Is Freeze-Dried Fruit Healthy?

The art of freeze-drying fruits is an ancient practice that dates back to prehistoric times. It’s currently a common way of preserving fruits so they can last for many years. My favorite part of these fruits is their convenience, portability, and how long they can last. You may not believe this, but a freeze-dried fruit can last for up to 30 years in the right storage conditions (9). But is freeze-dried fruit healthy? Let’s find out. 

The short answer is, Yes! Pure freeze-dried fruit is healthy. Eating it is just like eating fresh fruit but without the water content. However, it’s important to consider the nutrient composition as some commercial options may contain added sugars or preservatives. 

In this article, we’ll pinpoint everything you need to know about whether or not freeze-dried fruits are healthy, their advantages and disadvantages, and other important insights to help you make the right diet choices. 

What Is the Healthiness of Freeze-Dried Fruit?

Pure freeze-dried fruit is healthy – just as fresh fruit is. When a fruit is freeze-dried, the process removes almost all of its water content but the taste, structure, color, and appearance are all retained. Most importantly, it may preserve up to 95% of the nutrients (8). 

The freeze-drying process, which is also known as lyophilization, doesn’t use any preservatives and preserves the fruits in their natural state. That’s why I mentioned ‘pure freeze-dried fruit’. With this, the vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and other beneficial compounds remain intact. 

Of course, some commercial dried fruits may contain preservatives or added sugars among other compounds. When this is the case, the additions may affect the overall healthfulness of the product. 

It’s also important to note that dried fruits contain high fiber and natural sugar content. When compared to fresh fruits, freeze-dried fruits contain more concentrated fiber and sugar content (2). Therefore, when eating freeze-dried fruits, you need to consider the appropriate portion size, which will be smaller than for fresh fruit.  

Is Freeze-Dried Fruit as Healthy as Regular Fruit?

Yes, pure freeze-dried fruit is as healthy as regular fruit. The process of freeze-drying doesn’t remove nutrients from fruit. It may retain as much as 95% of nutrients and mainly loses the water content, so eating freeze-dried is as healthy as fresh fruit. 

If you’re eating them regularly, you need to be considerate of the portions you take as the recommended portion sizes are smaller than for fresh fruit. 

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What Is the Disadvantage of Freeze-Dried Fruit?

While freeze-dried fruit offers a convenient option for obtaining the nutrients of the preserved fruit, and many other advantages or benefits, there are also a number of disadvantages, including: 

• Cost of Freeze-Drying – if you were to buy freeze-dried fruits, they would be more expensive than fresh fruits. In addition, freeze-drying equipment is also expensive.
• Lacks the Filling Effect – when freeze-dried, fruits lose all the water content that could otherwise provide the filling effect you may need to reduce the amount of food or calories you eat.
• Texture – not all people like the Styrofoam-like, dry texture of dried fruits.
• Health – although freeze-dried fruits are healthy, you should eat them in moderation as the portion sizes are small and they’re easy to overeat.
• Possible Loss of Some Vitamins – while freeze-drying preserves more nutrients than other preservation methods such as hot air drying, a certain loss of nutrients will happen (5). However, despite some losses, freeze-dried fruits are still an excellent source of several vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
• May Contain Additives – some freeze-dried fruits, especially commercial ones, may contain some added sugars, preservatives, or enhanced flavors. When this is the case, these additives need to be taken into consideration when determining the overall healthfulness of the product.

Is Freeze-Dried Fruit Full of Sugar?

Freeze-dried fruit can feel more sugary or full of sugar than fresh fruit. So, yes, it is full of sugar because the water content has been removed, which makes the sugar more concentrated. 

When you compare a fresh fruit with the same volume of freeze-dried fruit, the latter is more sugary. Experts further explain that fresh strawberries contain 4.9% sugar content while freeze-dried strawberries contain approximately 71% sugar (6). This is because removing water from the fruit makes the sugar more concentrated. This is why the portion size for freeze-dried fruit is smaller than it is for fresh fruit. 

Are Freeze-Dried Fruits Good for Weight Loss?

Fruits such as apples, cherries, coconut, pears, blueberries, pineapples, and peaches are calorie-dense when dried, and consuming a lot of them is not helpful for weight loss (3). Modest portion sizes of freeze-dried fruit can be included in a weight loss diet, but it may be more beneficial to eat whole, fresh fruit for its more filling effect.

Read more: The Freeze Trauma Response: What Is It, Its Symptoms, and How to Overcome It

Can You Eat Freeze-Dried Food Every Day?

Yes, you can eat freeze-dried food every day. However, it’s important to check for added ingredients and if there are added sugars or preservatives, and stick to the recommended portion sizes. The frequency of eating freeze-dried foods is also dependent on the nutritional content. For example, if the food contains a high number of calories, you need to regulate the amount you eat and it may not be suitable for your daily diet. 

What Happens If You Eat Too Much Dry Fruit?

Eating too much dry fruits may not be a good idea. While it’s healthy to eat freeze-dried fruits, you may want to eat them in moderation or in small quantities due to the following: 

• High Fiber Content – the high fiber content in dry fruits may cause bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive issues in those who are not used to eating much fiber. You can avoid this by gradually increasing your fiber intake.
• High Calories – dried fruits have a high-calorie content. Too much of this may contribute to unwanted weight gain, although your overall diet and lifestyle are more important than one food type(3).
• High Glycemic Index – some fruits such as raisins, cranberries, and figs have high glycemic index. Eating too much of these dried fruits can cause a spike in blood sugar levels for those with diabetes or insulin resistance (4). Talk to your healthcare provider for individualized advice.

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FAQs

• Is dried fruit healthier than candy?

Yes, dried fruit is healthier than candy. Candy doesn’t have many nutrients or fiber compared to those of dried fruit (1). While it is a healthier option, the high sugar content and calories of dried fruit are something that must be considered. 

• Is it OK to eat dried apricots every day?

Yes, it’s okay to eat dried apricots every day as part of your diet. Dried apricots have three times more fiber by volume compared to fresh apricots. In addition, they contain six times more sugar than fresh ones (2). 

Therefore, you can eat them every day, but it’s important to regulate the amount or portions you take to avoid overdoing it.

• Are there chemicals in freeze-dried fruit?

The freeze-drying process uses low heat to remove water in fruits. There are no chemicals added and the process yields a dried fruit without any additives. Therefore, it’s a process that preserves the nutrients in the fruit without altering its shape, structure, and color. Some commercial products may contain added sugars or other additives, but this will vary by product and it isn’t a necessary part of the freeze-drying process.

• Which is the healthiest dried fruit to eat?

There is no particular fruit that can be singled out as the healthiest above all others. However, some of the healthy options include apricots, dates, prunes, apples, raisins, and peaches. These fruits are rich in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and valuable minerals. 

The Bottom Line

In summary, eating fruits in any form, whether freeze-dried or fresh, is a healthy practice. The process of freeze-drying preserves the nutrients of the fruits in their natural form but free of water content.

When dealing with commercial freeze-dried fruits, you should check whether they contain additives so you can evaluate the healthiness of the product as a whole. 

All I can say is that eating dried fruit snack recipes with no added sugar or preservatives is healthy. However, you must consider moderation to avoid health issues that may result from eating too much.