Dried Fruits Nutrition & Calories

The process of drying fruit removes the moisture that can cause bacteria and mold to live in the food and can also reduce and enhance the nutritional and caloric value, too.

Less Vitamin C

• Food drying processes expose fruit to oxygen and heat, which reduces the vitamin C in the fruit. For example, a cup of fresh seedless grapes has 16.3 mg of vitamin C, but a cup of dried seedless grapes, or raisins, has only 2.2 mg. Eating fresh fruit is a better way to get vitamin C.

More Calories

• A piece of fresh fruit has fewer calories as opposed to its dried counterpart. A fresh cup of seedless grapes has 104 calories as opposed to a cup of dried grapes, which has a whopping 434 calories. Eat just a quarter cup of the dried fruit for fewer calories.

Low in Fat

• Dried fruit is lower in fat and denser in nutrients than fresh fruit. Dried fruit, however, has far less water than fresh fruit---the less water, the less filling the fruit is. When dieting, stick to fresh fruit for the water content or use small amounts---2 tbsp. at most---of dried fruit over cereal for a boost of energy.

Degrading Nutrients

• In commercially dried fruit products, food additives are added to prevent the natural process of the fruit becoming darker when exposed to air. The additives, known as sulfites, can further degrade some nutrients in the fruit while preserving others---vitamins C and A are preserved while thiamin is degraded.

Nutrition Benefits

• Dried fruit has a higher fiber content, which means eating a handful of dried fruit as opposed to a dozen pieces of fresh fruit may be a quicker way to relieve constipation, control diabetes and lower cholesterol. Dried fruits can also be higher in iron, selenium and potassium, making it a good choice for those suffering with anemia.