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The fall season is turning cooler
and each day moves us closer to winter. Farmer’s markets are closing and the
ones staying open later aren’t offering us the fruits we had all summer long.
There are still fruits available, however, just take a quick trip to the
grocery store and you’ll find several varieties of fresh seasonal fruit,
imported fruit, and (farther into the aisles) an assortment of dried fruit.
Dried fruit is consumed frequently in homemade oatmeal raisin cookies, in trail
mixes, or as a school-time snack. What if dried fruits could be thought of as
one of the most convenient ways to boost antioxidant intake during the seasons
when fresh fruits aren’t readily available? Thinking of dried fruits as more
than just an annual add-in to baked goods or oatmeal could increase several
intake factors, namely antioxidants, carbohydrates, fiber, and potassium.
Antioxidants
are important to the body, acting as protective compounds at the cellular
level. They act to counter the effects of oxidation that occurs as a natural
process of disease, inflammation, and lifestyle (with activities like smoking,
drinking, undergoing radiation, or even being exposed to UV light). Oxidation
itself may lead over time to oxidative damage to the cells, further spurring on
processes that may accumulate to the presentation of disease over time. There
are no current recommendations for goal intakes of many antioxidants, though
some antioxidants, such as vitamin C/ascorbic acid and vitamin A/beta-carotene
do have Recommended Dietary Allowances posted as an estimation of a healthy
individual’s requirement each day for optimal health. None the less, it is
recognized that antioxidants are produced in plant cells and can be found in an
array of plant-based foods, fruit being one source. Consuming a variety of
fruits, vegetables, legumes and etc. is one way to obtain a variety of
antioxidants and thus a variety of potential protection from oxidative damage.
A review of dried fruits’ content
of antioxidants and associated health benefits by Chang, Alasalvar, and Shahidi
in 2016 described an interesting consensus among multiple studies in recent
years. Dried fruits examined included apples, apricots, dates, figs, peaches,
pears, prunes, golden raisins, and cranberries. Findings were that the content
of antioxidants among other phytochemicals varied depending on the growing
conditions of the fruit and processing, but overall, dried golden raisins,
dried apricots, and dried cranberries contained the highest amounts of
phytochemicals, each containing different amounts of specific antioxidants. With
regard to how well the antioxidants reduced oxidation, prunes, dried apricots,
and dried cranberries were found to be the most effective. It was also reported
that the content of antioxidants in dried peaches and dates is greater than in
the fresh fruits. The brand or species of each fruit was not always identified
in the studies, and it is possible that antioxidant contents of home-dried
fruits as well as commercially obtained dried fruits will differ from these
results. However, many randomized controlled clinical trials show positive
health effects with consumption of amounts of specific dried fruits, such as
lower bone turnover, reduced hunger, improved liver enzymes, improved lipid
profiles, improved blood pressure, improved glycemic control, and improved
insulin response. More studies are needed to confirm health effects tied to
specific dried fruits, but dried fruit consumption has long been associated
with reduced risk of diseases such as type II diabetes, metabolic syndrome,
heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, inflammatory bowel disease and obesity.
Though it has been suggested that
dried fruits are equivalent to fresh fruits nutritionally when eaten in smaller
portion sizes, it should be mentioned that many dried fruits may have reduced
amounts of certain vitamins and they may have sugar added prior to drying
(typically the berries and mangoes). This addition of sugar is something to note
when selecting dried fruits, as well as the serving size. Be sure to check your
nutrition facts label when purchasing dried fruits in-store!
Read the 2016 Review HERE!
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