Anson also talked about dried fruits and canned fruits, both of which are widely available on the market. These food products are different from fresh fruits in terms of nutrient composition. In order to make dried fruits, the common way is to make use of the heat of the sun or an oven. As the dehydrating process results in the loss of vitamins B and C, dried fruits have a lower nutritional value than the fresh ones. With the water content removed from dried fruits, the concentration of fructose is high. One tablespoon of dried fruit has the same amount of sugar as one serving of fruit. If we eat dried fruits frequently, we may risk consuming too much sugar. When shopping for canned fruits, it is better to buy fruits canned in water or natural fruit juice instead of those canned in syrup. Since both dried fruits and canned fruits may contain added sugar or additives, such as preservatives and sulphite, it is important to read the ingredient list and nutrition label of the food item before making a purchase.
Take Health into Consideration When Choosing Fruits
Anson reminded us that everyone should choose fruits according to his or her health condition. Since apricots, figs, prunes and jackfruits have a high level of potassium, people with kidney impairment should watch out for these fruits. As for people with diabetes, they should be mindful of the portion size when they eat watermelons, lychees and longans, all of which are rich in sugar. Some fruits are high in fat and should not be frequently consumed. For example, 100g of coconut flesh contains 33.5g of fat, 30g of which are saturated. The same weight of avocado has 14.7g of fat.
Table 1: Nutrition Information on Common Fruits and Fruit Products
Food Items
(per 100g)
Calories (kcal)
Carbohydrates (g)
Fat (g)
Dietary Fibre (g)
Sugar (g)
Oranges
47
11.8
0.1
2.4
9.4
Apples (with skin)
52
13.8
0.2
2.4
10.4
Apples (without skin)
48
12.8
0.1
1.3
10.1
Watermelon
30
7.6
0.2
0.4
6.2
Papayas
39
9.8
0.1
1.8
5.9
Cherries
63
16.0
0.2
2.1
12.8
Bananas
89
22.9
0.3
2.6
12.2
Strawberries
32
7.7
0.3
2.0
4.9
Blueberries
57
14.5
0.3
2.4
10.0
Lychees
66
16.5
0.4
1.3
15.2
Longans
60
15.1
0.1
1.1
NA
Peaches
39
9.5
0.3
1.5
8.4
Dragon fruit
56
9.6
1.4
1.7
7.6
Kiwi fruits (green)
61
14.7
0.5
3.0
9.0
Kiwi fruits (golden)
60
14.2
0.6
2.0
11.0
Pineapple canned in water
32
8.3
0.1
0.8
7.5
Pineapple canned in pineapple juice
57
12.0
0.6
0.8
12.0
Pineapple canned in syrup
78
20.2
0.1
0.8
16.9
Lychees canned in syrup
96
21.3
1.0
0.5
NA
Peaches canned in water
24
6.1
0.1
1.3
4.8
Grapes
69
15.0
0.6
Trace
14.0
Raisins
299
79.2
0.5
3.7
59.1
Apricots
48
11.1
0.4
2.0
9.2
Dried apricots
241
62.7
0.5
7.3
53.4
Mangos
65
17
0.3
1.8
14.8
Dried mangos
319
78.6
1.2
2.4
66.3
Figs
74
19.2
0.3
2.9
16.3
Dried figs
259
54.5
0.7
14.3
52.6
Sources: The Centre for Food Safety, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Nutrient Data Laboratory, US Department of Agriculture
Remark: “NA” means that relevant nutrient data for that particular food item is not available.
