Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey

This may sound dumb, but do dried fruits have the same nutritional qualities as fresh fruits?

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I love these yes and no questions.

The American Dietetic Association will say no. BUT, you begin killing the vitamin C in any food the minute you begin to process it. Other stuff changes when you take out the water, such as fiber. Let's get up close and personal.

Raisins versus grapes [raisins being dried grapes of course]. For our purposes 1/4 cup dry raisins versus 1 cup raw grapes.

Raisins have 104kcal Grapes 104kcal
Raisins have 19g calcium Grapes 15g
Raisins have 1.23g protein Grapes 109g
Raisins have 1.2mg vitamin C Grapes 16.3mg
Raisins have less folate than grapes

I looked at apples, papaya and pineapple. Basically, other than vitamin C and water, everything is the same with the same 1:4 ratio of fruit. This means that with 1 part dry is approximately equal to 4 parts fresh. This includes fiber, carbohydrates, protein, calcium and sugars. If you are in the market for a specific nutrient, go to the USDA website on food composition: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/. It was made for food fact-wonks. You can find a lot of foods there. Unfortunately, non-dairy milks aren't on the list, although kamut and tempeh are.

I am going to say a couple [like I ever stop at just a couple], of words concerning this nutritional quality subject. You can look up all kinds of information on how much a food has of A, B, or C, but it does not address the synergy of the complete food. The more raw foods [I am not a raw fooder] you eat, or the closer you get prepared foods to their raw state, i.e., edamame vs. tofu, the less scientific data there is, but the more synergistic properties of the food work together as they have evolved to work with our biochemistry.

That being said, if this question has a bet riding on it or a parent wondering if it is okay to send raisins instead of a banana as fruit for a boxed lunch, here's my upshot—if you are looking to get a good source of vitamin C or folate, eat the raw. Otherwise, it appears that the old trailmix holds up in the fruit department.?

Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com

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Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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