Fresh versus dried fruit

Contrary to the beliefs of many, dried fruit offers a range of advantages over fresh, and can make an important health contribution to everyday eating.

Here are just some of the benefits:

  1. It takes approximately four kilos of fresh grapes to make one kilo of sultanas, which means that sultanas contain three times the amount of fibre found in grapes. Similar proportions can be applied to other dried fruit.
  2. Dried fruit contains more calcium and fibre per 100g than fresh fruit equivalents.
  3. When fruit is dried, it loses water. This means that, gram for gram; dried fruit contains more nutrients than fresh. It's a concentrated version of the fresh product!
  4. Dried fruit is longer lasting and less perishable, which makes it ideal for energy-boosting portable snacks. It can be stored as a cooking ingredient, or sprinkled onto cereals and desserts to add extra nutrients, flavour and texture.