I eat a fair amount of dried fruit, as i can stash it in my desk draw, i was wondering if the dried process removed any antioxidants, because the color of most dry fruit turns very dark if not treated with sulphur. Appartently not though, so i'll keep eating those apricots and figs too.
Shame that many dried fruit products have sugar added, blueberries especially.
http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/2336/159/
From the above link:
In terms of the antioxidants in dried fruit, research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition reported that dried figs and plums have the best nutrient scores. Additionally, the researchers concluded, "Dried fruits have a greater nutrient density, greater fiber content, increased shelf life, and significantly greater phenol antioxidant content compared to fresh fruits. The quality of the antioxidants in the processed dried fruit is the same as in the corresponding fresh fruit.” However, vitamin C that is present in many fresh fruits is destroyed by heat in the drying process.
Bottom line: Dried fruit is high in fiber and carbohydrates and low in fat. It has significant antioxidant value; however, because it's dried, its nutrients are very concentrated, and so are its calories. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recommended serving size for dried fruit is half that of fresh. I would also recommend portioning your dried fruit out into small, manageable serving sizes by splitting a regular bag into four to six servings.
Dried Fruit
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