Secrets of the Superhuman Food Pyramid: Negative Effects of Sugar Coated Dried Fruits

Fresh and dried fruits are sometimes coated with sugar to make a more appealing snack or dessert, or to add a decorative element to pastry dishes.

The process is simple enough that it can be done at home. Usually a layer of egg whites or dissolved meringue powder is first applied. Then the fruit is dusted with confectionery or regular sugar. Afterwards the whole thing is left to settle for a few minutes to let the coating settle and stick.

There is a slight difference between sugar coated dried fruits and candied fruit although both types of products can be sugar coated. The former is simply dehydrated and then sweetened. The latter meanwhile undergoes more processing where the water content of the fruit is replaced with sugar.

The health risks of consuming too much sugar are well known which is why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends that you avoid this food. Continue reading about the negative effects of sugar coated dried fruits.

Sugar Coated Dried Fruit Health Risks:

A serving size of about 50 grams (1.8 ounces or almost ½ cup) of sweetened dried guava can already supply 180 calories. This should not be surprising as 36 grams of that serving is composed of sugars. The amount of sugar certainly varies for every dried fruit as some naturally contain more fructose and glucose than others. The additional sugar coating however, which is more often than not sucrose or regular sugar, definitely raises the caloric content beyond what would result if the fruit was simply dried.

The process of dehydrating fruit doesn’t really raise the sugar content. It just actually reduces the amount of fruit by doing away with the water. The result is that dried fruit has generally more concentrated sugar. If you eat the same amount as the whole fresh version of the fruit, you’ll be consuming more calories. This potential risk apparently gets worse with sugar coated dried fruits.

There is nothing wrong with high calorie food as it is. They even have advantageous uses in specific situations like when you’re participating in a high-endurance sport and need all the carbohydrate fuel you can get your hands on. In a typical day that doesn’t include sustained strenuous physical activity, of course you’re only going to need moderate amounts.

Some sugar coated dried fruits however are packaged as snacks or desserts. Habitually making them a part of your meals then can easily lead to the usual health risks of sugar over-consumption. These would be hyperglycemia, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, obesity, and tooth decay.

Avoiding commercial sugar coated dried fruit products can be a little tricky. The label may simply read “dried (name of fruit)” but when you look at the ingredients listed on the packaging you might see sugar included along with other additives. You also have to take note that in some fruits like dates for example, the process of drying tends to crystallize the sugars present in the peel which may make the dried fruit appear sugar coated.

In the next post, I’ll tell you the negative effects of packaged dried fruit and why you should avoid it to succeed in your quest to Become Superhuman.

In the meantime, if you care to jump ahead, here is a complete listing of the fruits on Superhuman Food Pyramid:

Eat:

• Apples

• Apricots

• Bananas

• Berries

• Cherries

• Cantaloupe

• Grapefruit

• Kiwi

• Mangoes

• Nectarines

• Oranges

• Papayas

• Peaches

• Pears

• Pineapple

• Plum

• Watermelon

Moderate:

• Lemons

• Limes

• Grapes

• Strawberries

• Dates

• Figs

• Natural Dried Fruit

• Fruit Juices

Avoid:

• Canned Fruit

• Fruit in Syrup

• Fruit Candy

• Sugar Coated Dried Fruit

• Packaged Dried Fruit

If you have questions, comments or feedback about the negative effects of sugar coated dried fruits, the Superhuman Food Pyramid, this website, or other aspects of Becoming Superhuman, then leave your thoughts below, as well as any tips you have on the negative effects of sugar coated dried fruits.