Dried Fruits Equivalent to Fresh Fruits: Report

Health researchers presented their views recommending that food policy makers should consider dried fruits equal to fresh fruits in dietary recommendations around the world. The scientific evidence for considering dried fruits nutritionally equivalent to fresh fruits not only provides policy makers with tools to improve dietary recommendations, but also offers a healthful solution for populations worldwide.Organized by the International Nut and Dried Fruit Foundation, or INC, the 30th World Nut & Dried Fruit Congress brings together industry leaders and researchers in an international dried fruit round table. The round table highlighted the collaboration by thirteen scientists from the United States, Greece, Turkey, Japan, and the United Kingdom on the paper, entitled Traditional Dried Fruits: Valuable Tools to Meet Dietary Recommendations for Fruit intake.
Research presented at the 30th Congress by Dr. Daniel D. Gallaher of the University of Minnesota, Dr. Andriana Kaliora of Harokopio University, and Dr. Gary Williamson of the University of Leeds supports the paper's statement that traditional dried fruits should be included with fresh fruits in dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetable intake around the world.
"Dried fruits are great sources of total and soluble fibre in the diet," said Dr. Gallaher. "Just as fresh fruit, they have low glycemic index values and can play an important role in preventing different aspects of metabolic diseases."
In addition to providing fiber, dried fruits rank among the top potassium sources in diets around the world, according to Dr. Arianna Carughi, Health and Nutrition  Research Coordinator for the California Dried Fruit Coalition. Dried fruits also contain a range of increasingly important bioactive phenolic compounds, as well as specific vitamins and minerals , unique to each fruit.