A healthy diet is one rich in colorful fruits and vegetables. While typically high in calories, dried fruits come in a wide range of colors that provide essential nutrients. In moderation, dried fruit can fill many of your daily nutritional requirements. According to the California Department of Public Health, dried fruits come in red, green, blue, purple, white and yellow varieties, each with specific healthy properties.
History
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drying fruit is one of the oldest preservation techniques in history. Early American settlers dried apples, grapes and currants year round because the drying process was a method to keep food edible through the changing seasons. Food was dried by laying it out in the sun before modern drying techniques were available.
Benefits
Dried fruit is an effective source of fiber and is a convenient method to provide dietary fiber in a daily diet. It packages easily and is light and flexible. According to the California Department of Public Health, like its fresh counterparts, dried fruit, such a figs, dates and raisins, is a substantial source of B-complex vitamins, vitamins A and C and magnesium. Raisins provide potassium, which is needed to prevent muscle spasms and maintain healthy nerves. Figs and raisins also are an effective source of iron, often short in many vegetarian and weight-loss diets. Some calorie counts for a single serving are 299 for a half cup of raisins and 236 calories for one serving of prunes.
Specifics
Memory function and urinary health can be sustained by eating blue and purple dried fruits such as dates, plums and blueberries. Yellow dried fruits such as apricots, golden raisins and yellow figs promote vision health and a healthy immune system, according to the California Department of Public Health. Small amounts contain high calories counts though. One small fig, about one inch in diameter, has about 30 calories. Strong bones and teeth can be protected with regular consumption of green dried fruits such as kiwi and green apples. One third of a cup of dried apples has nearly 240 calories. Dried kiwi may be a better choice if you're on a diet, with 110 calories in the same volume.
Considerations
Flavonoids are reduced when fruit is subjected to the heat and light used in drying processes. Sugar content is concentrated and high in dried fruit because most of the water has been removed through the drying process. For example, one cup of fresh apricots contains about 74 calories, while one cup of the popular dried apricots carries more than 300 calories.
Warning
When dieting, you should pay strict attention to serving sizes and keep your consumption of dried fruits low. A 3.5-ounce serving of dried fruit translates to about one-quarter cup. For example, papaya has about 255 calories in each serving size, which could equal a mere two or three pieces of fruit. According to the Weight-Control Information Network, portion size and serving size do not always match. The portion of dried fruits you may be accustomed to eating may actually include two or three serving sizes as listed on the package.
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