 1110mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Turkey, wing, smoked, cooked, with skin, bone removed belongs in the top tier of this ranking, with 0.0g of sugars per 100g. It also chips in with some protein (55% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 996mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Turkey, drumstick, smoked, cooked, with skin, bone removed belongs in the top tier of this ranking, with 0.0g of sugars per 100g. It also brings useful amounts of protein (56% DV) and zinc (39% DV), so it is not just a one-stat food.
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 996mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Turkey, light or dark meat, smoked, cooked, skin and bone removed stays near the top because 0.0g per 100g is still a very aggressive number for sugars. The extra protein (59% DV) and zinc (28% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient. Because protein is high too, it is easier to build a full meal around than some single-purpose nutrient sources.
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 996mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Mollusks, scallop, (bay and sea), cooked, steamed is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 0.0g per 100g. A secondary plus is its protein (41% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 667mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Mollusks, snail, raw is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 0.0g per 100g. The extra protein (32% DV) and magnesium (60% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Pork, fresh, composite of trimmed leg, loin, shoulder, and spareribs, (includes cuts to be cured), separable lean and fat, raw makes the cut on substance, not hype: 0.0g per 100g is enough to matter in an actual diet. The extra protein (36% DV) and zinc (21% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 4.92g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Pork, fresh, belly, raw makes the cut on substance, not hype: 0.0g per 100g is enough to matter in an actual diet. The tradeoff is calorie density at 518 kcal per 100g, so this works better as a measured addition than a pile-it-on food.
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 19.3g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Pork, fresh, leg (ham), rump half, separable lean and fat, raw is not the flashiest name on the page, but the nutrient density is real at 0.0g per 100g. A secondary plus is its protein (41% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 63mg per 100g.
Pork, fresh, loin, whole, separable lean and fat, raw rounds out the ranking with 0.0g per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. A secondary plus is its protein (39% DV).
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 4.36g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Pork, fresh, shoulder, whole, separable lean and fat, raw is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable sugars density. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (34% DV) and zinc (25% DV).
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 6.24g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Pork, fresh, spareribs, separable lean and fat, raw lands lower on the page, but 0.0g per 100g is still better than what you get from most foods. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (31% DV) and zinc (23% DV).
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 7.53g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.
Pork, fresh, composite of trimmed retail cuts (leg, loin, and shoulder), separable lean only, cooked rounds out the ranking with 0.0g per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. The extra protein (55% DV) and zinc (26% DV) help this entry hold up outside of the headline nutrient.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 84mg per 100g.
Pork, cured, feet, pickled is here because even the back half of this list still offers respectable sugars density. A secondary plus is its protein (23% DV).
Worth knowing
High in sodium at 946mg per 100g, so it may not be the best fit for a low-sodium diet.
Pork, fresh, ground, cooked rounds out the ranking with 0.0g per 100g, which is still enough to be useful if it already fits your meals. There is more here than the main number alone, especially the protein (51% DV) and zinc (29% DV).
Worth knowing
High in saturated fat with 7.72g per 100g, which is worth watching if you are managing heart health or cholesterol.