For a long time, people have dried fruit for eating. Before refrigeration, dried fruit allowed people to eat this nutritious food even when fruit was out of season. Even though we have refrigeration now, dried fruit is a convenient, healthy food available to us. Fruit is either dried naturally or with a food dehydrator to remove the water content.
After the fruit has been dehydrated, you are left with a smaller-sized version of the original fruit with a stronger flavor and more condensed vitamins, minerals and fiber. Most dried fruits are rich in A and B vitamins and dietary minerals just like their hydrated originals. Eating dried fruit can help ensure you get enough of the important antioxidants to ward off many common illnesses.
Eat dried fruits on their own or add them with baked goods or cereals. Raisins and dried apricots are the most commonly known dried fruits, but now many other fruits are available in a dried form. Look for dried mangos, papayas, strawberries, cranberries and bananas, as well. More and more, stores are offering exciting new options for dried fruits, stocking less common tropical fruits.
What to Look for
Look for dried fruits sealed in airtight packages to ensure moisture is kept out during shipping and shelving. Properly packaged dried fruits keep longer and prevent things like mold and bacteria. Those contaminants make the food go bad sooner.
For something a little different than whole dried fruit, look for fruit leather, which is dried fruit puree. Fruit leather can be made from any type of fruit and has a smoother consistency than dried fruit.
Buying dried fruit in bulk can be more economical than buying dried fruit in smaller packages.
Common Pitfalls
Dried fruit takes on a darker color. Some dried fruit products are treated with sulfur dioxide to help them retain the original fruit color. Sulfur dioxide, however, can trigger asthma in some people. If you would like to avoid eating added sulfur dioxide, look for "organic" dried fruits or packages that say the fruit was dried without the use of sulfur dioxide.
Avoid dried fruits with sugar added. Some dried fruits lose their sweet flavor in the process. To keep the products sweet, some companies add sugar to dried fruits. The problem with adding sugar is that it makes a very healthy food into a high-calorie food. Instead of eating these higher calorie dried fruits, look for products with naturally sweet dried fruits.
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