Is dried fruit as good as fresh fruit?

Fruits are full of nutrients and are among the healthiest foods that you can add to your diet. On the other hand, dried fruits are so popular these days. But the question is: “Are dried fruits healthy?”

So if you have this question and want to know which one is better or what are the pros and cons of fresh fruits and dried fruits, follow this post. We will let you know if dried fruit is a good option for your diet or which dried fruit is better to eat. Before we start, if you want to buy dried fruits, there are some tips you need to consider before buying dried fruits.

Dried fruits VS Fresh fruits

What are the benefits of eating fruits?

Vitamins are the first things to mention while talking about the benefits of fresh fruits. They are also high in fibre, minerals, and different types of antioxidants. Following a diet full of fresh fruit can reduce the risk of heart diseases, cancer, inflammation, or diabetes.

There are two types of sugar in fresh fruits: fructose and glucose. However, they are not harmful to the body while they mix with other nutrients in fruits. Therefore, it’s not that easy to consume that much fructose by eating fresh fruits.

On the other hand, fresh fruits contain lots of water, which is so necessary for the body. The water in plants can help the body to better digest the nutrients and minerals in foods.

What are the disadvantages of eating fruits?

It is hard for some people to digest fresh fruits because the insoluble fibre in them makes them feel sick or want to vomit. That’s because of the bowel sensitivity some people have.

In this situation, high fibre may increase gas production, which will lead to bloating. This disorder is treatable with medication, but in this case, cooked fruits or dried fruits can be great alternatives.

What are the benefits of eating dried fruits?

Just like fresh fruits, dried fruits also carry a high amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. Together with nuts, dried fruits can be a healthy snack.

Moreover, since dried fruits are the dehydrated form of fruits, they will stay fresh for a longer time. That’s one of the reasons why dried fruits are so popular among most people.

You can buy a high amount of dried fruits, and keep them in the refrigerator, and consume them the whole year. That’s what you can’t do with fresh fruits because they will lose their freshness after a week and are no longer eatable.

For people who may have bowel disorders and are not able to eat fresh fruits, dried fruits can be a good alternative because they carry the nutrients of fresh fruits without making them feel sick.

What are the disadvantages of eating dried fruits?

The main disadvantage of dried fruits is that they are high in sugar. Since dried fruits are squeezed and water-less, their nutrients become more in each portion. Sugar is among them too.

Although we mentioned earlier that the sugar in fresh fruits is not harmful to the body, consuming a high amount of fructose in sugar is not good. It may be associated with increased weight gain, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Moreover, the calories of dried fruits are more than fresh fruits. That’s sometimes because the dehydrated fruits are smaller than fresh fruits. For example, because dried fruits are squeezed, you may overeat them without knowing. That may lead you to intake much more calories than you need. 

That’s why you should always be careful about the daily amount of dried fruits you consume.

Bottom Line

Fresh fruits and dried fruits both carry the same nutrients. They are rich in vitamin C, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, and fruit sugar. But, since dried fruits are compressed, it has more nutrients in each small portion, and more nutrients also have more sugar consumption, which is not suitable for your health.

Therefore, most of the time, it is recommended to consume fresh fruits. However, it is not always possible to eat fresh fruits, it might be because some fruits have a particular season, or some people might be sensitive to them. That’s when you can always rely on dried fruits.

However, it’s better to consume them alongside other healthy foods, such as nuts, to reduce the amount of sugar you consume and increase the health benefits of your daily snacks.

PS. This article is written based on the research that Natural Moreish content team has done on different blogs, websites and articles. Natural Moreish doesn’t suggest acknowledge or claim the information on this post.