Dried fruit: Healthy snack, sugary treat, or somewhere in between?

Dried fruit has the power to bring a plain-Jane bowl of oatmeal to life, or to jazz up an otherwise lackluster scone or batch of granola. And strips of dried mango or a handful of dried cherries are a time-tested way to make the miles fly by on a hike or a road trip.

But is dried fruit healthy — even though it's made from, well, fruit? In short, it depends on what types of dried fruit you go for, and how much you eat.

What is dried fruit?

Dried fruit is exactly what it sounds like: fruit that's had the majority of its water removed. People have used the sun to dry out and preserve fresh fruit for thousands of years.

You can make your own dried fruit at home in an oven set on low, steady heat, or by using a dehydrator. Or you can buy dried fruit at the store, where options abound, ranging from old favorites like raisins, craisins (dried cranberries), and dried apples to mangos, apricots, peach slices, and even pineapple.

Nutritional upside of dried fruit: vitamins, minerals, and fiber

Because it's derived from whole, fresh fruits, dried fruit contains vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and fiber. You also get potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium from dried fruit.

And if you eat antioxidant-rich fruits and berries like raisins, dates, and dried cranberries, you'll reap additional benefits from the inflammation-fighting plant phenols found in these foods. Dried fruits are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps with digestion and promotes regular bowel movements.

The drying process does slightly reduce some heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin C, but overall, the majority of beneficial vitamins, nutrients, and minerals are retained through the drying process.

Buyer beware: Sugar and calories

Dried fruit tastes sweeter than its fresh counterpart because it is sweeter. The drying process concentrates the naturally occurring sugars in fruit. For example, 100 grams of fresh apple contains 10 grams of sugar, while 100 grams of dried apple contains 57 grams of sugar.

What's more, manufacturers sometimes add even more sugar to dried fruits to enhance their flavor. You can check whether sugar was added to a particular product by checking the ingredients list and looking at the "added sugars" line on the Nutrition Facts Label.

Dried fruit is also far more calorie-dense than fresh fruit, again due to the highly concentrated sugars that remain after the dehydration process. Ounce per ounce, dried fruits contains significantly more sugar and calories than fresh.

What about freeze-dried fruit?

Freeze-dried fruit is similar to dried fruit in that it's shelf-stable for a long time because its moisture is removed, but the process to make it is different. Unlike dried fruit, which undergoes a heating process to remove water, freeze-dried fruit is frozen and then placed in a vacuum chamber. The frozen water turns from ice to vapor without becoming liquid, which removes almost all the moisture while preserving the fruit's structure and taste.

Because it isn't heated at any point in the process, freeze-dried fruit tends to maintain its nutrients better than fruit that's dried using heat. Plus, it typically takes on a light, crunchy texture. However, be aware that it's still a calorie-dense food.

Moderation is key

Because dried fruit is more calorie-dense and higher in sugar than its fresh counterpart, it's wise to go easy on portion sizes. Dehydrating fruits and berries tends to make them smaller and more snackable, so it's very easy to eat two or three times the amount that you'd eat if you were consuming fresh fruit. (When was the last time you ate five fresh apricots in one sitting, for example?)

Think of dried fruit as a special treat or use it as a garnish. Try studding your spinach salad with a sprinkling of craisins, for example, or toss just a few dried mango strips in a container for a snack.

When in doubt on portion sizes, aim to eat no more than half as much dried fruit as you would fresh fruit. So if you'd eat one cup of fresh cherries, serve yourself 1/2 cup of dried cherries.

Dried fruit versus fresh fruit

Most of the time, you'll want to choose fresh fruit over dried.

Calories and sugar content are good reasons to choose fresh fruit, and here are a few others:

• Fresh fruit is more hydrating. Most fruits and berries contain about 80% to 90% of their weight in water.
• You don't lose any vitamins, nutrients, or antioxidants through the dehydrating process.
• Fresh fruits are naturally lower in calories and sugars.
• Some manufacturers add sugar to dried fruit.
• Some types of dried fruit are treated with preservatives to maintain color.

However, that doesn't mean you need to swear off dried fruit entirely. Yes, it's higher in sugar and calories, and you need to watch your portion sizes. But the drying process preserves fruit that might otherwise go bad in your fridge and extends its shelf life to months instead of days. That means you can keep dried fruit in the pantry for any time you want to tap into the benefits of fruit without a trip to the store. Plus, if you need a quick burst of energy — such as to fuel a hard hike, a day spent skiing, or a long bike ride — dried fruit can be a delicious source of easily portable energy.