Dried fruit is a staple in the snacking repertoires of many people. Marketed to busy adults and peckish children alike, dried fruit can be found lining the baking and snack aisles of most grocery stores. Despite being filled with fruit, these bags may actually pose quite a problem for men and women with diabetes.

Dried VS Fresh Fruit

Dried fruit often wins over fresh fruit due to its convenience. You can toss a bag of dried fruit into your bag and have a snack on hand whenever you need one. In contrast, fresh fruit may require refrigeration, a napkin, or a knife to consume. Unfortunately, the advantages tend to stop there, giving fresh fruit a clear advantage.

Advantages of Fresh Over Dried Fruit

#1. Water Content

Drying fruit, of course, removes most of the water content from the fruit. Fruits and vegetables are wonderful foods partly because they have a lot of water in them, which makes them easier to digest and add points toward your daily water intake.

#2. No Additives

Most dried fruits have additives and added sugar. Some can be found without any additives, but many have colorants, flavoring, and preservatives. All of these additives have the potential to be problematic for diabetes patients.

#3. More Easily Digested

Fresh (or frozen) fruit is usually the winner when it comes to matters of nutrient and digestive content. Dried fruit is also usually higher in sugar, which can be extremely harmful to diabetics looking to consume whole foods with as little sugar as possible.

When to Consider Dried Fruit 

This isn’t to say you should never eat dried fruit; instead, you should opt for fresh over dried whenever possible. For instance, enjoying a handful of your favorite trail mix is not likely to send your sugars soaring, nor will bringing dried fruit along on a road trip or plane ride.

Dried fruit should be treated as a once-in-a-while snack or a convenience food when fresh fruit isn’t an option.