Be careful when eating dried fruit

Dried fruit has very few vitamins.

Near Tet, the demand for dried fruits for snacks increases. The market for dried fruits is also very rich. Just take a look around the markets and supermarkets, it is not difficult to see dried fruits being sold everywhere, with all kinds and many different prices.

Grapes, apples, bananas, jackfruit, potatoes, papaya, guava, mango, star fruit, plum… all kinds are dried in many different types of packaging. Some are sold by weight in large unlabeled bags, while others are packaged, clearly stating the production facility.

In dry goods markets such as Dong Xuan market (Hanoi), dried fruits are available in any quantity. Many imported types are priced at exorbitant prices, from 500,000 VND/kg or more. Dates cost nearly 900,000 VND/kg, cranberries, gooseberries, Turkish figs: 750,000 VND/kg... Meanwhile, domestic dried/soft-dried fruits and potatoes such as jackfruit, banana, guava, mango, pineapple, sweet potato, taro, cost only about 130,000 - 300,000 VND/kg.

Many social media accounts also post dried fruit products such as dried persimmons, raisins, dried red apples, whole dates... with many different prices, the quality mainly depends on the trust of the seller.

You should limit eating dried fruits during Tet.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh, Institute of Biotechnology - Food Technology, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, drying is a method to evaporate a certain amount of water in fruits and vegetables to reduce the weight of the fruits and vegetables. However, during drying, a large amount of vitamin C is destroyed, depending on the type of fruit and the drying method, the loss of vitamin C can be up to 90%.

Fruits can be freeze-dried or heat-dried. Freeze-drying is freezing fruits and vegetables at -200C, the water in the fruits and vegetables is frozen into solid ice, then the water changes from solid to vapor, evaporating without going through the liquid state.

Drying is the use of hot air to dry fruits and vegetables. It is the process of diffusing water from the outer layers to the surface, and the water from the surface of the product evaporates into the surrounding environment. During the drying process, all foods, especially fruits and vegetables, under the influence of temperature, lose vitamins.

Be careful with sweeteners

According to Associate Professor Dr. Trinh Le Hung, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, to preserve fruits from spoilage and discoloration, some production facilities have used sulfur dioxide. As the main component of coal gas burned in thermal power plants, this chemical is really harmful to the environment and the human body. When entering the body, sulfur dioxide can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, rashes or asthma...

However, chemical additives are not the worst part of dried fruit consumed in the market. To create a sweet taste for dried fruit, companies often add sugar, especially with fruits that are not very sweet.

"The sweeteners saccharin, sodium cyclamate, carmine and amaranth colorants, bleaching agents and sulfur dioxide preservatives found in dried fruits are all very harmful to the health of users if they are used in excess of the permitted dosage. If used in excess, it can cause cancer.

Some manual production facilities, drying and drying by hand, also cause the product to be contaminated with dirt, harmful microorganisms or lose all the substances in the fruit. At that time, the product is only left with "remains", eating it is not good for health", Associate Professor, Dr. Trinh Le Hung said.

However, dried fruit, if properly processed and chemical-free, is still a healthy food.

Some Vietnamese fruits, after being dried, still retain some minerals such as: potassium, magnesium in bananas; carotene, calcium, iron in pineapples, guavas... with a content of about 1-3% per 100g of dried product.

According to experts, many people mistakenly believe that just as fresh fruit is good for health, dried fruit also has the same benefits.

In fact, the main ingredients in fruits are generally vitamin C, water, antioxidants and some other vitamins. These substances will be lost a lot when dried. The remaining substances are mainly sugar, a little fiber, starch and some minerals.

According to Health and Life