Dried pineapple, unlike its juicy counterpart, is a poor source of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is water-soluble, which means that this delicate vitamin gets squeezed out of the dried fruit during processing. Whereas dried pineapple has no vitamin C in a 1/4-cup serving, an equivalent weight of raw pineapple has approximately 8 percent of the recommended daily value for this vitamin.
Nutritional Overview
Dried pineapple is a snack alternative and a popular addition to trail mix. One-quarter cup of dried pineapple has 140 calories including 25 g sugar and 1 g fiber. Dried pineapple has a negligible amount of protein and fat. The calories and sugar content in one serving of pineapple can be higher depending on whether the manufacturer adds sugar during processing -- always read the ingredient list to identify added sugar. Dried pineapple can be high in sodium, which is added as a preservative -- with 115 mg per serving.
Vitamin C Content
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is lost during dehydration of dried pineapple and other dried fruits. To demonstrate this loss, 1 cup of fresh pineapple chunks has approximately 28 mg of vitamin C, and 1/4 of dried pineapple, which is what remains after you dehydrate 1 cup of fresh pineapple, has only trace amounts of vitamin C. Sometimes manufacturers will add ascorbic acid to dried fruit as a preservative or to increase the vitamin C content of their product.
Vitamin C Significance
Vitamin C plays a role in cellular metabolism by helping cells grow and divide. Vitamin C is also may have antioxidant properties that immobilize free radicals and neutralize toxins that enter the body. U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that adult men and women obtain 300 mg of vitamin C daily.
Other Fruits with vitamin C
In addition to raw pineapple, other brightly colored fruits such as lemons, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi and papaya are also sources of vitamin C. Generally speaking, the brighter the color, the more vitamin C a fruit has.
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