Dried Fruit

What is Dried Fruit?

Dried fruit is a whole fruit that has had almost all the moisture taken out of it through drying methods. Naturally dried fruit can be achieved by using the sun, but a dehydrator machine or oven can also be used. Once the water has been taken out of the fruit, the natural sugars become much more concentrated and result in a sweet, chewy, and delicious treat. 

You can make dried fruit out of almost any fresh fruit, including mango, berries, bananas, dates, figs, apricots, prunes, and raisins. The options are endless when it comes to how to eat dried fruit. You can eat a few on their own as a healthy snack when you’re in the mood for something sweet, or pop them on a platter with cheese and meats to entertain friends and family. You can also chop them up and add them into sweet and savoury meals or sprinkle them over desserts and breakfast cereals.

GoodnessMe has a delicious range of healthy dried fruit for you to increase your daily antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fibre intake. Discover Dr Superfoods organic dried fruit that is vegan and gluten-free with no added cane sugar. Choose from dried mango, dried cranberries, dried raspberries, mixed dried fruit, dried tart cherries, dried blueberries, and more. For the ultimate dried fruits and nuts combo, try Dr Superfoods Vitality Super Mix. It blends almonds, pistachios, cashews, and pepitas with the goodness of goji berries, cranberries, and blueberries for a powerhouse snack full of fibre and antioxidants.

We’ve also got Ceres Organics dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries that are sweetened naturally with apple, as well as a range of premium and goji berries by Morlife and Naturally Goji.

Is Dried Fruit Good for You?

Our selection of dried fruit is made without any artificial preservatives, colours, flavours, or sweeteners with no added sugar. The simple process used to make them ensures the maximum amount of nutrients are retained in each tasty mouthful.

While store-bought dried fruit is often loaded with sugar and artificial sweeteners, organic dried fruit is kept natural and is high in phenolic antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. In fact, they contain almost the same amount of nutrients as their fresh form, just smaller. Here’s just some of the major health benefits you may experience if you regularly eat dried fruit:

1. Can increase your daily nutrient intake, including potassium, folate, and magnesium
2. Can help boost the immune system, particularly when it comes to goji berries which are rich in iron, vitamin A and vitamin C
3. Help improve digestive health with high amounts of fibre
4. Can help to relieve anxiety and depression
5. May assist with weight loss by boosting metabolism
6. Can help improve heart health
7. Can nourish skin and keep it looking healthy, clear, and fresh

Which Dried Fruit Has the Least Amount of Sugar?

Dried fruit and freeze-dried fruit both take the water out of fresh fruit which increases its natural sugar content significantly. Certain dried fruits are sweeter than others, particularly if you buy them from the supermarket and they contain added sugar and artificial flavours. These can include mangoes and pineapples. You can also find candied fruit that has been cooked in sugar syrup for an intensely sweet taste and is best avoided to avoid the sugar spike

Dried fruit benefits are at their maximum when there is no additional sugar or additives included. Some of the best low-sugar dried fruits you can choose, include organic apricots, organic prunes, organic raisins, and organic mulberries.

Are Dates Dried Fruit?

Dates come in both fresh and dried form. Medjool dates are freshly grown on date palms, are jammy and plump in texture, and quickly packaged and eat. Dried dates have undergone a dehydration process to remove the water from them and shrink them in size. They are one of the oldest forms of dried fruit in history - dating back to the ancient Middle East!

Both fresh and dried dates are very high in fibre and can be used as a natural laxative. They also contain significant nutrients, including iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin A. Fresh dates are naturally high in fruit sugar, known as fructose, and this sweetness increases when the date is dried.

How Long Does Dried Fruit Last?

Drying fruit is one of the best ways to preserve them and lock in their nutrients. Use a clean, air-tight container to store your dried fruits and place them in the pantry. Stored correctly, they can last up to one year.

For the best dried fruit to buy online, you can’t go past GoodnessMe! We have organic fruit by Dr Superfoods, Ceres Organics, and more that has been dried without any preservatives, sulphites, added sugar, or other nasties. Shop individual favourites or go for a dried fruit mix to jazz up your breakfast bowl. Pair them with our range of other nutritionist-approved healthy snacks, including dark chocolate, activated nuts, crackers, and savoury chips, then wash them down with our gut-loving kombucha, latte blends, hot chocolate, or herbal teas.