Unsweetened Dried Fruit: What the Labels Really Mean and How to Choose the Right One

Unsweetened Dried Fruit: What the Labels Really Mean and How to Choose the Right One

October 4, 2026

unsweetened dried fruit no sugar added turkish apricots nut cravings resealable bag natural dried fruit guide

Dried fruit has a reputation problem that it mostly does not deserve. The backlash usually goes something like this: someone reaches for a bag of cranberries or mango thinking they are eating fruit, checks the label later, and discovers the product contains more added sugar than a candy bar. The reaction is frustration, and it is understandable.

But the frustration is directed at the wrong target. The problem is not dried fruit. The problem is that dried fruit labels are confusing, the terms are used inconsistently, and a handful of specific fruits genuinely require added sugar to be edible. Once you understand what the labels actually mean, which fruits are naturally sweet enough without added sugar, and how to read a label in about thirty seconds, the category makes much more sense.

This guide covers all of that from the perspective of a company that sells both no-sugar-added and lightly sweetened dried fruit. We can explain the label differences, the chemistry behind them, and the fruit-by-fruit reasoning from direct product knowledge rather than general editorial advice.

Quick Answer: Unsweetened Dried Fruit

Unsweetened dried fruit and no-sugar-added dried fruit mean the same thing in practice: only the natural sugars already in the fruit are present in the product. Nothing was added during processing. However, drying removes water and concentrates everything that remains, including natural sugars, so no-sugar-added dried fruit is not sugar-free or low-sugar. The three things to check on any label are the ingredient list (one ingredient = just the fruit), the Nutrition Facts Added Sugars line (should show 0g), and whether juice concentrate appears in the ingredients, since juice concentrate counts as an added sugar under FDA rules even when it sounds natural.

What Does "No Sugar Added" Actually Mean on Dried Fruit?

No sugar added is an FDA-regulated label claim. Under US regulations, it means that no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during the processing or packaging of the product. The full definition is broader than most people expect. It covers white sugar, brown sugar, turbinado, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, agave, molasses, and concentrated fruit and vegetable juices.

That last item is the one most buyers miss. Fruit juice concentrate sounds like it belongs in a clean-label product. It does not. The FDA classifies juice concentrate as an added sugar when it is used as an ingredient to sweeten a food product. When a manufacturer lists apple juice concentrate or grape juice concentrate in the ingredient list, those are added sugars that must be declared in the Nutrition Facts under Added Sugars. A product that uses juice concentrate as a sweetener cannot carry a legitimate no-sugar-added claim. Always check the ingredient list, not just the front of the bag.

What no sugar added does not mean is that the product is sugar-free. Fruit contains its own natural sugars, primarily fructose and glucose. Drying concentrates those sugars significantly. This concentration effect is worth understanding because it is the source of most confusion about dried fruit and sugar.

Why Does Dried Fruit Have So Much Sugar if Nothing Was Added?

Fresh fruit is mostly water. When that water evaporates during drying, everything else in the fruit becomes more concentrated by weight: fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and natural sugars. A 100-gram serving of fresh apple contains about 10 grams of sugar. A 100-gram serving of dried apple contains around 57 grams of sugar, entirely from the fruit itself. No sugar was added. The concentration effect did the math.

This is why registered dietitians and the USDA Dietary Guidelines treat dried fruit as a smaller-portion equivalent of fresh fruit. Under the 2020 to 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one quarter cup of dried fruit counts as one half cup of fresh fruit toward your daily fruit intake. This matters for portion awareness: one quarter cup of dried apricots delivers the nutritional equivalent of several fresh apricots in a much smaller physical serving.

The same concentration that raises sugar per gram also raises fiber, potassium, and polyphenol antioxidants per gram. A 2024 study published in the journal Nutrients assessed the nutritional quality of multiple fruit snack formats including dried fruit, canned fruit, fruit bars, and gummies. Dried fruit scored the highest nutritional quality of all formats studied. By weight, dried fruit contains up to 3.5 times the fiber, vitamins, and minerals of an equal amount of fresh fruit.

Is "Unsweetened" Different from "No Sugar Added"?

In the dried fruit market, the two terms are used interchangeably and mean the same thing to most buyers. Both indicate that the product's sweetness comes only from the fruit itself, with nothing added during processing.

Technically, unsweetened is a broader term that could in some contexts indicate that natural sugars were partially reduced. In practice, you will not encounter this distinction in commercial dried fruit. When you see unsweetened on a bag of dried apricots, prunes, or apple rings, it means the same as no sugar added: just the fruit.

What is genuinely different from both is sugar-free. Sugar-free means no sugar at all, whether natural or added. True sugar-free dried fruit does not practically exist in mainstream retail because drying concentrates natural sugars rather than removing them. If a product claims to be sugar-free, read the full ingredient list carefully, as it almost certainly contains an artificial or non-nutritive sweetener in place of sugar.

Which Dried Fruits Don't Need Any Added Sugar and Why?

dried turkish apricots no sugar added unsweetened natural nut cravings bulk resealable bag Monroe NY

Some fruits have enough intrinsic natural sweetness that drying them without added sugar produces a genuinely satisfying result. These are the fruits where the no-sugar-added version tastes as good as or better than sweetened alternatives.

Dates

Dates have among the highest natural sugar content of any fruit. Medjool dates in particular are so dense with natural sugars that no added sweetener has ever been needed or used in quality date products. Our Dried Dates, Medjool, No Sugar Added and Dried Dates, Pitted Deglet Noor, No Sugar Added each contain one ingredient: dates. The sweetness is entirely from the fruit.

Prunes

Prunes (dried plums) are naturally sweet and moist, with no tartness that would require sugar to balance. They also have the lowest glycemic index of any commonly available dried fruit, measured at GI 29 in clinical studies, lower than fresh apricots, pears, or grapes. Our Dried Prunes, Pitted, No Sugar Added contain only pitted dried plums, no added sugar, no sulfites, no preservatives of any kind.

Turkish Apricots

Turkish apricots are naturally sweet and tart with a concentrated stone-fruit flavor that needs nothing added. Their natural sugar content is high enough that no-sugar-added dried apricots taste just as satisfying as sweetened ones. Our Dried Apricots, Turkish, No Sugar Added contain one ingredient: apricots. They are unsulfured, which means they are naturally brown rather than the vivid orange color produced by sulfite treatment. The brown color is the unsweetened, unpreserved, natural version.

Apple Rings

Dried apple rings concentrate the natural sweetness of the apple into a chewy, satisfying snack that requires nothing extra. Our Dried Apple Rings, No Sugar Added have a mild, clean sweetness and are one of the most practical no-sugar-added options for everyday snacking and lunchboxes.

Peaches and Pears

California peaches and pears both have enough natural sweetness that drying them without sugar produces a genuinely good product. Our Dried Peaches, California, No Sugar Added and Dried Pears, California, No Sugar Added each contain only the fruit, dried.

Which Dried Fruits Almost Always Have Added Sugar and Why?

Some fruits are genuinely and naturally tart. Drying concentrates that tartness along with everything else. Without added sugar, these fruits are either very difficult to eat as a snack or simply unpleasant for most people. This is not a quality issue. It is fruit chemistry. Understanding it prevents the frustration of expecting a no-sugar-added cranberry and finding a product that tastes nothing like the sweetened version you expected.

Cranberries: Why They Are Always Sweetened

Cranberries contain very little natural sugar compared to most fruits. They also contain benzoic acid, a naturally occurring compound that contributes the intense, persistent tartness that makes fresh cranberries inedible without cooking. Dried without any sweetener, cranberries are so sour that the product is nearly impossible to eat as a snack for most people.

This is not a choice manufacturers make for cost reasons. It is a physical property of the fruit itself. The FDA recognizes this specifically. It created a provision allowing cranberry manufacturers to add a dagger symbol on the Nutrition Facts label with a statement explaining that the added sugars bring total sweetness to a level comparable to other naturally sweet dried fruits. Our Dried Cranberries, Lightly Sweetened use a minimal amount of sugar to make the fruit enjoyable, keeping the overall sugar level in line with naturally sweet dried fruits like raisins or prunes.

Sour Cherries

Sour cherries have the same tartness problem as cranberries. Without sweetening, dried sour cherries are very sharp. Our Dried Sour Cherries, Lightly Sweetened are sweetened just enough to be snackable while keeping the tart cherry character that makes them useful in cooking and trail mix.

Blueberries

Fresh blueberries are mildly sweet and mildly tart. Drying concentrates both qualities, but the tartness often dominates in the finished product without a small addition of sweetener. Our Dried Blueberries, Lightly Sweetened have a small amount of added sugar to keep the blueberry flavor balanced and enjoyable.

Tropical Fruits: Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, Kiwi

These fruits are naturally sweet when fresh, but dry to a very dense, concentrated product that most commercial producers sweeten slightly for texture and palatability. Our lightly sweetened versions of Dried Mango Slices, Dried Pineapple Chunks, Dried Papaya Chunks, and Dried Kiwi Slices use minimal added sugar to bring out tropical fruit flavor without turning the product into candy.

What Does "Crystallized" Mean on a Dried Fruit Label?

This is one of the most important label distinctions that almost no guide covers.

If a product says crystallized on the label, it is candied fruit, not dried fruit. Crystallized papaya, crystallized pineapple, and crystallized ginger are all made by soaking the fruit in heavy sugar syrup and then drying it. This is a fundamentally different process from simply dehydrating the fruit. The end product is essentially a confection with fruit flavor, not a concentrated version of fresh fruit.

Registered dietitians writing in Today's Dietitian have noted specifically that products sold as dried fruit, such as papayas and pineapples, may not be dried fruit at all but rather candied fruit. If the package says crystallized, it is candied. This applies regardless of how the product is positioned in the store or what fruit imagery appears on the bag. Check the word before you assume the product is a healthy snack.

What Are Sulfites in Dried Fruit and Should You Look for "Unsulfured"?

dried california peaches no sugar added unsweetened nut cravings natural dried fruit no sulfites resealable bag

Sulfites are a separate additive category entirely from sugar, and the two questions (is it unsweetened and is it unsulfured) are independent of each other. A product can be no-sugar-added and still contain sulfites. Understanding both matters when you are choosing dried fruit.

Sulfur dioxide (E220) and related compounds including sodium metabisulfite and potassium metabisulfite are added to some dried fruits as preservatives. Their primary function is to prevent oxidative browning during drying and storage. They are what give commercially dried apricots their vivid orange color. Without them, apricots brown naturally as they oxidize. The brown version is unsulfured, natural, and equally nutritious. The orange version is sulfited and brighter in appearance.

A 2012 investigation by the Hong Kong Consumer Council tested 50 dried fruit products and found that more than 60% contained sulfur dioxide, with some exceeding legal limits. Sulfites must be declared on US labels when present above 10mg/kg. They can trigger reactions in people with sulfite sensitivity, which is particularly common in people with asthma. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics specifically recommends that people sensitive to sulfites check dried fruit labels carefully.

If you want to avoid sulfites, look for the word unsulfured on the label alongside no sugar added. The ingredient list should name no sulfur-containing compounds. Our Turkish dried apricots are unsulfured, which is why they are naturally brown rather than orange.

Why Does Unsweetened Dried Fruit Sometimes Feel Hard or Tough?

This surprises many first-time buyers, and it is worth explaining before you open a bag and assume something went wrong.

Added sugar acts as a humectant in sweetened dried fruit. A humectant is a substance that attracts and retains moisture from the surrounding air. The sugar in sweetened dried fruit continuously draws in small amounts of ambient moisture, keeping the product soft and pliable on the shelf and after opening.

Without added sugar, no-sugar-added dried fruit has no humectant. It dries out faster after the bag is opened and can become quite firm or tough over time. Food experts who work with naturally dried fruit describe this texture as expected: naturally dried fruit without added humectants is properly described as tough, leathery, and slightly crystallized. The uniform softness of most commercial dried fruit comes from added sugar or other humectants, not from the drying process itself.

This is not a quality defect. It is what unsweetened dried fruit actually is. To keep it at its best after opening, reseal the bag completely after each use or transfer to an airtight glass jar. Store in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight. If the fruit has hardened, a five-to-ten-minute soak in warm water rehydrates it to a softer texture before eating or cooking. For full shelf life guidance, see How Long Does Dried Fruit Last: Complete Shelf Life Guide.

Is Unsweetened Dried Fruit Good for You? What the Research Shows

Multiple independent research groups have looked at this question directly. The findings are consistent and more positive than the sugar reputation of dried fruit might suggest.

A 2024 Mendelian randomization study published in BMC Nutrition and Metabolism, conducted by researchers at Honghui Hospital and Xi'an Jiaotong University, found that increasing dried fruit intake by approximately 1.3 pieces per day was associated with a 60.8% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The mechanism proposed involves the soluble fiber in dried fruit, which helps moderate blood glucose response, along with polyphenol antioxidants that cool systemic inflammation and improve vasodilation.

A 2024 study in the journal Nutrients assessed the nutritional quality of dried fruit, canned fruit, fruit bars, and fruit gummies. Dried fruit scored the highest nutritional quality of all formats evaluated.

A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2020 found that adults who ate dried fruit had lower BMI and healthier systolic blood pressure compared to those who did not, and on days when they ate dried fruit they consumed more fiber, potassium, and polyunsaturated fat overall.

Polyphenols, which make up the largest class of phytochemicals in dried fruit, retain well through the drying process and contribute to the antioxidant activity that makes dried fruit nutritionally valuable. Vitamin C, however, degrades significantly during drying and is not a reliable nutrient in dried fruit. Minerals including potassium, iron, and copper concentrate well and remain present in meaningful amounts.

The consistent caution across all of this research is portion size. The calorie and sugar density of dried fruit makes it easy to eat significantly more than you intend, particularly because a small physical serving represents a large amount of fresh fruit.

Is Unsweetened Dried Fruit Good for Diabetics?

Unsweetened varieties are a better choice than sweetened ones for people managing blood sugar, but they require portion awareness. The no-sugar-added designation addresses one layer of the sugar question. The concentrated natural sugars in dried fruit address a second layer that does not disappear because nothing was added.

A clinical study published in the journal Nutrition and Diabetes examined the glycemic response of four dried fruits (dates, apricots, raisins, and sultanas) versus white bread in ten healthy participants. All four dried fruits had a glycemic index below that of white bread (GI 71). Dried apricots showed a GI of 42, raisins 55, sultanas 51, and all demonstrated the ability to lower the glycemic response of white bread when eaten alongside it by displacing available carbohydrates.

Of the no-sugar-added dried fruits available at Nut Cravings, prunes have the lowest glycemic index at approximately GI 29, followed by dried apricots at GI 30 to 35, dried apple rings at GI 35, dried peaches at GI 35, and dried pears at approximately GI 43. Dates have a moderate glycemic index ranging from approximately GI 40 to 55 depending on variety.

Note: GI values are reference ranges from published clinical data. Individual glycemic response varies. Consult a registered dietitian for personalized guidance.

One practical strategy that multiple registered dietitian sources recommend is pairing a small portion of unsweetened dried fruit with a serving of nuts. The protein, healthy fat, and fiber in nuts slow glucose absorption and moderate the blood sugar impact of the natural sugars in the dried fruit. For more on the research behind nuts and blood sugar, see Nuts and Blood Sugar: What the Research Actually Shows.

How Much Unsweetened Dried Fruit Should You Eat Per Day?

The guidance across multiple major sources is consistent. The 2020 to 2025 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that one quarter cup of dried fruit equals one half cup of fresh fruit and counts as one fruit serving toward the recommended daily intake of one and a half to two cups of fruit.

GoodRx recommends limiting dried fruit to no more than one quarter cup (approximately 48 grams) per day. Harvard Health advises treating dried fruit serving size as half the portion you would eat of fresh fruit: if you would normally eat one cup of fresh grapes, stick to about half a cup of raisins. Most registered dietitians also recommend spreading daily dried fruit consumption across two or three small portions rather than eating it all at once, which produces a larger single blood glucose impact.

For people managing diabetes, the serving guidance is more conservative: some dietitians count two tablespoons of dried fruit as one 15-gram carbohydrate serving and recommend working within that structure based on individual blood glucose management goals.

How Do You Read a Dried Fruit Label Correctly?

A 2024 food label trend study found that nearly 45% of grocery shoppers specifically look for no added sugar on food labels. Despite this, label reading errors are very common with dried fruit because of inconsistent terminology. Here is how to read any dried fruit label in about 30 seconds.

Step 1: Check the ingredient list first

The cleanest no-sugar-added dried fruit has one ingredient: the fruit itself. "Apricots." "Prunes." "Dates." If the list has more than one or two items, read everything carefully before proceeding.

Step 2: Look for juice concentrate anywhere in the ingredients

Apple juice concentrate, grape juice concentrate, pear juice concentrate, and any other juice concentrate are added sugars under FDA rules. If any form of juice concentrate appears in the ingredient list, the product has had sugar added regardless of what the front of the bag claims. This is one of the most common ways shoppers are misled by dried fruit labels.

Step 3: Check the Nutrition Facts Added Sugars line

Under Total Sugars, look for the sub-line that reads "Includes Xg Added Sugars." For a genuine no-sugar-added product, this number is 0g. If it shows anything above 0g, a sweetener was added to the product during processing.

Step 4: Check for sulfites if this matters to you

If you want unsulfured fruit, scan the ingredient list for sulfur dioxide, sodium metabisulfite, and potassium metabisulfite. These must appear in the ingredient list when present above the threshold. Their absence, combined with the word unsulfured on the packaging, confirms you have an unsulfited product.

Step 5: Check for the word "crystallized"

As noted above, any product labeled crystallized is candied fruit, not dried fruit. Treat it accordingly regardless of where it appears in the store.

Why Is Sugar Sometimes Added to Dried Fruit? The Full Reason List

Most guides mention that some dried fruit has added sugar without explaining why manufacturers add it. Understanding the actual reasons helps you evaluate products more accurately.

  • Longer shelf life. Sugar is a natural preservative that extends the storage life of dried fruit by reducing water activity. Products with added sugar can sit on shelves significantly longer before quality degrades.
  • Color stabilization. Sugar slows browning in many fruits, keeping them visually appealing without requiring sulfites. Without either, dried fruit darkens naturally.
  • Product weight. Dried fruit is sold by weight. Sugar and sometimes oil add weight to the final product, which directly benefits the producer's margin.
  • Visual plumpness. Sugar binds with liquid in the fruit and creates a plumper, rounder appearance. Unsweetened dried fruit is flatter, denser, and sometimes less visually appealing than the sweetened version of the same fruit.
  • Covering for lower-quality fruit. Added sugar improves the palatability of fruit that is less ripe or lower quality at the time of drying. High-quality, ripe fruit dried without added sugar does not need this cover.
  • Genuine palatability for tart fruits. For cranberries and sour cherries, the reason is legitimate: the fruit genuinely cannot be made into a palatable snack without sweetening because of its chemistry, not because of cost or quality shortcuts.

How to Use Unsweetened Dried Fruit

dried apple rings no sugar added trail mix healthy snack nut cravings natural unsweetened dried fruit uses

In trail mix with nuts

Unsweetened dried fruit paired with raw or roasted nuts is one of the most nutritionally balanced snack combinations available. The fat and protein in nuts slow glucose absorption from the natural sugars in the dried fruit, and the fiber in both contributes to satiety. For trail mix ratios and ideas, see Healthy Trail Mix: What Makes It Good for You.

On oatmeal and yogurt

Chopped unsweetened apricots, apple rings, or pears on oatmeal or Greek yogurt add natural sweetness without the refined sugar that comes with sweetened versions. Because no-sugar-added dried fruit is less sticky than sweetened versions, it blends more cleanly into cold preparations like overnight oats without clumping.

In baking as a sugar substitute

Unsweetened dates and prunes can replace refined sugar in baked goods at a one-to-one ratio when blended into a paste. The standard approach is to blend one cup of pitted dates or prunes with one and a quarter cups of warm water until smooth, then use this paste cup-for-cup in place of granulated sugar in muffins, banana bread, and brownies. The paste adds sweetness, moisture, and binding without refined sugar.

In savory cooking

No-sugar-added dried fruit works well in savory applications where sweetness acts as a counterpoint: apricots with roasted chicken, prunes in braised pork, apple rings alongside aged cheese. The absence of added sugar means the fruit flavor comes through cleanly without making the dish taste like dessert.

On a cheese and charcuterie board

Unsweetened dates, apricots, and apple rings are the most practical dried fruit for cheese boards because their natural sweetness contrasts well with salty aged cheeses without the syrupy quality of heavily sweetened dried fruit. Our Gift Trays are built around exactly this pairing: premium no-sugar-added and lightly sweetened dried fruit alongside nuts for a balanced gourmet experience.

For travel

Unsweetened dried fruit is shelf-stable, TSA-compliant, and requires no refrigeration. For a complete guide to what dried fruit and nuts are allowed on planes and which travel best, see What Snacks Can You Take on a Plane? TSA Rules and the Best Options.

What Customers Say About Nut Cravings Unsweetened Dried Fruit

★★★★★

Cynthia G. | Verified Buyer | Dried Apricots, Turkish, No Sugar Added

I've now purchased five 48oz bags of these apricots. Each bag has been consistent quality and equally fresh.

★★★★★

Robin M. | Verified Buyer | Dried Apricots, Turkish, No Sugar Added

Love these. Tender and tart. Very clean. No sugar or oils. Not as chewy as some brands.

★★★★★

Daniel K. | Verified Buyer | Dried Apple Rings, No Sugar Added

Soft and chewy with big apple flavor. Used for cookies and a schnitz (PA Dutch apple pie). Excellent out of bag as a snack as well.

Shop No Sugar Added Dried Fruit at Nut Cravings

dried prunes pitted no sugar added unsweetened nut cravings natural dried plums resealable bag OU kosher

NO SUGAR ADDED | PITTED | UNSULFURED | OU KOSHER | FREE SHIPPING $35+

Dried Prunes, Pitted, No Sugar Added

Pitted dried plums with no added sugar, no sulfites, no preservatives. Lowest glycemic index of any dried fruit at GI 29. Packed fresh in Monroe, NY in a resealable bag. OU Kosher certified. Available in multiple sizes from 8oz to 5lb.

Shop Dried Prunes, Pitted, No Sugar Added dried turkish apricots no sugar added unsulfured natural nut cravings no preservatives resealable bag Monroe NY

NO SUGAR ADDED | UNSULFURED | OU KOSHER | FREE SHIPPING $35+

Dried Apricots, Turkish, No Sugar Added

One ingredient: apricots. Naturally brown in color because they are unsulfured. No added sugar, no sulfur dioxide, no preservatives. Large, plump Turkish apricots packed fresh in Monroe, NY. OU Kosher certified. Available in multiple sizes.

Shop Dried Apricots, Turkish, No Sugar Added

See all no-sugar-added and lightly sweetened dried fruit at Shop All Dried Fruits at Nut Cravings.

Unsweetened Dried Fruit: Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "no sugar added" mean on dried fruit?

It is an FDA-regulated claim that means no sugar or sugar-containing ingredient was added during processing. This includes juice concentrate, which many buyers do not expect to be classified as an added sugar. The fruit's own natural sugars are still present and concentrated. No sugar added does not mean low sugar or sugar-free.

Is "no sugar added" the same as "unsweetened" dried fruit?

In practice, yes. Both terms mean the product's sweetness comes only from the fruit's natural sugars. They are used interchangeably across most of the dried fruit market. Neither means sugar-free.

Does dried fruit still have sugar if it says no sugar added?

Yes, significant amounts. Drying concentrates natural fruit sugars. A fresh apple with 10 grams of sugar per 100 grams becomes dried apple with up to 57 grams per 100 grams, entirely from concentration. No sugar added means nothing extra was added on top of that.

Does fruit juice concentrate count as added sugar?

Yes under FDA rules. Any juice concentrate in the ingredient list is an added sugar that must appear in the Added Sugars line on the Nutrition Facts label. Products using it cannot carry a legitimate no sugar added claim.

Why do cranberries always need added sugar when dried?

Cranberries contain very little natural sugar and contain benzoic acid, which creates intense persistent tartness. Without sugar, dried cranberries are too sour for most people to eat. The FDA created a special dagger symbol provision for cranberry labels specifically because of this chemistry.

What are sulfites in dried fruit and should I avoid them?

Sulfites (sulfur dioxide, E220) are preservatives that prevent browning and extend shelf life. More than 60% of dried fruit products tested in a 2012 Hong Kong Consumer Council study contained sulfur dioxide. They must be declared on US labels. People with asthma or sulfite sensitivity should look for the word unsulfured. Our Turkish apricots are unsulfured.

Is unsweetened dried fruit good for diabetics?

Better than sweetened, but not a free food. Clinical research shows prunes (GI 29), apricots (GI 30 to 35), and apple rings (GI 35) all have low glycemic indexes. A 2024 Mendelian randomization study found increasing dried fruit by 1.3 pieces daily may lower type 2 diabetes risk by 60.8%. Pair with nuts to moderate the glucose response. Consult a registered dietitian for individual guidance. See Nuts and Blood Sugar: What the Research Actually Shows.

How much unsweetened dried fruit should you eat per day?

The USDA Dietary Guidelines count one quarter cup of dried fruit as one half cup of fresh fruit (one fruit serving). Most dietitian guidance recommends no more than one quarter cup (about 40 to 48 grams) per day, spread across multiple small portions rather than consumed at once.

What does "crystallized" on a dried fruit label mean?

Crystallized means candied, not dried. Crystallized papaya, pineapple, and similar products are soaked in heavy sugar syrup and dried, not simply dehydrated. Registered dietitians have noted that these products may appear in the dried fruit aisle but are not dried fruit in any meaningful nutritional sense.

Why does unsweetened dried fruit get harder than sweetened?

Added sugar acts as a humectant that draws moisture from the air and keeps sweetened dried fruit soft. Without it, no-sugar-added dried fruit dries out faster and becomes firm or leathery. Reseal tightly, store in an airtight container in a cool dry place, and soak briefly in warm water to rehydrate if firm. See How Long Does Dried Fruit Last for full storage guidance.

⭐ Featured on Good Morning America  ·  ✓ OU Kosher Certified  ·  🏭 Packed Fresh in Monroe, NY  ·  📦 Free Shipping on Orders $35+

Related Guides at Nut Cravings

Shop Dried Fruits

See all
Back to blog