Do fruit bars have antioxidants? Plus a review of popular fruit bar brands

The Grocery Edit #3

Hello readers! The number of available dried fruit snacks has increased significantly in recent years as consumers demand more “natural” packaged snacks. And on a scale of fresh produce to Cheetos, fruit bars seem as natural as it gets for a shelf-stable food. But are these products actually nutritious, or just concentrated sources of sugar?

This week I’m looking beyond the nutrition facts table to share what we know about the micronutrient and antioxidant content of dried fruit products. I’ve also included a brief review of popular fruit bar brands to help you make an informed decision at the grocery store.

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Sugar Content of Fruit Bars Vs. Fresh Fruit

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Fresh fruit is made up of mostly water. Depending on the type, fresh fruit contains at least 70% water, with many varieties containing more than 85% water. When fresh fruit is dried to make fruit bars, this water volume is lost but the sugar content remains stable. Some fruit bars are also infused with fruit juice concentrate to improve the flavour of the product. These products contain added sugars and are considered higher in sugar compared to their fresh counterparts.

However, many dried fruit bar brands are free from added sugar. Compared to whole fruit, no-added-sugar fruit bars do not contain more sugar compared to an equal amount of fresh fruit, but the sugar is more concentrated because up to 85% of the volume of the original fresh fruit has been removed.

Is fruit juice considered an added sugar?

Yes! Even though fruit juice is technically a natural sugar, when used as an ingredient, it is considered an added sugar. Therefore, in the U.S and Canada, products cannot use a “no added sugar” claim if they contain fruit juice as an ingredient¹.

Glycemic Index of Dried Fruit