Apricot Glycemic Index

Fresh apricots have a low glycemic index of about 34. This is well-established across multiple sources, making apricots one of the lower-GI fruits. Dried apricots have a slightly higher GI (around 44) and a significantly higher glycemic load per serving because sugar is concentrated. Canned apricots in syrup will have a higher GI depending on the syrup's sugar content.

Fresh apricots are a good fruit choice for people with diabetes because of their low GI (34) and very low glycemic load (3 per two apricots). They provide fiber, vitamin A, and potassium. Dried apricots should be eaten in smaller portions due to concentrated sugar. As with all fruit, portion size matters. This is general nutrition information — people with diabetes should discuss individual serving sizes with their care team.

Two medium fresh apricots contain about 6.5 g net carbs, which fits easily into most low-carb plans (50–100 g net carbs/day). On strict keto (under 20–30 g/day), two apricots use a significant portion of the budget but can still fit. Dried apricots are much denser — just 5 pieces contain about 24 g net carbs, so they are harder to fit on a low-carb diet.

Dried apricots retain the fiber and nutrients of fresh apricots but concentrate sugar, raising both GI and GL. A 40 g serving of dried apricots has about 24 g net carbs and a GL around 10, which is moderate. They can be part of a healthy diet in small portions (2–3 pieces), but fresh apricots are a better choice for blood sugar management.

Yes, ripeness can modestly affect GI. Riper apricots have more simple sugars and less starch, which can raise GI slightly. However, the difference is small compared to other fruits — even very ripe fresh apricots remain in the low-GI range. The bigger factor is whether the apricot is fresh, dried, or canned.