One medium raw tomato has about 3.2 grams of natural sugar; per 100 grams of tomato it’s roughly 2.6 grams.
Wondering how much sugar sits in fresh tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or the tomato paste in your pantry? Here’s a clear, data-driven guide that shows typical sugar amounts across common forms and serving sizes, with tips to read labels and keep recipes balanced. If you arrived wondering “How Much Sugar In Tomatoes?”, the numbers below answer it fast.
How Much Sugar In Tomatoes? Serving Sizes And Basics
Tomato sugar comes from naturally occurring fructose and glucose. In plain raw tomatoes there’s no added sugar. The numbers below come from lab-based nutrient tables widely used by dietitians and food researchers. A medium tomato weighs about 123 grams, so the per-100-gram figure helps you scale up or down with ease.
| Food/Form | Common Serving | Total Sugars |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato, raw (red, ripe) | 1 medium (123 g) | 3.2 g |
| Tomato, raw (per 100 g) | 100 g | ~2.6 g |
| Cherry tomatoes | 1 cup (149 g) | 3.9 g |
| Tomato paste (no salt) | 1/4 cup (66 g) | 8.0 g |
| Tomato paste (per 100 g) | 100 g | ~12.1 g |
| Canned tomato sauce | 1 cup (245 g) | 8.7 g |
| 100% tomato juice | 1 cup (248 g) | 6.4 g |
| Sun-dried tomatoes | 100 g (dry) | ~20 g |
These figures are drawn from nutrient records that source their raw data from the USDA FoodData Central and mirror what you’ll see on the tomato and product pages at MyFoodData.
Why Sugar Varies Between Tomato Types
Not all tomatoes taste the same. Smaller types like cherry tomatoes are bred for sweetness, while big slicing tomatoes skew milder. Processing concentrates sugars too: when water is removed to make paste or sun-dried pieces, the grams per 100 g climb quickly even though the fruit started out similar.
Natural Sugars, Not Added Sugars
Raw tomatoes contain only naturally occurring sugars. Added sugars show up in some jarred sauces and ketchups, where manufacturers sweeten to round out acidity. If you’re watching intake, check the “Added Sugar” line on the label—many plain sauces list 0 g added sugar, while sweetened versions list a few grams per serving.
Moisture Content Drives Concentration
Sugar per bite goes up when water goes down. Paste, puree, and sun-dried tomatoes have less water and tighter flavor, so the same spoonful can deliver more sugar than fresh slices. That doesn’t make them “bad”.
Tomato Sugar Per 100 Grams: Quick Reference
If you prefer to work in 100-gram units, use these handy numbers. They line up with the database entries linked above.
| Food/Form | 100 g Sugar | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Raw tomato | ~2.6 g | About 3.2 g per 123 g medium fruit. |
| Cherry tomatoes | ~2.6 g | About 3.9 g per 149 g cup. |
| Canned tomato sauce | ~3.6 g | 8.7 g per 245 g cup; sodium varies widely. |
| Tomato paste | ~12.1 g | 8.0 g per 66 g; concentrated product. |
| 100% tomato juice | ~2.6 g | 6.4 g per 248 g glass; check salt level. |
| Sun-dried tomatoes | ~20 g | Dehydrated; grams vary with oil-packed vs dry. |
How This Compares To Daily Eating
Fresh tomatoes sit on the low end for natural sugar. A sandwich slice or two barely moves the needle. Even a full medium tomato adds about three grams. That’s less than what you’d get from half a small apple.
Cooking Methods And Sugar Per Bite
Roasting, sautéing, or simmering sauce evaporates water, which makes a portion taste sweeter even though no sugar was poured in. If you’re following a recipe and want a lighter profile, finish with a splash of water, broth, or crushed tomatoes to loosen the sauce and spread those sugars across more volume.
Reading Labels On Tomato Products
Two jars labeled “tomato sauce” can be very different. Scan three spots: serving size, total sugars, and added sugars. Then skim the ingredient list. If you see corn syrup, sugar, or fruit concentrates high on the list, that product is sweetened. Plenty of basic sauces skip those ingredients and still taste great. People often ask “How Much Sugar In Tomatoes?” when they pick a jar—now you can scan once and decide.
Portions You Can Picture
Estimating grams gets easier when you match them to items you cook with daily. Use this quick visual guide while prepping meals.
Fresh Tomatoes
- 1 medium slicing tomato (about 123 g): ~3.2 g sugars.
- 3 tomato slices for a burger (about 60 g total): ~1.6 g sugars.
- 1 small salad tomato (about 91 g): ~2.4 g sugars.
Small Tomatoes
- 10–12 cherry tomatoes (about 1 cup, 149 g): ~3.9 g sugars.
Pantry Products
- Tomato paste: ~1.9 g sugars per tablespoon (from 8 g in 66 g).
- Basic canned sauce: ~3.5–4 g per 100 g (about 9 g per cup).
- 100% tomato juice: ~2.6 g per 100 g (about 6.4 g per 1 cup).
- Sun-dried tomatoes (dry): ~20 g per 100 g; a 10 g sprinkle adds ~2 g.
Tomatoes And Blood Sugar Basics
Tomatoes are mostly water with modest carbs and fiber. The balance keeps typical servings friendly for meal planning. If you manage carbs closely, weigh your portion of paste, dried pieces, or thick sauces, since those pack more sugar per bite than fresh slices. For a detailed nutrient look, the database pages linked above give the full breakdowns, including the split of glucose and fructose in raw tomatoes.
Smart Swaps When You Want Less Sweetness
- Use crushed or diced tomatoes in place of part of the sauce.
- Stir in roasted peppers, mushrooms, or spinach to stretch a jar without sweeteners.
- Pick “no sugar added” sauces; many brands list 0 g added sugar.
- Choose oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes as a garnish, not the base.
Tomato Sugar: Recipe Tips That Help
Balance acid and sweetness with herbs, garlic, and a pinch of salt. If a sauce tastes sharp, cook it a few minutes longer to mellow the edges rather than adding sugar. A knob of butter or a swirl of olive oil can soften acidity and round out flavor without changing sugar grams.
Seasonality And Sweetness
Vine-ripened tomatoes from warm months often taste sweeter because they start with a bit less water and a fuller flavor. Out-of-season tomatoes can taste flatter; roasting them concentrates flavor so you need fewer sweet condiments later.
What The Numbers Mean For Common Goals
Weight-Conscious Cooking
Fresh tomatoes add color and bulk for minimal sugar and calories. Build salads and salsas around them and you’ll get a flavorful base with modest sugar. If a recipe calls for a lot of paste, try halving the paste and adding extra crushed tomatoes to keep grams lower per serving.
Low-Sodium And Low-Sugar Shopping
Some tomato sauces carry hefty sodium while keeping sugar modest. Look for versions with both low salt and no added sugar, then season in the pan. When you see “100% tomato juice,” you’re buying natural sugars from the fruit and usually added salt, not added sugar.
Method Snapshot And Sources
All gram values in this guide trace back to nutrient databases that aggregate lab analyses of raw tomatoes and packaged tomato products. The entries for raw tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, canned tomato sauce, and 100% tomato juice align with the pages cited from MyFoodData, which references the federal database at USDA FoodData Central.
Entries were cross-checked for serving sizes so comparisons stay fair across forms and brands. Numbers are rounded for clarity from trusted datasets.