Preserved and Dried Fruit Vs Fresh Fruit Nutrition

If you're choosing, would you rather have raisins, or fresh grapes? It may be surprising for you to learn that there are differences between dried fruits and fresh fruits.

Produce departments in most areas are filling up with berries and cherries, and they generally look more appealing than dried fruit. But some people, nutritionists say, prefer dried fruits.

One registered dietitian has said that dried fruit doesn't have to be washed or prepared or peeled, which makes it easier to serve, especially to children.

Dried food is easier to handle and pack, and it's non-perishable and portable, but it can contain more calories when you compare it with fresh fruit. Nutrition values also can change, depending on how the dried fruit is prepared.

Nutritional experts say that because of the water used in keeping fresh produce fresh, they can help to fill up your stomach more, and you'll get more fruit nutrition with fewer calories consumed.

Fresh fruits are naturally rich in fiber, potassium, folate and vitamins C and A. Dried fruits have health benefits as well, but the process of drying the fruit can leach some of the nutrients from it.

Nevertheless, dietitians will tell you that dried and fresh fruits can each play a role in helping to satisfy your sweet tooth. This helps you to combat obesity, and the dried varieties make it easier to get your four fruit nutrition servings each day.

Researchers have discovered that when you dry blueberries, they actually become richer in antioxidants by four times over fresh blueberries. But drying processes can cause nutrients to be lost, and sometimes there will be sugar added as well. So most nutritional experts believe that fresh fruit is better for you, nutritionally.

Pretreatments that take place before the drying process, which include adding sulfur dioxide, can help to protect some of the nutrients, while at the same time degrading others. The sulfur dioxide preserves vitamins C and A, but destroys thiamine. Oftentimes, vegetables or fruits are steamed, or boiled briefly before they are dried, to help speed the drying process up and to kill microorganisms. This preserves thiamine and carotene but it causes a loss of vitamin C. Exposure to oxygen and light during the drying process can also degrade nutrients even further.

Drying with high heat can reduce the effective level of protein that your body gets from the food you eat. The protein is still there, but not as easily absorbed by your body. Fruit nutrition changes with the drying process, while it helps some nutrients and degrades others. The intensity of the drying process, depending on the fruit involved, will have various effects on the fruit you will eventually eat. Some of the effects are good, some not so good, and some parts of the dietary nutrition in fruits does not change appreciably when dried.

On the positive side, dried fruit has other benefits besides increased antioxidants. It is high in fiber, so it can be helpful in controlling diabetes, lowering blood cholesterol and helping to relieve constipation. Dried fruit is also a lot healthier than sugary snacks. And it's a quick energy source for athletes.

So... dried fruit is better in some ways and worse in others, as far as fruit nutrition statistics go. Eat dried fruits for snacks, but remember to include four servings of fresh fruit in your diet a day.

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The Benefits of Dried Fruit Baskets

Usually combined with varieties of nuts, dried fruit baskets have become the second most popular version of the original fresh fruit basket today. According to growers and manufacturers, dried fruit baskets have soared in recent years due to the amount of time one can take to consume the dried product and still have it taste as delicious as the day it arrived.

The most popular dried fruit baskets are composed of dried Mediterranean apricots, California pears, Middle Eastern dates and figs, as well as combinations of dried fruits such as coconut/date rolls and dried pineapple rings with a dried cherry in the middle. Another factor that has aided the dried fruit basket reach the lofty heights of success is the healthy aspect of dried fruits. The healthiest ones are sun dried, without the aid of chemical agents to speed the process or preserve the flavor and contain little or no added sugar. In addition, many distributors of dried fruit baskets follow religious food preparation mandates to make their products acceptable for use as a gift on popular religious holidays such as Passover and Ramadan.

The key to producing a quality dried fruit basket is much the same as for a fresh fruit basket. Begin with high quality fruits, grown under strict organic guidelines, picked at the peak of freshness and rushed into the drying process as quickly as possible to preserve their flavor. The additional factor, the drying process itself, must be done in a similar high quality manner to produce a finished product. If you visit a farm that specializes in high quality dried fruits, you'll learn that each fruit has its own, specific drying formula handed down from generation to generation.

When the sun is used to dry most of the fruit, not much has changed from the way it was done back in Biblical times. The changes have to do with mass production of products that stress quantity over quality. Cherries have to be pitted before they're dried so the finished product can be eaten like a raisin. Pineapples need a sugary glaze so the acidic component of the fruit does not hasten decomposition. Apricots, pears, apples and even banana slices are the driest of the dried fruits, needing no sugary coating, but must be properly ventilated during drying to remove all of the moisture. Drying fruit is an art more than a science, especially when quality is the desired result.

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Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is a very useful ingredient in both savory cooking and desserts. It offers a concentrated burst of sweetness and can often help curb even the most persistent sweet tooth. You can either dry your own or purchase the dried fruit at the supermarket. Raisins, dried apples, dried figs, and dried bananas, and other types of dried fruit can be used in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions.

Substitute Dried Fruit for Fresh

Dried fruit makes a wonderful addition to any recipe. In blueberry or cranberry muffins, for example, you can substitute dried fruit for the fresh version. If the recipe calls for one cup of fresh fruit, use ½ cup dried fruit. Soak the fruit in a little orange juice or water to make it plump.

Dried Fruit Trail Mix

Dried fruit makes a great addition to any trail mix. The simple sugars are a healthy substitute for candy and they offer a quick energy burst when you need it. If your hike is strenuous, you'll need to eat a constant amount of food to keep your energy and stamina up. Just mix the dried fruit of your choice with other ingredients such as pretzels, cereal, nuts, and crackers. Keep the mix within easy reach so you can munch it on the trail.

Savory Cooking with Dried Fruit

You can also include small pieces of dried fruit in savory cooking. Incorporating raisins and chopped dates into a couscous, rice, or lentil pilaf offers a good way to contrast spicy and sweet in the same dish. Other dried fruits, such as mango or pineapple, work well in different sauces and glazes. For advice on cooking with dried fruit, you can either search online or look in cookbooks. Middle Eastern food often incorporates dried fruit in their dishes.

Dried fruit serves as a healthy snack or interesting accompaniment to your meal. Look for creative ways to cook with dried fruit and you will be rewarded with good health.

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Dried Fruit - Smart Snack Or Health Hazard?

In speaking to countless patients over the years, it is apparent that people generally want to eat a healthy diet. In most cases, however, this is easier said than done. It takes a lot of planning to eat right each day, and many people feel overwhelmed by the high volume of information about nutrition coming from magazines, newspapers, television and medical professionals. One of the most common concerns I hear from patients is the difficulty of getting enough servings of fresh produce. To make it easier, people often turn to dried fruit out of convenience. My wife often buys these types of snacks every time we are in the airport. I would like to explore these kinds of choices and let you know whether or not it is a truly healthy option.

The Importance of Fruit

Everyone needs fruit and vegetables to stay healthy. These natural wonders are chock full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the substances that protect our cells from free radical damage. Many fruits commonly sold both fresh and dried, such as blueberries, cherries, cranberries and figs, are particularly rich in nutrients that protect our health.

Depending on age, weight and activity level, most adults must consume 5 to 9 fruit and vegetable servings each day. The problem is that choosing fresh produce isn't always easy. You may not have access to a refrigerator at work all day, and delicate fruits like pears and raspberries don't travel very well. Furthermore, purchasing fresh fruit at fast food restaurants, delis, or convenience shops is either impossible or expensive, and the selection is very limited. Despite these challenges, eating your daily produce servings is a natural, highly effective way to keep your body at its best.

Dried Fruit Pros and Cons

For many people, dried fruit has become the go-to solution to the produce dilemma. The question, however, remains: Is dried fruit truly healthy? The answer is not as clear as you might think. To make dried fruit, manufacturers remove the water. It is the water in fresh fruit that contributes to spoilage and bacteria growth, so dehydrating the fruit makes it shelf stable for six months to a year. If dried fruit is simply fresh fruit with the water extracted, how could it be bad for you?

In order to dehydrate fruit like plums, apricots, figs, grapes and all the rest, the fruit must be exposed to dry heat from either the sun or commercial grade ovens. This heat has a negative effect on fruit's nutrient content. In particular, vitamin C, potassium and calcium are three important substances that drastically deteriorate during the drying process.

For example, a dried apricot loses over half of its potassium content, and fruits high in vitamin C lose nearly all nutritional value due to drying. On the upside, however, dried fruit does not lose its fiber and iron content.

Another issue to consider with dried fruit is chemical content. For certain fruits, such as, golden raisins and apricots, sulphur dioxide is used to fix the color during the drying process. This chemical may aggravate or provoke asthma attacks in some individuals. To avoid unwanted additives, you can purchase natural and organic dried fruit at health food stores.

When you eat dried fruit, you must also take calories into account. Remember, the water has been removed, considerably reducing the volume of the fruit. Therefore, you will need to eat a smaller portion of dried fruit compared with fresh fruit in order to consume the same amount of calories.

For example, one cup of fresh grapes has about 60 calories, while one cup of raisins has 495 calories-quite a difference!

In addition, dried fruit tends to be much sweeter due to concentrated flavor, so it's easy to eat a lot without thinking about it. To keep calories in check, divide fresh fruit into individual portions and put them in zip top bags. Keep single servings in your car, purse or desk drawer for snacking.

Despite some stumbling blocks, the National Cancer Institute says that a quarter cup of dried fruit counts as a serving of produce. I recommend that my patients who enjoy dried fruit eat it as just one of their daily produce servings, and that they carefully monitor portion size. With healthy eating, variety is the key. If you purchase natural, chemical-free dried fruit and eat it along with a wide array of fruits and vegetables, it can be a convenient solution to your eat-right goals.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging

http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com
http://www.vitalmaxvitamins.com/blog

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