Dried fruit – which can be found in any grocery store but most abundantly in health stores – has a reputation for being…er…healthy!
But is dried fruit actually as healthy as fresh fruit for your baby?
Whilst dried fruit does have SOME advantages over fresh, truly fresh fruit will almost always be the healthiest option.
And even though more and more dried fruit snacks are being marketed for children, the fact remains that – whilst they may be a healthier snack than candy or potato chips (crisps) – they are no substitute for fresh fruit!
The problem with dried fruit is that its water content has, of course, been removed.
One advantage is that…
…some of the nutrients it contains are therefore more concentrated.
Your baby would need to eat far fewer raisins than grapes, for example, to receive the equivalent amount of iron.
And for the same reason, dried fruit also tends to be very rich in fibre.
The UK’s Eatwell Guide advises that a ‘portion’ of dried fruit (in terms of aiming for 5 portions a day) is only 30g – less, of course, than a ‘portion’ of fresh fruit.
A disadvantage of dried fruit…
…is that the sugar content is more concentrated too, meaning that dried fruit can be harmful to your baby’s emerging teeth.
What’s more, the drying process contributes to a loss of some nutrients, most notably water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C.
Of course, in areas where certain fruits are not available fresh, then the dried variety can be the next best thing.
From our experience of living in the Bahamas, for example, we found that fruits like fresh apricots were virtually impossible to find, but dried apricots were available everywhere!
When we buy them for our children, however, we are mindful of their higher sugar contest and tend not to use them TOO often.
If you DO choose to use dried fruit in your homemade baby food recipes…
- Rehydrate the fruit first to make it easer to puree and easier for your baby to manage. You can do this by soaking – or gently simmering – the fruit in water or unsweetened apple juice until soft.
- Remember that dried fruits – in addition to being high in sugar – present a choking hazard and are not an ideal finger food for younger babies.
- Look for organic, unsulfured fruit – sulfured fruits can trigger reactions in sensitive individuals.
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