All of these factors should contribute to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Raisins are high in fiber, potassium and other plant compounds. Eating raisins may improve blood sugar control, lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol, as well as decrease inflammation.

They are highly nutritious, being rich in fiber, potassium, beta-carotene vitamin A and vitamin K. This is caused by their high content of fiber and a sugar alcohol called sorbitol, which is found naturally in some fruit.

Eating prunes has been shown to help improve stool frequency and consistency. Prunes are considered to be even more effective at relieving constipation than psyllium, which is another common remedy As a great source of antioxidants, prunes may inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help prevent heart disease and cancer 19 , Prunes are also rich in a mineral called boron, which can help fight osteoporosis Furthermore, prunes are very filling and should not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels Prunes have a natural laxative effect because of their fiber and sorbitol content.

They are also very filling, and may help fight oxidative damage in the body. Dates are incredibly sweet. They are a great source of fiber, potassium, iron and several plant compounds. Of all the dried fruit, they are one of the richest sources of antioxidants, contributing to reduced oxidative damage in the body 3 , Dates have a low glycemic index, which means that eating them should not cause major spikes in blood sugar levels Eating dates regularly during the last few weeks of pregnancy may help facilitate cervical dilation, as well as decrease the need for induced labor One study had women eat dates during the last few weeks of pregnancy.

Dates have also shown promising results in animal and test-tube studies as a remedy for infertility in males, but human studies are lacking at this point Dates are rich in antioxidants, potassium, iron and fiber.

Eating dates may help reduce oxidative damage, moderate blood sugar and help with labor in pregnant women. Because the water has been removed from dried fruit, this concentrates all the sugar and calories in a much smaller package. For this reason, dried fruit is very high in calories and sugar, including both glucose and fructose.

Below are some examples of the natural sugar content of dried fruit Eating a lot of fructose may have negative health effects. This includes increased risk of weight gain , type 2 diabetes and heart disease Because dried fruit is sweet and energy-dense, it is easy to eat large amounts at a time, which can result in excess sugar and calorie intake.

Dried fruit is relatively high in calories and sugar. To make some dried fruit even more sweet and appealing, they are coated with added sugar or syrup before being dried. Added sugar has repeatedly been shown to have harmful effects on health, increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease and even cancer 28 , To avoid dried fruit that contains added sugar, it is very important to read the ingredients and nutrition information found on the package.

Some fruit is coated with sugar or syrup before being dried. Always read the package when purchasing dried fruit and avoid brands that contain added sugar. This makes the dried fruit look more appealing, because it preserves the fruit and prevents discoloration. Some individuals may be sensitive to sulfites, and may experience stomach cramps, skin rashes and asthma attacks after ingesting them 30 , To avoid sulfites, choose dried fruit that is brown or grayish rather than brightly colored Dried fruit that is improperly stored and handled may also be contaminated with fungi, aflatoxins and other toxic compounds 33 , 34 , Sulfites are added to some dried fruit to preserve color, which may cause adverse effects in sensitive individuals.

Dried fruit that is improperly stored and handled may also be contaminated with fungi and toxins. For this reason, dried fruit should only be eaten in small amounts, preferably along with other nutritious foods. They should not be eaten by the handful, because it is very easy to eat too many calories from dried fruit.

Also, they are a high-carb food, making them unsuitable on a low-carb diet. At the end of the day, dried fruit is far from perfect, but it is certainly a much healthier and more nutritious snack than chips or other processed junk foods.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

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The healthiest dried fruit is the one that you consume in moderation. Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. If you've heard it once, you've heard it at least a thousand times: Eat more fruits and vegetables.

For some, this task is as simple as whipping up a healthy, produce-packed smoothie. But for others, finding ways to incorporate more produce into their diet—or the diet of their little one—seems cumbersome.

Of course, you could always sneak some banana chips into your bag. But is dried fruit healthy enough to make up one of your daily servings of fruit? Dried fruit is sweet, snackable, and can be taken on the go a heck of a lot easier than a few easy-to-bruise bananas or bulky cartons of berries.

But if you've ever reached the bottom of a bag in a single sitting and found yourself wondering how this snack stacks up nutritionally, you've come to the right place. We tapped nutrition expert Amy Shapiro, RD, to give us the lowdown on our dried fruit addiction.

Dried fruit is healthy because eating fruit in any form is better than consuming zero fruit. Of course, the specific health benefits will depend on what variety of fruit you're snacking on, but you can count on digestive benefits and antioxidants regardless.

So does dried fruit offer the same health benefits as fresh fruit? Yes and no. Additionally, she emphasizes that each type of dried fruit offers different nutrients—just as different fruits offer different nutrients and therefore health benefits.

Shapiro points out some dried fruit-specific health benefits:. Despite the obvious health benefits, there are some serious dried fruit drawbacks that can discount all the positives if you aren't careful. Her point makes sense—after all, when was the last time you ate 15 apricots or four entire mangoes?

When the substantial water content of a fruit is extracted, the entire thing shrinks your apple or apricot down to being bite-sized, which can cause major portion distortion especially when you consider the amount of naturally occurring sugar that fruits contain.

Too much dried fruit can cause an upset stomach in some people. She says that the most important step when shopping is to read nutrition labels and ingredient lists if you are prone to stomach issues. Unfortunately, many dried fruits contain added sugars in the form of juices, syrups, or even crystallized sugar.

Finally, depending on how dried fruit is stored, it can contain fungi or toxins so know where you are getting them from," Shapiro says.

Eat dried fruit in moderation to maximize its health benefits. And even when buying from bulk bins, read nutrition labels to determine proper portion sizes and read ingredients to ensure you are avoiding unnecessary added sugars and preservatives.

Consumption of nuts is even less common than for fruit, with a small minority, about 6. Mixed nuts containing peanuts which are technically legumes are the most commonly consumed nuts, walnuts the least.

A recent analysis of data from NHANES — examined the nutrient adequacy of more than 14, adult tree nut consumers vs non-consumers, excluding pregnant and lactating women [ 24 ]. In this study, tree nut consumers were more likely to be non-Hispanic, older, have higher incomes, were less likely to smoke and were more physically active than non-consumers.

Consumers of nuts also had significantly higher energy intakes, about kcal more, on days that nuts were consumed, than non-consumers. It is interesting, however, that despite the significant increase in energy intake, there was no increase in BMI or waist circumference [ 24 ].

The analysis of NHANES — data also found that fewer consumers of tree nuts and tree nut butters had usual intakes UI of vitamins A, E and C, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc that were below the Estimated Average Requirement EAR [ 24 ].

Consumers of tree nuts and tree nut butters were also more likely to have UIs above the Adequate Intakes AIs for dietary fiber and potassium. The higher intake of fiber among nut consumers was of the same magnitude as for dried fruit consumers [ 21 , 24 ].

Tree nut consumers also had a significantly higher potassium intake; Sodium intake was high in both groups. Diet quality, as measured by the HEI, was significantly higher in tree nut consumers compared to non-consumers Table 3. In addition, total fruit, dark green and orange vegetables, sodium and solid fat, alcohol and added sugars SoFAAS kilocalories component scores were higher in tree nut consumers than non-consumers.

Nuts and dried fruit have a complementary portfolio of nutrients. There is a cultural tradition of pairing them as snacks or in prepared foods. Yet, no study has evaluated the impact of combining nuts and dried fruit on the nutritional quality of the diet.

Table 3 shows the potential effect of pairing tree nuts and dried fruit on diet quality, by comparing the differences in HEI scores between each consumption group and the corresponding non-consumption group.

While nuts and dried fruit consumers have similar increases in HEI scores over non-consumers, there is no complete overlap of these groups shaded areas. Combining these foods may thus further increase HEI scores.

This is important because small changes in the diet can have a significant impact on health. A study calculated the potential public health impact on CVD mortality of replacing a unhealthy snacks e. They found that simply replacing one unhealthy snack per day with a healthy one might prevent approximately cases of CVD per year in the UK [ 27 ].

This combination was considerably more protective than each behavior alone [ 28 ]. The limited number of clinical studies on dried fruit and cardiometabolic health suggests that it can lower the postprandial insulin response, modulate sugar absorption Glycemic Index , promote satiety, and have a beneficial effect on blood pressure BP [ 29 , 30 ].

The results showed that each incremental intake of 3 servings a week of certain whole fruits, including grapes or raisins, dried plums, apples or pears, grapefruits, and blueberries, was associated with a significant reduction in risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Not all fruits were associated with a reduction in risk. Like many fresh fruits, dried fruits have a low to moderate glycemic index GI and a single serving exerts a low glycemic load GL [ 32 ].

The GI measures the blood-glucose-raising effect of an amount of a carbohydrate-containing food that provides 50 g of carbohydrates [ 33 ]. The GL predicts the blood sugar response to a standard serving of a food [ 34 ]. Diets with a low GL help manage blood sugar and lipid levels and may lower the risk of developing diabetes [ 35 , 36 ].

A later study measured raisin GI and Insulin Index in 10 sedentary adults, 10 pre-diabetic individuals, and 11 endurance athletes [ 37 ]. The GI was The Insulin Index was correspondingly low as well.

In a more recent study, the GI, Insulin Index, and glycemic response of raisins was assessed in 10 healthy subjects [ 38 ]. The study also showed that a serving of raisins 28 g exerts a low GL.

Compared to an equal amount of carbohydrate from white bread, raisins had a significantly lower postprandial glucose and insulin response. This indicates that raisins can modulate the glycemic response Fig.

A single-crossover study found little difference between the glycemic responses to cal servings of grapes or raisins among subjects with type 2 diabetes. Incremental AUC iAUC for glucose A and insulin B after consumption of 3 meals containing 50, 50 and 20 g of available carbohydrate from white bread WB , raisins R50 and raisins R20 , respectively.

Differences in blood glucose responses were found when subjects were given a nut and dried fruit snack raisins and peanuts or processed snacks chocolate-coated candy bar or a cola drink with crisps [ 40 ]. Peak glucose concentrations tended to be higher after the processed snacks than after the peanuts raisin snacks and plasma insulin levels were significantly lower, despite having similar amounts of total carbohydrate, sugar, fat, and protein.

Because of their fat content, adding nuts to a dried fruit snack would be expected to lower the glycemic response. Eating fruit has been associated with reductions in body weight. Individuals consuming more than 20 g dried fruit per day had higher energy intakes than those who consumed less, but had a lower mean body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference.

Intervention studies with raisins show that consumption may have a beneficial effect on blood lipids. crackers, cookies of the same caloric content [ 45 ]. Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Raisin consumption was also associated with statistically significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic BP. No significant changes in body weight were observed within or between groups. Compared to processed snacks, those who consumed raisins had a significant reduction in systolic BP, but not in diastolic BP.

Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglyceride, or non-HDL cholesterol levels did not differ with treatment [ 46 ] Table 4. These results highlight the impact that the composition of snacks can have on blood sugar.

In another study, a group of patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes were instructed to eat fewer fruits and vegetables than the recommended five servings per day and were given two servings of Corinthian raisins or snacks of similar energy density for 24 weeks.

Consuming raisins significantly lowered diastolic BP and increased total antioxidant potential compared to levels at baseline. Raisins did not affect body weight, glycemic control, lipid profile, or C-reactive protein [ 47 ].

When recommending increased consumption of fruit, especially dried fruit, concerns have been raised about the effects of fructose on cardiometabolic health. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that isocaloric exchange of fructose for other carbohydrates has no effect on several cardiometabolic risk factors.

One meta-analysis found that isocaloric substitution of fructose had no effect on long-term glycemic control in individuals with diabetes [ 48 ]. Isocaloric substitution of fructose for other carbohydrates does not increase postprandial triglycerides or other established lipid targets for CVD [ 49 ].

The association of fructose consumption with hypertension and weight gain has also been examined and no relationship found [ 50 ]. Fructose that provides excess energy has been associated with increased body weight. However, this may be due to the excess calories, rather than excess fructose, specifically [ 50 ].

The limits apply to all sugars glucose, fructose, sucrose added to foods by manufacturers and consumers. It also includes sugars present in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit concentrates, but not the sugars naturally present in whole fruit, including traditional dried fruit.

Nut consumption has been associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes [ 12 , 14 , 52 , 53 ]. While the evidence is stronger for cardiovascular disease protection, these conditions are related and are both believed to be inflammatory in nature.

Prospective studies [ 54 , 55 ] and clinical trials have found nut consumption to be associated with decreases in inflammatory markers [ 5 , 13 , 56 ]. Large prospective studies have found an association between nut consumption with a lower risk of fatal coronary heart disease CHD [ 52 ].

The more frequent the intake, up to 5 or more times per week, the lower the risk. Lower total mortality has also been associated with frequency of nut consumption [ 12 , 14 , 57 ].

Despite a documented increase in caloric intake among nut consumers, a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials found no association between nut consumption and increased body weight, BMI or weight circumference [ 58 ].

In this study, the risk of stroke was also reduced in the two Mediterranean—diet groups [ 60 ]. However, not all studies have been consistent in finding an association between nut consumption and a reduction in disease risk.

Two recent meta-analyses of prospective studies found that while a higher consumption of nuts one serving per day or more was associated with reduced risk of coronary artery disease CAD and hypertension, no association was found between nut consumption and stroke or type 2 diabetes [ 61 , 62 ].

A German cohort study of 26 participants also failed to find an association between nut consumption and the risk of stroke [ 63 ]. However, a more recent meta-analysis of 9 prospective cohorts with , participants found a significant inverse association between nut consumption and stroke mortality among women [ 64 ].

Similarly, a meta-analysis of 8 prospective cohort studies found that a high intake of nuts, but not legumes, was inversely associated with stroke risk [ 65 ].

The MESA trial found an association between nut consumption and lower CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen levels [ 67 ]. The Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea PREDIMED study found lower ICAM1, but no differences in the other inflammatory markers were found [ 22 ].

The Moli-sani prospective study of a Mediterranean population found a reduction of inflammatory markers CRP, platelet count, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio among nut consumers, but the impact on CVD was limited to a non-significant trend [ 13 ].

The majority of short-term clinical trials, conducted in otherwise healthy adults with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome, are in agreement that an improvement in glucose and insulin metabolism occurs in the postprandial state with the consumption of 28—90 g of almond, pistachios or mixed nuts [ 41 , 69 — 72 ].

The results from several long-term clinical trials conducted with different populations—some were obese, some had type 2 diabetes—and fed different types of nuts almonds, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, and mixed nuts are less consistent. Some found no effect of nut consumption on glucose and insulin metabolism [ 73 — 77 ].

Others found significant reductions in glucose, insulin, and HBA1c [ 78 , 79 ] when two ounces of nuts replaced carbohydrate foods in the diet, suggesting health benefits [ 80 ].

As with the majority of studies, nut consumption had no effect on waist circumference, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. BP was unaffected. A more recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 randomized controlled clinical trials to estimate the effect of nuts on BP found that total nut consumption lowered systolic BP in participants without type 2 diabetes.

Pistachios appeared to have the strongest effect in reducing both systolic and diastolic BP [ 10 ]. The beneficial effects of pistachios on cardiometabolic risk factors have recently become the focus of research efforts. Pistachios are higher in β-carotene, lutein and γ-tocopherol, than other tree nuts, making them good sources of antioxidants, and they are higher in phytosterols, which are proven to reduce plasma total cholesterol and LDL-C levels.

A clinical feeding trial was conducted in 54 middle-aged, overweight or obese subjects average for the two groups, BMI Significant decreases in glucose, plasma insulin, HOMA-IR, HbA1c, fibrinogen, and platelet factor 4 and a significant increase in glucagon-like peptide-1 were observed as a result of the pistachio diet Table 5.

Waist circumference, BMI, and weight did not change. While no changes in the classic markers of cardiovascular disease, such as total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C, were observed, oxidized LDL-C was significantly lower when the diet was supplemented with pistachios.

There is limited evidence about the effect of nuts on modulating lipoprotein size and composition. Consuming 2 servings of pistachios per day significantly decreased small and dense LDL and lowered the TAG:HDL ratio.

In addition, both pistachio diets raised levels of α-1 and α-2 HDL particles. There was a shift in lipoprotein size and particle profile to a less atherogenic pattern. This suggests that pistachios may play a beneficial role in CVD, other than an effect on the classic lipid factors of cardiovascular risk [ 83 ].

Taken together, these results suggest that regular consumption of pistachios, as part of a moderate-fat diet, could have important glucose- and insulin-lowering effects, promote a healthier metabolic profile, and reverse certain metabolic consequences of pre-diabetes.

Obesity is an importan risk factor for CVD and type 2 diabetes. There is a perception among consumers that including nuts in the diets on a regular basis will result in weight gain.

However, the evidence base does not support this perspective. The results of a meta-analysis of 33 randomized clinical trials found no association between consumption of nuts and body weight 0. In fact, there was a non-significant decrease in all three—body weight 0.

Nuts provide fiber, MUFA and PUFA and are low in SFA. Many are rich sources of tocopherols, phytosterols, and omega-3 fatty acids alpha linolenic acid.

These nutrients may improve inflammatory status, decrease total and LDL-cholesterol, reduce lipid peroxidation, and modulate endothelial function, resulting in beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors [ 52 , 53 , 84 ]. Nuts, particularly pistachios, have a high L-arginine content a precursor of endogenous vasodilator nitric oxide, which may contribute to vascular reactivity [ 53 ].

Nuts are also high in polyphenol antioxidants, which may act by binding to lipoproteins, thus inhibiting the oxidative processes that lead to atherosclerosis.

Finally, nuts are a good source of many micronutrients that play a role in in CVD risk, including low sodium, high magnesium, potassium and calcium [ 53 ].

Individually or in combination, these compounds also have the potential to affect glucose metabolism. In diabetes, lymphocytes are hyperreactive, taking in large amounts of glucose. This increased glucose uptake by lymphocytes may lead to immune hyperactivity and inflammation [ 85 ].

A significant decrease in cellular glucose transport CGT activity has been demonstrated with nut consumption, as well [ 5 ]. Several biological mechanisms could explain why, despite a relatively high calorie and fat content, consumption of nuts is not associated with weight gain.

Nuts are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which may have a greater thermogenic effect than saturated fats, resulting in less fat storage [ 5 ]. Nuts are more satiating than many other foods, due to their energy density, fiber, and protein contents and consumption results in fewer calories consumed at subsequent eating occasions [ 86 ].

In addition, not all of the fat in nuts is absorbed following consumption, resulting in an overestimation of their caloric contribution to the diet [ 87 ]. This has been demonstrated in almonds [ 88 ] and pistachios [ 89 ].

Although several studies have found no significant changes in classic lipid profiles as a result of adding nuts to the diet, the antiatherogenic properties of nuts could be the result of alterations in various lipoprotein subclasses, including an increase in the size of LDL particles.

A crossover study of 18 hyperlipidemic subjects fed walnuts 48 g in addition to their habitual diets for 6 weeks resulted in no change in total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations [ 6 ].

Although there was no change in these lipid concentrations, the distribution of lipoprotein subfractions was altered. The addition of walnuts decreased the amount of cholesterol in the small LDL fractions and concentrations of apolipoprotein A-1 increased, indicative of a decreased risk for CHD.

Dried fruits are very low in sodium and are a particularly significant source of potassium and fiber. Both of these nutrients play an important role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and stroke [ 90 — 92 ].

Dried fruits are also excellent sources of polyphenols and phenolic acids [ 93 ]. These make up the largest group of plant bioactive compounds in the diet and appear to be responsible, at least in part, for the health benefits associated with the consumption of diets abundant in fruits and vegetables [ 94 — 96 ].

The spectrum of dietary antioxidants from nuts and dried fruits tocopherols, carotenoids, polyphenols and phenolic acids may lower overall oxidative stress by scavenging or neutralizing oxidant species and enhancing endogenous antioxidant defenses against metabolic impairment [ 3 , 60 ].

Nuts and dried fruit are nutrient-rich foods, which provide micronutrients and bioactives that are individually associated with lower risk of CVD risk and metabolic disorders. The pairing of these foods thus would benefit many risk factors and physiological pathways. Only a small percentage of the US population regularly consumes tree nuts or dried fruit, yet tree nuts, along with dried fruit, are among the foods associated with some of the largest shifts toward a higher HEI score.

As shown in the NHANES data, consumers of tree nuts and dried fruit had HEI scores of about 60, an improvement over the average HEI of the U.

diet, which is about 50, but there is still enormous room for improvement. Increasing the intake of dried fruits and tree nuts, would improve nutrient intakes and the quality of the American diet. Consumption of both nuts and dried fruit has been associated with decreases in waist circumference and BMI.

A limited number of clinical studies on raisins and cardiometabolic health suggest that they can lower the postprandial insulin response, modulate sugar absorption, and have a beneficial effect on BP.

Additional longitudinal studies are needed to confirm associations of dried fruit intake on these parameters. A larger body of evidence has suggested that regular consumption of nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a moderate-fat diet, could have important glucose- and insulin-lowering effects, promote a healthier metabolic profile, and reverse certain metabolic consequences of pre-diabetes.

Nuts and dried fruit have a complementary set of nutrients. Both are shelf-stable, portable, and accessible and, in many instances, they are consumed together as snacks or prepared foods.

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Nutrition attributes and health effects of pistachio nuts. Nettleton JA, Steffen LM, Mayer-Davis EJ, Jenny NS, Jiang R, Herrington DM, et al. Dietary patterns are associated with biochemical markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis MESA.

Salas-Salvado J, Garcia-Arellano A, Estruch R, Marquez-Sandoval F, Corella D, Fiol M, et al. Components of the Mediterranean-type food pattern and serum inflammatory markers among patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Casas-Agustench P, Lopez-Uriarte P, Bullo M, Ros E, Cabre-Vila JJ, Salas-Salvado J. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics noted that antioxidants can help prevent health conditions such as cancer, heart disease and cataracts.

The higher numbers of calories per serving for dried fruits can be an advantage if you're trying to gain weight healthfully or if you're an athlete who often needs to turn to quick, nutrient-dense foods. If adding calories is your goal, stick with raisins.

The European Food Information Council said that raisins have the most calories among dried fruits -- per grams -- closely followed by dates, which have calories per grams. Nutrition Fruits and Vegetables Other Fruit. Which Dried Fruit Is Healthiest? By Carly Schuna. Dried banana chips in a bowl.

No Sugar Added. Video of the Day. Filling Fiber. Disease Prevention. High Energy. com: Is Dried Fruit Healthy or Fattening? American Heart Association: Added Sugars Add to Your Risk of Dying from Heart Disease The Globe and Mail: Is Dried Fruit Good or Bad for Me?