New Report Equates Dried Fruits and Fresh Fruits

DESPITE campaigns and educational efforts, a significant gap still remains between the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables and the quantities actually consumed by populations around the world. Traditional dried fruits provide essential nutrients, such as fibre and the minerals potassium and calcium, and an array of health-protective bioactive compounds. They are devoid of fat, very low in sodium and have no added sugars. Since they are naturally resistant to spoilage, easy to store and transport, low in carbon offset, available year-round, readily incorporated into other foods, and relatively low in cost, dried fruits represent an important means to increase overall consumption of fruit to bridge the gap between recommended intake of fruits and the amount populations actually consume.

Epidemiological studies have shown consistent relationship between a diet rich in fruit and vegetables and a lower risk for many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and stroke, and type 2 diabetes. The strength of the association between fruit and vegetable consumption has led organisations around the world to recommend that populations increase their daily fruit and vegetable intake.

Recently, internationally recognised health researchers have recommended that food policy makers consider dried fruits equivalent to fresh fruits in dietary recommendations around the world. The presentations recognized that traditional, no-sugar added dried fruits, such as raisins, dried plums (prunes), figs, dates, apricots and apples should be included side by side with fresh fruit recommendations by global policy makers.

Organised by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Foundation (INC), the 30th World Nut & Dried Fruit Congress brought together industry leaders and researchers in an international dried fruit round table. The round table highlighted the collaboration by 13 scientists from the United States, Greece, Turkey, Japan and the United Kingdom. The INC Foundation, based in Reus, Spain, is a non-profit organization whose objectives are to undertake and promote scientific and nutritional studies, to promote international cooperation, and to be an international source of information on nuts and dried fruits for health, nutrition, and scientific issues.

Dietary fibre and digestive health

Dried fruits are an important source of dietary fibre, Daniel D. Gallaher, Ph.D. said."Dried fruits are great sources of total and soluble fibre in the diet," said Professor Gallaher of Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources – University of Minnesota. "Just as fresh fruit, they have low glycaemic index values and can play an important role in preventing different aspects of metabolic diseases."

On a per serving basis (40g or about ? cup) dried fruit deliver over 90% of the daily value of fibre, depending on the fruit. As can be seen from the chart, dried fruits compare favourably in their fibre content to common fresh fruit options.High fibre diets are recommended to reduce the risk of developing various conditions including constipation, type 2 diabetes and obesity, and later in life, diverticulitis, colorectal cancer and cardiovascular disease.

However, dried foods are more calorically dense than their fresh counterparts, and health bodies often recommend that the serving size for dried fruits and vegetables be half that of fresh.

Highlighting the benefits of dried fruits

In addition to providing fibre, dried fruits rank among the top potassium sources in diets around the world, according to Arianna Carughi, Ph.D., C.N.S., HeBodega