What is the difference between frozen and dried fruits?

Welcome to the Instantia’s blog! Some of our clients have asked us what is the difference between frozen and dried fruits and in this post we have decided to share with you some special characteristics of each one of them.

Frozen fruits

Frozen fruits are characterized by lowering the temperature to the degree that the water they contain freezes, thus preventing the growth of microorganisms and increasing the life of the fruit, making it be used for longer. When freezing a product, the elements of the fruit are not lost; on the contrary, they may contain more vitamin and minerals than the fresh fruits that we see in the supermarket since these fruits have been frozen just at the time of their collection, this moment is when the fruit contains a greater nutritional value.

It should be considered that not all frozen products are better, and we must distinguish which items are advisable to buy frozen and which ones are not. Frozen foods like fruits, vegetables and meat are an excellent healthy buying option. However, there are a large number of frozen products such as lasagna, Nuggets, and other pre-cooked dishes that are subsequently frozen so that the user only has to fry it or put it in the oven. This type of food contains a lot of fat and additives, which is why they are not recommended.

Another advantage of frozen foods is their lower price and this is because these fruits are usually frozen when there is an abundance of this fruit in the market so that sometimes its price can be more competitive than that of fresh fruits. Another advantage is that these products are already germ-free, due to the low temperatures at which they were exposed. In addition, they have been previously washed. Frozen fruits should be consumed no later than 6 months after they were frozen to enjoy all the vitamins and minerals they can provide.

Dried fruits

These types of fruits are also collected and go through a washing and drying process. This way, the fruit loses the water that causes the microorganisms to grow and spoil the fruit. Having no water, microorganisms cannot grow. The size of this fruit is reduced because it loses water, but all the vitamins and minerals remain intact in the rest of the fruit, and like frozen ones, they maintain and sometimes have more than fresh ones.

Dried fruits are 100% natural because the drying process is natural since it is placed in ovens, where the temperature is managed to take care of the nutrients and vitamins of the fruits. However, this drying process is not new, for centuries people used to dry the fruits in the sun to be preserved for a longer period of time to lose size but no properties. The only thing that has changed is the technology that allows a more hygienic fruit drying and controlling the temperature to be the ideal drying for each type of fruit. Afterward, they are bagged and ready for sale.

Just like frozen ones, not all dried fruits are healthy. To know which one suits us to buy, it is necessary to verify its ingredients and those they do not contain added sugar, or any other additive that changes its flavor or color. For this reason, we produce organic dried fruits, we have certifications that guarantee that from our cultivation our fruits do not have pesticides, also during the process, only the water is removed without changing or adding anything to our fruits, making them 100% natural.

Due to the sweet taste of dehydrated fruit people can get confused and think that these fruits are not healthy. However, the sweet taste is because of the concentration of fructose. This happens because they are smaller than the fresh ones. At the time of drying, the fruit loses approximately 80% of its size because of the water is eliminated but nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, and fructose are concentrated in the fruit. These fruits last about a year, without needing to be in the refrigerator or frozen, what makes them ideal to be able to take excursions or for lunch. Due to its energetic content, it is adequate to cover your needs and satiate the hunger; in addition, they have less weight and volume than fresh fruit. However, because of its size, sometimes people eat more than what is recommend it. For example, if you eat 0.055 pounds of dried fruit is like your consumed 0.22 pounds of fresh fruits. So an abuse of this product could cause you to gain weight. However, this food in the recommended portions can help your diet plan because of its high nutrient and fiber content.

Both types of fruit are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and they can help to prepare smoothies and a great diversity of dishes. But undoubtedly, one of the main advantages of dehydrated fruits is its practicality because you can take them anywhere without worrying about thawing or staining your belongings.

And the main difference is that the frozen fruits are exposed to very low temperatures to freeze the water and prevent the growth of microorganisms and the dried ones are exposed to very high temperatures to eliminate water and prevent the growth of microorganisms.

Instantia is a company committed to the production of organic dried fruits, the ambient environment and the health of our customers. We invite you to know all our products, contact us, we will be happy to help you!