There are certain dietary benefits and differences between fresh and dried fruit, as dried blueberries do, due to the drying process; of course they have the same similarities in many ways.
Dried blueberries introduction
However, the ability to act as an antioxidant is typically not one of them.
- While a serving of fresh blueberries is one cup, a serving of dried blueberries is one-fourth of a cup.
- Equal to one another in their capacity to quench free radicals
- Equal amounts of fiber can be found in both of these options.
- While one serving of fresh blueberries has only 80 calories, one serving of dried blueberries has 150 calories.
- When compared to a serving of fresh blueberries, a serving of dried blueberries contains 27 grams of sugar.
- While a serving of dried blueberries does not contain any vitamin C, the same amount of vitamin C can be found in a serving of fresh blueberries.
The impact that freezing and drying had on the levels of antioxidants present in fresh blueberries was the subject of research that was recently published in The Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology.
Dried blueberries features
Either the berries were frozen for around three months at a temperature of approximately four degrees Fahrenheit, or they were dried using one of two different drying techniques.
At the end, when the antioxidant activity of the fresh, dried, and frozen berries was evaluated and compared, the researchers discovered that there were no significant changes between the three forms of the berries.
Sugar content is where you'll see the most significant variation, according to Kristin Kirkpatrick of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic.
The sugar is concentrated during the drying process, which results in an increase in the calorie content as measured by weight.
Blueberries, whether they are fresh or frozen, contain approximately 85 calories and 14 grams of sugar per one-cup serving.
On the other hand, half a cup of dried blueberries contains around 270 calories and 25 grams of sugar.
Ms. Kirkpatrick referred to this as a "substantial increase" in her assessment.
"It makes a difference because it affects blood sugar and it impacts insulin," which means that "it has an effect on both."
Dried blueberries advantages
She went on to say that if you do consume dried fruit, it is recommended to limit yourself to one serving each day.
Also, when using dried fruit in place of its fresh equivalent, make sure you take into account the differences in the amounts of sugar and calories.
"Don't believe that you can use a one-to-one ratio," she warned, "if you're going to add some dried blueberries to your oatmeal as opposed to fresh," she added, "because you may start to gain weight and wonder, 'What the heck am I doing wrong.
' "In spite of the fact that all three types of blueberries are beneficial to one's health, there are significant distinctions between them, including the following: Calories and sugar are as follows: One cup of blueberries, whether they are fresh or frozen, has approximately 80 calories and 15 grams of sugar, whereas one cup of dried blueberries has nearly 500 calories and 100 grams of sugar.
Therefore, while you may be able to consume raw blueberries in greater quantities, it is important to pay attention to the quantity that you consume when eating them in their dried form.
Dried blueberries conclusion
Dried fruits, due to the high number of calories that they contain, might be a suitable option for athletes who are seeking a quick way to enhance their energy levels.
Antioxidant content: Since the drying process can remove up to 40 or 50 percent of the antioxidants found in blueberries, this indicates that fresh and frozen blueberries contain more antioxidants than dried blueberries do.
Blueberries that are heat dried and processed with an osmotic treatment (soaking the blueberries in a solution that helps them dry faster) may lose more antioxidants than those that do not get an osmotic treatment.