Fresh fruit vs dried fruit: which is healthier? & bull; hello healthy

Dried fruit has been widely consumed today, because dried fruit can last longer than fresh fruit. In addition, dried fruit is cheaper than fresh fruit. Because dried fruit is made from fresh fruit, many people believe that dried fruit is just as healthy as fresh fruit. But, is that true? Let's take a look at the differences between the two below.

The drying process of the fruit reduces its nutritional content

The drying process is usually done after the fruit is picked to prevent nutrients from being lost. All fruit can dry effectively, and this is usually done by sun drying, warm air drying, and by freezing. Of the three types of drying, freezing can retain the most nutrients, but drying sun and air also releases quite a bit of nutrients. Moreover, the freezing process is more expensive and less used.

Warm air drying is the most common, as it is faster than sun drying and less expensive than freezing. This means, dried fruit that is widely produced for consumers has a slightly lower nutritional value than fresh fruit.

Dried fruit contains sulfur dioxide

After the fruit is dried, it is packaged using sulfur dioxide, which is an artificial antioxidant and antibacterial agent. This can prevent the dried fruit from changing color and extend the shelf life of the fruit. Dried fruits contain higher levels of sulfur dioxide than other foods, and this high amount is of concern to many people. In relatively low doses such as those found in many dried fruit, most people feel no pain (although this is still a poison).

However, a small percentage of people are sensitive to sulfur dioxide, especially those with asthma. Taking sulfur dioxide can cause headaches, breathing problems, and itchy skin. Even in extreme circumstances, this will cause heart problems. So, you'd better avoid dried fruit which has sulfur dioxide, but these are often hard to find and usually more expensive.

Dried fruit often gets added sugar

The only additive commonly added to dried fruit is sugar, and this is usually used to add flavor. Fruit is already relatively high in sugar, so adding more sugar can contribute to the effects of disease. The sugar from dried fruits doesn't actually cause side effects, but combined with added sugar can cause health problems.

Fruit is mostly water, and by drying it, you are removing a lot of the mass of the fruit. For example, blueberries are 85% water, so if they are dried, 80 grams of dried blueberries will give the same amount as 148 grams of fresh blueberries. This means that 80 grams of dried blueberries have the same nutrients as 148 grams of fresh blueberries, and this applies to any type of fruit. So, you'll get more vitamins and minerals in dried fruit, but get lots of sugar and no water.

How about fresh fruit?

After the fruit is picked, the nutritional value of the fruit begins to decline. In some fruits, the vitamin C content drops dramatically after 3 days, and can even be completely lost. This means that it is important to eat the freshest possible fruit, even though not all fruit will be like this. Fruit from supermarkets may be specially stored to prevent nutrient depletion, which includes storage at low oxygen levels or low temperatures. This will slow down the degeneration process, which means that nutrients won't be lost as quickly. Even so, fresh fruit still has the highest nutritional value and is healthier.