Dried Fruit Vs. Fresh Fruit
Water is not the only thing dried fruit lacks compared to fresh fruit. Drying also depletes fruit of beneficial nutrients while concentrating the number of calories in each serving. However, there are some benefits to eating dried fruit, particularly in the winter time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Lost Nutrients in Dried Fruit
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The drying process causes fruit to lose a lot of certain nutrients, such as vitamins A and C.
Caloric Content
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Fresh fruit is made mostly of water, so it generally is low in calories. Dried fruits, however, have lost most, if not all, of their water content, concentrating the amount of calories. For instance, a cup of raisins contains over 400 calories, while a cup of grapes contains about 100.
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More Fiber
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The fiber content of dried fruits is also more concentrated than that of fresh fruit. A cup of dried apricots has over 6 grams of fiber while fresh ones only have 3 grams per cup.
Added Sugars
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Some dried fruits contain added sugar, which increases their caloric content. If you are concerned about the about of calories and sugar you consume, it's best to skip dried fruits with additional sweeteners.
Perishability
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Fresh fruit does not keep for very long, nor is it available year round in most places. Dried fruit has a much longer shelf life and allows you to enjoy fruit year round.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Gordana Adamovic-Mladenovic
