How Much Sugar Is in Papaya?
A cup of papaya has about 11 g of natural sugar, plus a big dose of vitamin C and the digestive enzyme papain.
in 1 cup cubed (145 g) · about 2.6 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 11 g
- Per 100 g
- 7.8 g
- Type
- Natural sugar
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 2.6 tsp
Fine in a portion — worth keeping an eye on.
A cup of papaya has around 11 g of sugar — noticeably milder than mango, the tropical fruit it's most often compared to, which runs more than double that for the same cup. Papaya also delivers well over a day's vitamin C and about 2.5 g of fibre.
It's a good default when you're craving something tropical but want to keep the sugar in check, especially over a whole mango or a glass of orange juice. A squeeze of lime brings out the sweetness without adding anything to the sugar count.
Lower-sugar swaps
- Choose papaya over mango when you want a milder tropical fruit
- Add a squeeze of lime instead of sugar to sharpen the flavour
Frequently asked questions
- Is papaya lower in sugar than mango?
- Yes, noticeably — a cup of papaya has about 11 g of sugar versus roughly 23 g for the same volume of mango.
- What is papain and does it affect sugar?
- Papain is a digestive enzyme unique to papaya; it doesn't change the sugar content but is part of why papaya is often recommended for digestion.
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Sugar values from USDA FoodData Central; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-08-09.