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December 08, 2005
Dried vs. Fresh Fruit
Q: I find that dried fruits are easier to eat than fresh — especially when I'm on the go. Are they as nutritious?
A: Not really. Some varieties are more concentrated sources of minerals, but the drying process depletes water-soluble nutrients, like vitamin C and potassium, says Pat Vasconcellos, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
A dried fig, for instance, contains about the same amount of iron as a fresh one but less than half the potassium, 10 percent of the vitamin C and just 1 percent of the vitamin A.
Dried fruits contain just as much fiber as fresh but they also pack in as much as four times the sugar and calories per ounce.
Consider dried fruits an occasional option, but choose whole fresh fruit to meet your everyday quota.
Posted by Lisa at December 8, 2005 11:58 AM
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