PRODUCT REVIEW

DRIED FRUITS: 5 FIBRE BOOSTERS 
Eating dried fruit is a great snack or natural sweetener in porridge oats or muesli. It not only helps you get those 2 plus serves of fruit a day, it adds to your intake of fibre, antioxidants, prebiotics, vitamins and minerals.

Drying fruit keeps bacteria at bay by reducing water content (from around 90% down to around 5–35%) and concentrating the sugars. Sun drying is still carried out in many parts of the world – Turkish sun-dried apricots, for example, are much sought after. Most fruits (and vegetables) are dried in dehydrators. Processors typically add sulfur dioxide (E220) to ensure they keep their appealing colour and texture and prevent them from oxidising and browning. Organic versions may not have good looks, but they are equally delicious, if not more so. Check out the GI, kilojoules (calories), carbs and fibre of five popular dried fruits.

DRIED APRICOTS
GI 31

DATES
GI 39–45

DRIED FIGS
GI 61

PRUNES (DRIED PLUMS)
GI 40

RAISINS
GI 49

Read more:

• Dried Fruit and Public Health: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?