A medium apple (about 182g) has 25g of carbs, with 4.4g of fiber, giving ~21g net carbs. The variety changes the sweetness perception but barely changes the total.
By size
| Size | Weight | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 149g | 21g |
| Medium | 182g | 25g |
| Large | 223g | 31g |
| Extra large | 282g | 39g |
By variety (medium apple)
| Variety | Carbs | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Honeycrisp | 27g | 20g |
| Gala | 25g | 19g |
| Fuji | 28g | 22g |
| Granny Smith | 22g | 16g |
| Red Delicious | 25g | 19g |
| Pink Lady | 26g | 20g |
Granny Smith is the lowest-carb mainstream apple because it's less ripe.
Glycemic impact
Despite the sugar, whole apples have a glycemic index of ~36 — low. The fiber, especially the skin's pectin, slows absorption substantially. Apple juice, by contrast, has a GI of 41 and lacks fiber, hitting blood sugar twice as fast.
Apple comparisons
- Medium apple ≈ 1 slice of bread in total carbs
- Apple sauce (½ cup, unsweetened): 14g
- Dried apple rings (¼ cup): 17g (concentrated sugar)