How Much Sugar In A Tangerine? | Sweet Facts Guide

Tangerines are small, easy-peel citrus with a bright, sweet bite. If you’re counting sugars, the exact number depends on the fruit’s size, the way you serve it, and whether you’re eating fresh sections or a canned product. Below are clear numbers for common servings, how they fit into daily targets, and easy swaps.

How Much Sugar In A Tangerine? By Common Servings

Here’s a broad table with sugar totals for common servings. Values trace back to USDA analyses. The cup line helps with salads; the 100-gram line helps if you weigh food at home.

Serving	Typical Weight (g)	Total Sugars (g)
1 small tangerine (2-1/4")	76	8.0
1 medium tangerine (2-1/2")	88	8.9
1 large tangerine (2-3/4")	120	13.0
1 cup tangerine sections	195	20.6
100 grams fresh tangerine	100	10.6
1 clementine	74	6.8
2 medium tangerines	176	17.8

Sources for the lines above: 1 cup values from MyFoodData’s USDA-based entry for tangerines; clementine values from MyFoodData; per-100-gram sugars from USDA-derived tables; size-specific sugars from USDA entries shown in widely used nutrition libraries.

Sugar In A Tangerine By Size And Type

Sugar is a natural part of citrus. Size changes the total because bigger fruits have more flesh. Canned segments run higher when packed in syrup.

Fresh Tangerines

Fresh fruit is the baseline. A medium sits near 9 grams. Per 100 grams you’ll see ~10.6 grams. A full cup of sections tops 20 grams because it’s almost two fruits.

Clementines Vs. Tangerines

Clementines are tiny mandarins. One small fruit has ~6.8 grams, mostly because it weighs less. Two clementines are close to one large tangerine for sugar.

Canned Mandarin Segments

Canned in juice? Close to fresh. Packed in light syrup? Higher. Per 100 grams, a juice-pack sits near 8.25 grams; light syrup lands near 15.5 grams. Many jars packed in 100% juice show 0 grams added sugar with totals near 16 grams per serving.

Daily Limits: Where A Tangerine Fits

Health groups draw a strict line between added sugars and the natural sugars in fruit. The American Heart Association sets a cap of 25 grams per day for most women and 36 grams for most men. Fresh tangerines contain no added sugar. Canned fruit in syrup counts as added.

To compare your snack, think in teaspoons: 1 teaspoon equals 4 grams. A medium at ~9 grams equals a bit over 2 teaspoons. A cup of sections at 20.6 grams is just above 5 teaspoons. A light-syrup can hits nearly 4 teaspoons per 100 grams.

How To Estimate Sugar When You Don’t Have A Label

Loose fruit rarely carries a panel. Use two cues: weight and common size names. With a kitchen scale, use the 100-gram line and scale up or down. No scale? Use the diameter terms—small ~2-1/4 inches, medium 2-1/2 inches, large 2-3/4 inches—and match the row.

Quick Math That Works

• Per 100 g rule: about 10.6 g sugar per 100 grams of fresh tangerine.
• Per medium fruit: about 9 g sugar.
• Per cup of sections: about 20–21 g sugar.

How Much Sugar Is In A Tangerine: Practical Uses

Knowing the range helps you plan snacks and desserts with less guesswork. Here are real-world ways to use the numbers. Each tip ties to the servings above.

Snack Swaps That Keep Sugar Steady

• Swap a pastry for two clementines. You get sweetness and a hit of vitamin C with about 13–14 grams of sugar and fiber to slow the rise.
• Trade candy for one medium tangerine. Around 9 grams of sugar with water and potassium is an easy win next to a similar-sized candy serving.
• Choose juice-pack cans when fresh fruit is scarce. You’ll stay closer to fresh sugar levels than light syrup.

Simple Pairings To Pull Sugar Down

Pair fruit with protein or fat to slow digestion. Mix sections into plain yogurt, toss with roasted almonds, or add to a cottage cheese bowl. The taste stays bright, and the meal stays steady.

Label Truths: Fresh Vs. Canned Words To Watch

Labels for canned mandarins can be confusing. Look for these phrases:

• “In light syrup” signals added sugar. Expect totals far above fresh for the same gram weight.
• “In 100% juice” means no added sugar, but totals may still be higher than a single fresh fruit because the serving is larger.
• “No sugar added” is the safest short phrase for matching fresh fruit sugars.

Method Notes And Sources

The numbers in this guide come from public nutrition databases that draw from USDA FoodData Central and lab reports. A widely used entry lists tangerine serving sizes and cup measurements, including the 195-gram cup with 20.6 g sugars. A companion entry lists clementine sugars at 6.8 g per small fruit.

Daily limits apply to added sugars. For a clear target, see the American Heart Association’s guidance, which places added sugars under 25 g for most women and 36 g for most men. Fresh tangerines don’t include added sugar; canned syrup does.

Data reflect edible portions without peel.

Reader Goals: Weight, Blood Sugar, Or Just Curiosity

Everyone comes to this question with a different aim. You may be training, tracking macros, budgeting for HbA1c goals, or simply counting teaspoons. The tables and tips above let you answer, in plain numbers, the line “How Much Sugar In A Tangerine?” without guesswork, and then swap servings to match your plan.

Segments vary slightly seasonally.

Second Table: Fresh And Canned Options Side-By-Side

Use this later table to compare fresh fruit with canned choices. Watch the serving weights; that explains most differences.

Product/Type	Serving Weight (g)	Total Sugars (g)
Fresh tangerine, medium	88	8.89
Fresh tangerine, 100 g	100	10.58
Fresh sections, 1 cup	195	20.6
Clementine, 1 fruit	74	6.8
Canned mandarin, drained, juice pack	100	8.25
Canned mandarin, light syrup pack	100	15.49
Branded jar segments, 100% juice (label)	122*	16*

*Label example shown for a typical jar serving; totals can vary by brand.

Smart Ways To Eat Sweet Without Overshooting

Build A Balanced Snack

Pair a medium tangerine with a small handful of nuts. You land near 9 grams of sugar with fiber, fat, and a little protein. It’s tidy.

Make A Better Dessert

Toss warm sections over plain yogurt with cinnamon. You get the citrus aroma and a creamy base while the total stays reasonable. Need more volume? Add chopped apple instead of a second tangerine.

Bottom Line For This Keyword

You asked, How Much Sugar In A Tangerine? For fresh fruit, plan on 9 grams for a medium, 10.6 grams per 100 grams, and about 20.6 grams per cup. Canned choices change the math based on the liquid. With juice-pack, you stay close to fresh. With light syrup, sugar jumps.