By Taylor Sutton, MS, RD
United Supermarkets’ Lifestyle Desk
Trade up your traditional snack for some fruit! Fruit can be enjoyed in a variety of ways – fresh, dried, frozen, and canned, but why is it so important to consume it everyday? Fruits are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants and flavonoids, all nutrients important for health and wellness.
You might be hearing some buzzing that fruit is too high in sugar and which it does have sugar it’s important to understand that it also contains other benefits and is part of a balanced lifestyle. Other benefits of fruit include reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and inflammation in the body.
Fresh vs Dried
Dried fruit has been around for thousands of years as a way to preserve fruit and make it last longer. By drying a fruit the nutrients are locked in, and in some cases, increased when compared to fresh fruit. One major difference between dried and fresh fruit is the sugar content.
For example, 100 grams of a fresh mango, has around 14 grams of sugar whereas the same amount of dried mango contains about 66 grams of sugar, nearly 5 times more sugar. For this reason, a recommended serving size of dried fruit is much smaller than fresh fruit. The recommended serving size of dried fruit is 30 grams, or about 1 tablespoon, whereas the serving size for fresh fruit is 100-170 grams, or about 1 cup. Even though the serving size for dried fruit is smaller than for fresh, dried fruit is packed with nutrients.
For example, 100 grams of fresh mango provides 9% of the daily value for vitamin B6 whereas the same amount of dried mango provides 26% of the daily value. Both fresh and dried fruits have many benefits to consider when choosing which method to enjoy.
One pro tip here is to be sure if you are enjoying the dried version to make sure there is no additional sugar added by turning the package around and reading the ingredients list. Dried fruit when paired with another food that has fat and protein would be an excellent snack to help maintain stable blood sugar levels as well as sustained energy.
How to use fruit
Fruit can be served alone, or in combination with other foods. Dried fruits are great for salads, trail mix, oatmeal, snack bars, sauces and baked goods. They add a nice hint of sweetness without adding artificial sweeteners. Fresh fruit is great served alone or with desserts, salads, cooked with meats or used in sauces.
Don’t let misinformation scare you away from this essential food group. It’s benefits are endless and scrumptious.
Fruit Bruschetta
Ingredients
1 loaf whole grain bread, sliced
1 (8 oz.) block low-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound strawberries, sliced
1 pint blackberries
1 pint blueberries
Directions
1. Toast bread in a toaster and set aside.
2. Spread cream cheese on toast one cooled.
3. Dice the strawberries into chickpea sized pieces and combine with other berries in a bowl.
4. Top toast with berries.
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