I am trying to cut out all refined sugars from my diet, I was wondering if those dried fruit mixes you get in the pick n mix section at the supermarket, with the cranberries and raisins, would have added sugar! And also dried apricots. I presume they do based on how sweet they are and how tasty I find them :-)
elektrotrashx,
Nov 10, 2:31pm
Read the back of packaging, I do it every time i shop to try limit some things . At first your feel like an idiot but after a while it just becomes second nature
uli,
Nov 10, 7:53pm
Dried fruit have no refined sugar added except the crystallized things like ginger etc.
Remember that the sugar in the dried fruit will perform exactly like the refined sugar in your body though once you have eaten them.
For the body it makes no difference if you eat an orange, raisins, a piece of bread, some rice, a potato or a spoonful of refined sugar, honey, Agave syrup etc. - it all turns into glucose within minutes of ingesting it.
elliehen,
Nov 10, 9:40pm
My Ocean Spray dried cranberries packet has as its list of ingredients: Cranberries 61% Sugar Pomegranate Juice Concentrate Acid (Malic Acid) Natural Flavour Elderberry Juice Concentrate
BTW dried cranberries are delicious with rolled oats porridge.
bedazzledjewels,
Nov 10, 9:44pm
They are delicious. I put them in my Christmas put! Does it give the sugar content Ellie!
elliehen,
Nov 10, 9:49pm
Unfortunately, no, but simple arithmetic says it's got to be less than 61%!The pomegranate and elderberry juice will add fructose too.
uli,
Nov 10, 9:57pm
Here you go: Total Carbohydrate 33g Dietary Fiber 3g Sugars 26g
Total Nutrition Facts: Serving Size 1/3 Cup Amount Per Serving Calories 130 Total Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Potassium 0mg Sodium 0mg Total Carbohydrate 33g Dietary Fiber 3g Sugars 26g Protein 0g VitaminA 0% VitaminC 0% Calcium 0% Iron 0%
uli,
Nov 10, 9:57pm
These are not dried cranberries ellie, they are a sugary snack with quite a bit of sugar added, see my post below how real dried cranberries compare.
Here you go: Total Carbohydrate 33g Dietary Fiber 3g Sugars 26g
Total Nutrition Facts: Serving Size 1/3 Cup Amount Per Serving Calories 130 Total Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Potassium 0mg Sodium 0mg Total Carbohydrate 33g Dietary Fiber 3g Sugars 26g Protein 0g VitaminA 0% VitaminC 0% Calcium 0% Iron 0%
One serving of Craisins, 1/3rd cup (40 grams), has 130 calories and 33 grams of total carbohydrates, which includes 26 grams of sugars and 12% of the RDA for fiber. There is no fat, sodium or protein.
Natural cranberries only have 51 calories, 4.4 grams of sugar and 5 grams of fiber in a 100 gram serving.
bedazzledjewels,
Nov 10, 10:04pm
To get back to OP - if you're trying to take sugar out, you should eat fresh berries (or frozen, unsweetened berries) instead of dried fruit.
medicina,
Nov 10, 10:26pm
I second that. Fresh fruit is sooo much better for you in so many ways.
daleaway,
Nov 10, 11:52pm
I would really like to know the sugar content of the dried cranberries from bulk buy bins. Are they all sugared up like the Ocean Spray stuff! Anyone here know! Like elliehen I have them in my porridge each morning (but no sugar with the porridge).
uli,
Nov 11, 12:39am
Maybe buy some just dried organic ones from a health food shop and then compare them.
My guess would be that anything out of bulk bins would be from big companies with a huge turnover - that would point to Ocean Spray.
However I am sure you could always ask at the supermarket or Binn Inn.
bedazzledjewels,
Nov 11, 12:43am
You can buy frozen cranberries that are completed unsweetened and they are really sour!
elliehen,
Nov 11, 1:41am
If I wanted an unsweetened cranberry I would know where to go to find one, thank you uli.I like to sweeten my porridge with Ocean Spray dried cranberries.
elliehen,
Nov 11, 1:49am
I cook rolled oats porridge every day of the year and throughout the seasons, add to it different UNsweetened seasonal fresh or stewed fruits.
However, during the winter I have tamarillos, dates & lemon paste and an occasional real treat which is sweetened dried cranberries! Consequently I am so sweet-natured that I don't ever tell other people not to eat their goat curry or whatever else takes their fancy ;)
uli,
Nov 11, 2:33am
Who on earth tells people not to eat their goat curry! And what has that to do with sugar that has been added to cranberries! I note that OP hasn't been back.
davidt4,
Nov 11, 3:47am
Not me!
bedazzledjewels,
Nov 11, 3:47am
I'd love some goat curry. Just the cold night for it!
mckenzie3000,
Nov 11, 3:59am
Thanks for all your replies. I think I will stay away from dried fruit, love my frozen berries so will stick with them.
elliehen,
Nov 11, 4:33am
Thanks for popping back.May all continue to eat what they enjoy, be it goat or goji :)
carlosjackal,
Nov 11, 8:55am
Not All Dried Fruit Is Equal
While fruit itself is high in naturally occurring sugar, many dried fruits have additional sugar added for extra flavour. Some of the main dried fruits to avoid are:
Pineapple: Usually coated in refined sugar Banana Chips: Generally deep-fried and sweetened. Look for dried banana chips with no extra sugar. Cranberries: Almost always require extra sweeteners due to their tartness Watermelon: The low level of nutrients and high level of sugar are a poor combination
It pays to check the ingredient list for extra sugar or additives in dried fruit.
hestia,
Nov 12, 1:20am
But there is a difference. Fruit contains fructose, and sugar (sucrose) is hydrolysed to produce fructose and glucose. Starches are hydrolysed to give glucose.
uli,
Nov 12, 1:29am
hestia - in the end it is all either glucose or fructose - the latter is even more difficult for the body to process. Be it oranges, raisins, a piece of bread, some rice, a potato or a spoonful of refined sugar, honey, Agave syrup etc. it is all going to turn into either glucose (the vast majority of it) or a bit of fructose which only the liver can deal with.
hestia,
Nov 12, 2:45am
No it isn't.
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