Most people assume all fruit is healthy. Not quite. While fruit delivers valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, some varieties pack far more sugar than you think. And even natural sugar can impact gut health, metabolism, and weight when eaten in excess.

That’s why, as a heart surgeon, I always recommend choosing lower-sugar, higher-polyphenol fruits. I also treat fruit more like “nature’s candy”: enjoyed mindfully, not endlessly.

Here are nine low-sugar fruits I consider some of the healthiest choices you can make.

Grapefruit, tangerines and kumquats are naturally low in sugar and high in vitamin C. They also contain flavonoids, which are polyphenols that support a healthy gut microbiome.

Don’t strip away the white pith. It’s one of the most nutrient-dense parts. And kumquats? You eat them whole, peel and all, making them an easy, tangy addition to salads or stir-fries.

Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are some of my absolute favorites. They’re low in sugar yet packed with fiber and polyphenols.

Whenever possible, I always recommend eating berries in season. Opt for wild blueberries versus the giant-sized ones you see in grocery stores; they tend to have more antioxidants than the oversized store-bought ones.

Pomegranates are true superstars. They’re loaded with polyphenols like punicalagin, which may support heart and cellular health. Despite their sweet flavor, they’re relatively low in sugar compared to other tropical fruits.

Plus, those crunchy seeds add extra fiber, making them a double win for your gut and metabolism.

Yes, avocado is technically a fruit, and one of the very best. They are almost sugar-free, rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, and packed with potassium and fiber.

In my opinion, avocados are the most perfect fruit you can eat. They keep you full, support your heart, and nourish your gut without causing sugar spikes. I basically eat an avocado every day to glean the maximum health benefits.

Surprised? Olives are fruits, too, and they’re high on my list. They contain virtually no sugar and are rich in healthy fats and powerful polyphenols, especially hydroxytyrosol, one of the best types of polyphenols that feed our gut buddies.

That’s why olives and extra virgin olive oil are staples in my recommended diet for supporting heart, brain, and gut health.

Kiwi (in moderation) earns a spot on my list because it’s lower in sugar than many tropical fruits, and it’s loaded with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.

Here’s a secret: Eat the skin! Yes, the fuzzy part, because that’s where much of the fiber and polyphenols are found. Due to the serotonin-rich content of kiwi, they can also help you sleep better, according to a recent study.

Unripe bananas aren’t sweet — and that’s exactly the point. They contain resistant starch, a prebiotic fiber that feeds beneficial gut bacteria and supports stable blood sugar. Once bananas ripen, that starch converts to sugar, reducing those benefits.

I recommend blending green bananas into smoothies or mixing chopped pieces with yogurt, cinnamon, or low-sugar sweeteners. Green banana flour is another easy option.

Like green bananas, green (unripe) mangoes offer resistant starch, antioxidants, and significantly less sugar than their ripe, orange counterparts. They support digestion and metabolism while providing vitamin C.

Try a green mango salad (a staple in many Thai restaurants) for an easy way to add them to your diet.

Small but nutrient-dense, passionfruit is lower in sugar than many tropical fruits and filled with polyphenols, vitamin A, and fiber. Its crunchy seeds act as natural prebiotics.

I was just in France and Italy, and passionfruit was featured all over the place, from salads to desserts. Look for it if you’re traveling there in July or August or even in the fall months, when it’s in season.

For better long-term health, my approach is simple: Choose fruits that are low in sugar and high in fiber and polyphenols — the compounds that support gut health and more stable energy. But of course, you should always consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

Dr. Steven Gundry, MD, is a former cardiac surgeon, founder of GundryMD, and author of the bestselling books ”The Gut-Brain Paradox″ and ”The Plant Paradox.” For over two decades, his research has focused on the microbiome’s role in chronic disease and longevity. He received his degrees from Yale University and the Medical College of Georgia, and completed his surgical residency at the University of Michigan. Follow him on Instagram @drstevengundry.

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This story is part of CNBC Make It’s Millennial Money series, which details how people around the world earn, spend and save their money.

In January, Symone Austin was working a pretty typical day in her UX designer job when she got an email that made her stomach drop.

The 11 a.m. email from HR instructed her to clear her schedule for the day and be ready for a meeting in an hour. Austin, 33, says she’d been expecting the message for at least six months since her manager and several colleagues were laid off in mid-2024.

“I felt a wave of emotions: scared, very nervous, very anxious. I cried,” Austin tells CNBC Make It. “I just had a gut feeling that it was going to be the time that I was going to get laid off.”

Austin says she was, in fact, laid off over Zoom that day, along with around 20 of her co-workers. She wouldn’t know it yet, but she’d soon turn her hobby making YouTube videos into a new stream of income.

Austin, who lives in North Carolina, says she has since retooled her budget to cover her nearly $2,800 mortgage every month, make payments toward her student loans, avoid new credit card debt and barely touch her $40,000 emergency savings. Here’s how.

Austin previously earned $131,000 per year designing the user experience for a retail company’s apps and websites.

She got her last paycheck in February, which included payouts for her accrued vacation time, and later received her last bonus and a small severance package.

She immediately filed for unemployment and qualified for 12 weeks of benefits, paid at $600 per week, for a total of $7,200 in jobless aid.

The bulk of Austin’s earnings this year have come from her YouTube channel. She started making lifestyle videos in 2015 as a creative outlet after graduating from college; in 2018, she was in a car accident and began tracking her year-long journey of buying a new vehicle, and has dedicated her channel to covering personal finance ever since.

Austin recorded the aftermath of her layoff like she would for any big financial moment. It took her three weeks to build up the courage to post it.

“Even though I know a lot of people have been laid off, I felt a sense of embarrassment around it,” she says.

The video went viral within hours, racking up close to 100,000 views and a flood of supportive comments that same day, Austin says. The YouTube clip now has over 700,000 views, and a version on TikTok reached 1.6 million views. Viewers wrote about how they appreciated Austin’s authenticity and transparency; some said they were going through the same thing, while others said they’d been there before and were able to bounce back.

Austin continued documenting her layoff experience, committing 30 to 40 hours per week to creating three long-form videos and shorter social cuts of her new routine.

Her YouTube channel, Life and Numbers, is monetized in three main ways: ad revenue, sponsorships or brand deals, and a “super thanks” feature where people can donate to her directly.

The month before her layoff video, Austin says she made about $900 from her channel; by February, she earned $5,900 thanks to her viral video. She’s averaged around $2,000 per month from YouTube earnings alone, totaling $21,000 for the year as of October.

Austin also sells digital products through her channel, like a budget template and job-search tracker, as well as physical merch like T-shirts and sweatshirts. She’s earned about $3,000 from these for the year.

Outside of YouTube, Austin works as a virtual assistant for a local Pilates studio, where she earns $300, plus free classes, for 10 hours of work per month.

Here’s how Austin spent her money in October 2025.

• Mortgage and utilities: $2,962 for her two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house. About $2,746 goes toward her mortgage, and over $200 goes toward Wi-Fi, water and electricity.
• Food: $475 for groceries
• Debt repayment: $423, including $223 to her student loans and $200 to credit card debt
• Health insurance: $352
• Gas: $78
• Discretionary: $77 for a car repair, accidental AMC charge and a professional course
• Phone: $25

Austin’s biggest monthly expense is far and away her housing, including her $2,746 mortgage, which includes property taxes and insurance.

Austin bought her house on her own in 2024 after saving for about two years; she purchased the house for roughly $340,000 with a $10,000 down payment and $4,000 in closing costs.

Austin has spent a lot of the year worried about making her housing payments and debating whether she’d need to move. She recently decided that in January, her friend will move in as a roommate, which means she’ll be able to stay in her house and significantly lower her housing costs.

She’s currently making minimum payments toward her credit card debt, which totals around $15,000 and is from buying her home’s furniture and appliances last year. She still uses her credit card for everyday purchases to rack up travel points, but pays off those purchases immediately. “I’m determined to not go further into credit card debt,” she says.

Austin is also making payments toward her roughly $33,000 in student debt from her master’s degree in interactive media.

Aside from a big chunk for private health insurance, Austin keeps the remainder of her expenses low. She cut her budget down to the basics after her layoff, estimating that she spends about $1,000 less per month now than she did a year ago. “My brain has been rewired around how I see money,” she says.

Austin started the year with a $40,000 emergency savings fund and only recently dipped into it to cover her monthly expenses. She says she fully intended to rely on it after her layoff, but “every time I’ve gone to pull money out of it, I’ve gotten money from somewhere else.”

“I’ve been very grateful throughout this whole year that it took until month 10 for me to finally have to use my savings,” she says.

Many of Austin’s videos get real about the challenges of being out of a full-time job for nearly a year. Long-term job seekers say the experience can take a toll on their emotional and physical wellbeing, on top of their finances.

Austin says it can be hard to depict those feelings in her videos, but that it’s made her aware of what keeps her grounded. Staying physically active through yoga, Pilates and going on walks with friends has been crucial to her mood, she says.

She also leans on her support system, including friends and family members. Long-time friends continue to invite Austin on trips and will cover things like the hotel stay in order for her to make it.

“I’ve still had moments where I get to do fun things throughout the year,” Austin says, adding that her sister bought her ticket to see Beyonce perform during this summer’s Cowboy Carter tour.

“I’m walking away [from] this year with a much deeper appreciation for my support system,” she says.

Austin leaned on her faith during hard times and says her relationship with God “has gotten so much deeper this year.”

“I’ve just had to really trust that God has a plan for my life,” she says, “and I may not know what that plan is right now, but eventually, everything is going to work out.”

Austin’s biggest priority for now is to keep covering her bills and to land another steady job.

The designer and creator says she is open to new work opportunities, whether it’s another 9-to-5, contract work or consulting. She recently got certified in accessibility design and is eager to incorporate that into her work.

Now that she’s built her own YouTube following, she’s also open to social media and content creation roles.

With a steady paycheck, Austin says her next financial goal will be to pay off her credit card debt as quickly as possible, followed by her student loans.

She’s interested in one day becoming part of the FIRE community, which stands for financial independence, retire early. “I’m looking forward to when I’m financially stable again, so that I can start building the foundation to achieve that one day,” Austin says.

Her No. 1 piece of advice to others going through a layoff is to not take the circumstances personally and to give themselves grace. It’s easy to burn out on finding a new job and ignore the things that make you happy, Austin says.

“Remember that this isn’t going to last for forever,” she says.

It’s been a tough year, but Austin is proud that she’s been able to pay all her bills on time and found ways to be resourceful.

“I’ve learned that I’m a lot stronger than I thought I was,” Austin says. “At the beginning of this year, I was panicking. I was very scared. Throughout the year, I’ve still felt a lot of anxiety, and sometimes depression, but I’m still here.”

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People who are well-liked at work tend to be good communicators.

They often know how to talk to all kinds of other people, no matter the setting. Strong communication can help strengthen relationships and build respect in the workplace, says Vanessa Van Edwards, a behavioral researcher and bestselling author who teaches a Harvard University program on “effective organizational communication.”

You can make a couple small changes. to get the most of your interactions with your colleagues — starting with your first greeting to them, says Van Edwards. “Make it a habit to greet people warmly, whether it’s a smile, a nod or a quick, ‘Good morning.’”

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Then, when you’re talking, remember to be cognizant of your inflections, or how you change your vocal pitch and tone, adds Van Edwards, who’s also the instructor of MasterClass’ “People Intelligence” course. “Speak on the downward inflection. Don’t accidentally use uptalk — the question inflection — on a statement. This is especially important on your first impression and when you mention important information,” she says. “Make this a daily habit.”

Other communication tactics could help you become more well-liked at work, too. Here are two more tips from other experts:

Make time for small talk

On the surface, small talk may not seem significant, especially when you’ve got other, more pressing challenges at work. But making time for unimportant conversations can go a long way, according to Lorraine K. Lee, a keynote speaker, LinkedIn Learning instructor, and author of “Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career.”

“Highly likable people treat these interactions as meaningful, not optional. They’re present, even during quick exchanges,” Lee wrote for CNBC Make It on Sept. 8. “These moments may feel small on their own, but they compound over time. They humanize you and help build stronger relationships.”

Her advice: The next time you’re eager to rush away from small talk with a colleague, stay a little longer, ask one more question, and be attentive to make a long-lasting impression, she wrote.

Know when to go

Reading the room is a valuable skill, especially during conversations.

If a person is constantly giving you curt, uninterested responses like, “Oh,” “Is that so?” and “Uh huh, right,” don’t try to force the interaction. Instead, drop it and try again at a later time, Boston University clinical psychologist Ellen Hendriksen wrote on March 5.

Usually, when someone is enjoying a chat, they’ll respond with “conversational doorknobs,” Hendriksen wrote. The term, coined by a social scientist named Adam Mastroianni, refers to “anything that piques your interest, reminds you of something else, elicits a question, or is ‘No way! Me, too!’ relatable,” she wrote.

When you’re trying to build relationships, you might view a lack of conversational doorknobs as opportunities to keep speaking or ask more questions. But you won’t be seen as unlikeable or unrelatable if you cut the conversation short, wrote Hendriksen: You might even be viewed as more friendly and relatable.

“Especially for perfectionists, when we’re used to aiming high, lowering the bar might feel wrong, but it allows more friends and potential friends to clear the bar and join in,” she wrote.

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As a mom, a researcher, and a writer, I’ve spent more than a decade diving into the science of happiness.

Along the way, I’ve collected what I call “Secrets of Adulthood” — the lessons I’ve learned, with time and experience, about how to create lives that are happier and more meaningful. Many of those insights come back to one of the most important roles we play: raising happy, well-adjusted kids.

So I’m sharing 12 simple and practical parenting rules I always live by.

If you have big plans for the day but your child isn’t cooperating, be willing to adjust your activities to suit your child’s needs in the moment.

Sometimes I have to remind myself, “This is supposed to be fun.” It’s no good visiting the zoo if my daughter is throwing one tantrum after another.

When I interviewed parenting expert Aliza Pressman on my podcast “Happier,” we talked about the fact that by working to stay calm ourselves, we help our children stay calm.

Children don’t want the pressure of feeling that a parent’s mood or outlook depends on their behavior; they want to be able to rely on a parent’s steady support. 

This small action makes a huge difference for kids by boosting the atmosphere of tenderness and attentiveness in a household.

Say hello and goodbye with genuine attention and warmth, and if possible, add a hug or some kind of physical touch. I want my kids (and my husband) to know that I’m just as happy to see them as our dogs are. 

My silly April Fool’s Day pranks and my “holiday breakfasts” for Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day are a big source of happiness. They’re quick, fun, and make a day feel special and memorable.

Wear a bright red shirt with bright orange shorts? Sure. Sleep with your head at the foot of the bed? Fine. Samuel Johnson said, “All severity that does not tend to increase good, or prevent evil, is idle.”

For instance, figure out whether your child is an Obliger, Questioner, Upholder, or a Rebel, and adapt your parenting style to suit that particular child. Read more about my “Four Tendencies” personality framework here. If you want suggestions about how to apply the framework as a parent, look here. If you want your child to practice the piano, for instance, you’d take a very different approach depending on your child’s Tendency.

This includes being willing to laugh at yourself. I remind myself of the Secret of Adulthood that “Mishaps often make the best memories.”

Instead of yelling when I saw that my daughter had scattered every single pot and pan across the kitchen floor, I laughed and reminded myself that one day, this mess would make a very funny memory.

“You’re so resourceful,” “You have such an original imagination,” “I wish I had your ability to remember names and faces.” For children and adults alike, it can be hard to identify our own strengths. Parents can help children recognize areas of excellence in themselves. 

It can be tempting to say, “That person was just joking, it’s not a big deal,” “You won’t have any trouble memorizing the multiplication tables once you focus,” “You’re not afraid of clowns.” We may think that we’re being encouraging, but in fact, when we deny children’s feelings, they feel frustrated and ignored.

It’s more helpful to respond with empathy: “Last time we went to the circus you thought the clowns were very funny, but right now they seem scary,” or “That comment really hurt your feelings,” or “It’s hard work to memorize the multiplication tables.” 

I recently discussed this principle on the podcast “Laughlines with Kim and Penn Holderness.” Sometimes when talking to our kids, we ask questions that prompt them to focus on the negative aspects of their day. “Was that class still boring?” “Was that kid mean to you again?” We want to respond with compassion if a child wants to discuss a tough topic, but we don’t want to encourage them to focus on the worst parts of their experience.

Tasks that are easy for adults can be frustrating and difficult for children. Try to make things easier: Use hooks rather than hangers, store useful items on low shelves, keep a lightweight step stool next to the kitchen counter and in the bathroom.

When your child is driving you bonkers, keep your sense of perspective by recalling that soon, this phase will retreat into the past. It’s easier to stay serene and good-humored when we remember how fleeting the days of childhood were. One of the best ways to make your child happy is to be happy yourself.

Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential observers of happiness and human nature. She’s the author of many books, including the bestseller ”The Happiness Project.” Her books have sold more than 3.5 million copies worldwide, in more than 30 languages. She hosts the award-winning podcast Happier with Gretchen Rubin, where she explores practical solutions for living a happier life. Her new book, ”Secrets of Adulthood,” is out now.

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Many parents go to lengths to raise kids who are polite and well-mannered.

But, your kids also have to learn to stand up for themselves, even if it means voicing disagreement or displeasure in a way that might seem disrespectful to someone else, says Reem Raouda, an author and certified conscious parenting coach. Teaching your child the importance of self-advocacy, and giving them the space to practice it without fear of reprisal, will help them develop the self-esteem they’ll need to become a confident, successful adult who isn’t afraid to give voice to their needs and opinions, she says.

“A child’s dignity — their thoughts, their beliefs, how they feel — is just monumental compared to their obedience,” Raouda says, adding: “We want them to be confident. We want them to speak up.”

Actor Dax Shepard recently discussed catching some flak for encouraging his two daughters to “talk back” to their parents and other adults, because he wants them to feel comfortable standing up for themselves, he said on a recent episode of his podcast, “Armchair Expert,” that aired on November 3. Shepard admitted other adults sometimes view his children as rude or “completely unruly,” he said. However, he and wife Kristen Bell are prioritizing raising their daughters to become confident women who will not be afraid to speak up in situations that call for it, like if they eventually work for a boss who acts like a “creep,” Shepard added.

“I want them to be disrespectful,” he said on the podcast. “I want them to always advocate for themselves, whether I think they’re right or wrong.”

In fact, Raouda recommends that parents rethink how they define “disrespect”: Simply speaking up and asserting yourself is not inherently disrespectful, whether you are a child or an adult, she says. Whether it comes to avoiding mistreatment or simply ensuring your needs are met, at work or in your personal life, becoming comfortable advocating for yourself is an essential skill that can lead to greater success and mental well-being, experts say. 

What’s more, parents who overemphasize obedience, discouraging their kids from speaking their minds for fear of them coming off as rude, run the risk of raising people-pleasers who prioritize other people’s feelings and needs over their own, Raouda says. Encouraging that mindset can create “a whole host of other issues,” she notes, as people-pleasers are more likely to grow up to become anxious, burnt out adults.

Encourage respect by ‘modeling empathy’

Raouda acknowledges there can be “a fine line” between self-advocacy and legitimate disrespectful behavior that completely ignores the feelings of others. The key to raising confident kids who can assert themselves in respectful ways is to teach them emotional awareness and empathy, she says, adding that this starts with how those kids see their own parents behave.

“Modeling empathy” as parents is essential when interacting with anyone else, from their own kids and other family members to strangers, she says: “Being an empathetic, compassionate, kind, loving person: That’s how they learn.”

Modeling those positive behaviors can start with parents talking openly about their own feelings and emotions. Teaching your kids how to describe their own feelings in words — “I’m happy” or “I’m upset and frustrated” — helps them learn to manage their own emotions and assert themselves while also fostering empathy for how their actions might make others feel, Raouda notes. 

It’s also important for parents to apologize to their children, and others, for legitimately poor behaviors, like losing your temper when your child isn’t listening, according to Raouda. Doing so teaches your child the value of taking personal responsibility, while also modeling empathy and showing them respect that makes your child feel valued, Raouda wrote for CNBC Make It in January. 

“A respectful child feels respected. A child who listens feels listened to. So start there,” she says.

Finally, Raouda is adamant that parents try to avoid forcing children to use polite words, like “please” or “thank you.” That may seem counterintuitive, she admits, but it’s far more effective to model those positive behaviors and trust your kids to learn by example than to constantly nag them with reminders.

“It’s a fine line, but really it’s what we model,” she reiterates. “An assertive child that is grounded, knows who they are, [and] can speak up is what we want. We don’t want rudeness, but that comes from us.”

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