Dried Fruits vs. Fresh Fruits: Which Are Better for You?

Everyone knows that fruits are healthful, but are dried fruits on par with fresh fruits?

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It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to achieve some weight loss or you just aspire to be a healthy individual, fruit is always the right answer. 

Benefits of Fruit

We are taught since we are very little that a balanced diet consists of vegetables and fruits among other things. And with recent trends of veganism and vegetarianism, fruits are consumed even more often and for good reason: they are a detoxifying food which provide immense benefits to your overall health. Most fruits are very low in fat, sodium, calories, and cholesterol. Additionally, they are sources of many necessary nutrients to the human body that we are usually lacking such as vitamin C, folic acid, fibers, potassium, and many others.

The fibers that can be found in fruits help reduce cholesterol levels and are helping in reducing heart disease. Fibers are also extremely important for gut health and proper bowel movements. The potassium in many fruits — ­helps to maintain healthy blood pressure levels. The vitamin C in fruits helps to grow and repair our body tissues, wounds, cuts, healthy gums, etc. The folic acid in fruits helps the body to form new red blood cells, which is why it is especially important for pregnant women or women that want to get pregnant.

On a mental note, according to a study, you don’t need weed brownies to be happier; instead try eating fruits and veggies if you want to actually improve your mental health as well.

Fresh Fruits vs. Dried Fruits 

The usual misconception is that since fresh fruits are ‘fresh’ they are better for you than dried fruits. This is accompanied by the claim that dried fruits are the less healthy choice because they are higher in sugar and have a higher glycemic index, which represents the rise in the glucose levels in the blood two hours after eating the certain food. 

But dried fruits are still fruits and have plenty of nutrients. Moreover, they are much easier to pack, last way longer than fresh fruits, and are very tasty. Also, they are less messy than fresh fruits which makes them much more convenient in certain situations.  

That’s why the short answer to which one is better is: it depends. It depends on what you need, what conditions you have, and what your preference is. 

The biggest difference between fresh fruit and dried fruit is the number of calories and sugar that they have. When fruit is dried it loses some volume and mass because of losing its water, while the sugars and nutrients become more concentrated. This means that eating a certain amount of dried fruit will have more calories and sugar than if you ate the same volume or weight of fresh fruit.

Eating a variety of fruit in all forms and colors is always the best option. The only awareness you have to keep when it comes to dried fruits is to carefully read the label to avoid added sugar or chemical preservatives such as sulfer dioxide. Also, pay close attention to portion sizes, especially if you are trying to cut back on calories or your sugar intake. It is quite easy to overdo dried fruits when you are snacking on them, but the fact is that you can consume a lot more fruit in dried form that you ever could in their fresh form. Whatever form you prefer, enjoy your fruits! 

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