Fresh, Frozen, Dried: What’s the Difference?

Berries are among the healthiest fruits you can eat, but apart from the varieties, there are also many kinds of berry products available; from fresh to frozen, and from traditionally dried to freeze-dried.

So when it comes to eating healthily, how do these compare?

Fresh

Fresh fruits are considered healthy because they are generally low in energy content and high in nutrients, e.g. vitamins, minerals and fibre. While tropical fruits such as mango and jack-fruit contains incredibly high levels of sugar, berries are among fruits with the lowest sugar content and are known for being a powerhouse of antioxidants, which are important disease fighting compounds.

Frozen

Freezing is generally a good way to preserve nutrients in fruits compared to other methods, due to the minimal process that’s involved. Thawing doesn’t necessarily lead to a significant loss of nutrients either. This makes frozen fruits a good option when their fresh equivalents are not available.

Dried

Dried berries still contain plenty of antioxidants and are sometimes preferred over fresh ones (e.g. cranberries). However, dried fruits can contain 6 times higher energy level compared to their fresh equivalents due to the concentration process they go through. Although the drying process can increase the level of some vitamins and minerals e.g. iron, it is important to check for added sugar and be careful of the portion size.

Freeze-dried

Freeze-drying is a more efficient way to remove water content from fruits while maintaining its structure. The process helps preserve most of the nutrients, however, freeze dried fruits contain even higher level of sugar compared to traditionally dried fruits. Freeze-dried strawberries, for instance, contain 14 times more sugar content that fresh strawberries.

While processed fruits might work better in terms of convenience, fresh is still the best when it comes to healthy eating. Check out the variety of products we offer here and don’t forget to grab some when they become available!