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From dried apple to apricots and all the dates in between, dried fruit has become a snack favourite among the health conscious.
But for all the healthy labelling and convenience, are they really the wonder snack you think they are? Sadly, not quite.
The main problem is the serving size. Because dried fruit is dehydrated, the water is removed from the fruit and it shrinks but the sugar and nutrient amount stays the same, meaning the concentration of sugar and nutrients increase – significantly.
“Generally the water content is around 70 to 85 per cent of the fruit, so when the water is removed, the serving size is 20 per cent of the weight with the same energy and nutrient content. As a result, your serving size in grams of dried fruit should be about one fifth of the serving size of the full fruit,” explains Integrated Fitness and Nutrition nutritionist Tom Fitzgerald.
To put that into perspective, a large handful of apricots is equivalent to eating five or six full pieces of fruit. (Looking for a healthy lunch idea? This quinoa recipe ticks all the boxes. Post continues after video.)
