Diet and Supplements

Can knowing the serving size help lower sugar and calories for individuals who enjoy eating dried fruits?

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits, like cranberries, dates, raisins, and prunes, are great because they last a long time and are healthy sources of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. However, dried fruits contain more sugar and calories per serving because they lose volume when dehydrated, allowing more to be consumed. This is why the serving size matters to ensure one does not overeat.

Serving Size

Fruits are dried in dehydrators or left in the sun to dehydrate naturally. They are ready once most of the water has disappeared. The loss of water decreases their physical size, which allows individuals to eat more, increasing sugar and calorie intake. For example, around 30 grapes fit in a single measuring cup, but 250 raisins can fill one cup once dehydrated. Nutritional information for fresh and dried fruit.

 

• One cup of grapes has around 15 grams of sugar. (FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2018)
• One cup of raisins has 116 grams of sugar. (FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2017)
• Calories
• One cup of grapes has about 104 calories.
• One cup of raisins has over 480 calories.

Sugar

• Ten grapes have 34 calories and about 7.5 grams of sugar. (FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2018)
• Thirty raisins have 47 calories and under 10 grams of sugar.
• Grapes' natural sugar content varies, so different types can be subject to nutritional value assessments.
• Some fruits, like cranberries, can be very tart, so sugar or fruit juices are added during drying.

Ways to Use

Fresh fruit may be higher in certain vitamins, but mineral and fiber content are retained during drying. Dried fruits are versatile and can be made part of a healthy, balanced diet that can include:

Trail Mix

• Mix dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
• Monitor portion size.

Oatmeal

• Lightly sweeten oatmeal with a small serving of dried fruits for a hearty and healthy breakfast.

Salads

• Toss dark, leafy greens, fresh apple slices, dried cranberries or raisins, and cheeses.

Main Course

• Use dried fruit as an ingredient in savory entrees.

Protein Bar Substitutes

• Raisins, dried blueberries, apple chips, and dried apricots are convenient and last longer than fresh fruit, making them perfect when protein bars are unavailable.

 

At Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic, our areas of practice include Wellness & Nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, Severe Sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols. We focus on what works for you to achieve improvement goals and create an improved body through research methods and total wellness programs.

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General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

 

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or us at 915-850-0900.

 

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2017). Raisins. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/530717/nutrients

 

FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2018). Grapes, American type (slip skin), raw. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174682/nutrients

 

FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2018). Grapes, red or green (European type, such as Thompson seedles), raw. Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174683/nutrients

A healthy eating plan should include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Learn easy ways to include the right amount of produce in your diet.

 

Seniors are better than younger people at making their servings of fruits and vegetables part of their diet, but that's still not saying much. According to a review published in August 2013 in the journal Maturitas, only 21 to 37 percent of men and 29 to 45 percent of women ages 65 and older eat five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables, which is the minimum amount recommended for good nutrition.

 

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is especially important as you get older, because the nutrients and fiber in these foods can help reduce high blood pressure, lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers, stave off eye and digestive problems — and simply satisfy your hunger.

 

Before you try to eat an entire bunch of bananas or a bushel of apples, know this: One serving of fruit or vegetables equals half a cup, or about the amount you could hold in a cupped hand. Nutrition experts used to recommend five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, but that’s probably not enough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Individual needs are different, so depending on age, gender, and level of physical activity, you’ll require between 5 and 13 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.