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What happens to your blood sugar when you eat dried fruit

Main to remember

  • Dry fruits are more concentrated in sugar and calories than fresh fruit, which can cause faster blood sugar peaks if portions are large.
  • Dry fruits contain fibers, micronutrients and antioxidants that help stamp some of the effects on blood sugar and offer other health benefits.
  • Playing dried fruits with proteins or healthy fats and keeping small portions are the best ways to enjoy dried fruits without overthrowing blood sugar.

Dry fruits have a higher concentration of sugar by portion than fresh fruit, which can cause blood sugar peaks. However, eating small portions associated with protein -rich foods or healthy fats can help reduce its effects on blood sugar.

Why the dried fruits have an impact on blood sugar differently from fresh fruit

Due to the way it is transformed, dried fruits lead to a greater increase in blood sugar than fresh fruit.

When the fruits are dried, most of its water content is eliminated, resulting in a more concentrated source of natural sugars. This means that a smaller portion of dried fruit offers the same sugar, or often more than a larger portion of fresh fruit.

For example, a cup of raisins in a quarter contains the same total of carbohydrates than about a cup of complete grapes, but it is much faster and easier to eat.

The high water content of fresh fruit also helps slow digestion and dilutes natural sugars, which leads to a more progressive increase in blood sugar. On the other hand, dried fruits are denser, more concentrated and faster digested, which can trigger a clearer blood sugar response.

The role of the glycemic index and the glycemic load

Fresh and dried fruits can be part of a healthy diet. Understanding the glycemic index and the glycemic load can help explain the differences between the effects of dried fruits and fresh on blood sugar.

Glycemic index

The glycemic index (GI) measures at what speed a food increases blood sugar compared to pure glucose (table sugar). Foods are classified on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher numbers causing a faster peak.

  • Foods Gi High Have a 70 or more GI.
  • Middle GI foods Have a GI between 56 and 69.
  • Food at low GI have a GI of 68 or less.

Glycemic load

The glycemic load (GL) goes further in taking into account the size of the portions. It reflects the quality of food (effect on blood sugar represented by GI) and the quantity (carbohydrates per portion).

  • High GL Foods have a GL of 20 or more.
  • Average Food GL have a GL between 11 and 19.
  • Low GL foods have a GL of 10 or less.

You will find below a list of glycemic ratings for dried fruits vs freshly consumed to compare their impacts.

Type of dried Glycemic index Glycemic load
Raisins, 100 grams 65 51
Dates, 5-6 dried fruits 40 27
Dried apples, 100 grams 35 21
Dried apricots, 100 grams 35 21
Dried bananas, 100 grams 48 42
Dried figs, 100 grams 50 29
Red grapes, 100 grams fresh 45 8
Dates, 100 grams fresh 70 48
Green apple, 1 fresh 36 5
Apricot, 100 fresh grams 34 4
Banana, 1 fees 48 8
Fresh figs, 100 grams 35 7

How fibers, micronutrients and antioxidants help

Although dried fruits can increase blood sugar faster than fresh fruit, its fiber and nutrient content helps balance part of the effect.

  • Fiber: Fiber is an essential nutrient that slows down the speed at which sugar is absorbed in the blood circulation, helping to prevent the points and spectacular collisions.
  • Micronutrients: Dry fruits contain many vital micronutrients found in fresh fruit, such as potassium, magnesium and iron.
  • Antioxidants: Fruits also provide antioxidants, especially polyphenols, which help protect the health of your cells and can improve insulin sensitivity, supporting the regulation of healthy blood sugar.

To harvest the healthiest advantages of dried fruits, look for them without added sugar and take advantage of it in moderation.

Combine dried fruits with healthy proteins or fats

One of the simplest ways to maintain stable blood sugar while enjoying dried fruits is to associate it with a source of healthy proteins or fats.

In themselves, dried fruits digest quickly due to their concentrated natural sugars. But combined with proteins and foods containing fat, digestion slows down, leading to a more progressive release of glucose in the bloodstream.

Here are some easy -to -try chords for better blood sugar:

  • A handful of raisins sprinkled on toast with peanut butter
  • Mixture of trails made with dried apricots, dried bananas, cashews and pumpkin seeds
  • Dates in slices stuffed with almond butter and sprinkled with hemp seeds
  • Greek yogurt with dried nuts and blueberries
  • Oatmeal with dried apples and chia seeds

In the end, you don’t need to avoid dried fruit if you appreciate it. Instead, being aware of how you eat it and what you eat it can help slow digestion, maintain blood sugar peaks and keep yourself longer.

Special considerations for people with diabetes or prediabetes

For people with diabetes or prediabetes, dried fruits can integrate into a healthy diet model, but it requires more mindfulness. Because the dried fruits are dense in calories and higher in natural sugars per bite, it is easy to eat more than expected and to see a rapid increase in blood sugar.

Some simple strategies can help:

  • Look at the portions: Get a small handle rather than a whole bag.
  • Choose lower options: Dried apricots, prunes and apples tend to have a milder effect on blood sugar than raisins or dried mango.
  • Check the labels: Many packed dried fruits contain added sugars or syrups.
  • Pair wisely: Eating dried fruit with nuts, seeds or yogurt can help balance the effects.
  • Surveillance response: As with other foods, verification of blood sugar after eating dried fruit can provide precious comments.

Eating fresh and dry fruits is always better than products more processed with fruit or fruit derivatives (for example, fruit snacks or fruit juices) – whether or not you live with diabetes. Some research shows that the integration of dried fruits into a healthy diet can be beneficial to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Very well health uses only high -quality sources, including studies evaluated by peers, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to find out more about how we check the facts and keep our content precise, reliable and trustworthy.
  1. USDA Central Fooddata. Grapes, red or green (European type, like Thompson without seeds), raw.

  2. USDA Central Fooddata. (2019). Raisins, seeds.

  3. Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, et al. International tables of the glycemic index and glycemic load values ​​2021: a systematic review. Am the nutr clin. 2021 November 8; 114 (5): 1625-1632. DOI: 10.1093 / AJCN / NQAB233.

  4. State University of Oregon. Glycemic index and glycemic load.

  5. Glycemic index guide. Raisins.

  6. Glycemic index guide. Dried dates.

  7. Glycemic index guide. Dried apples.

  8. Glycemic index guide. Dried apricots.

  9. Glycemic index guide. Bananas (dried).

  10. Glycemic index guide. Figs (dried).

  11. Glycemic index guide. Red grapes (fresh).

  12. Glycemic index guide. Dates (fresh).

  13. Glycemic index guide. Green apple (fresh).

  14. Glycemic index guide. Apricot (fresh).

  15. Glycemic index guide. Banana (fresh).

  16. Glycemic index guide. Figs (fresh).

  17. GIUTINI EB, Sardá Fah, from Menezes EW. The effects of soluble dietary fibers on glycemic response: an overview and long -term perspectives. Food. 2022 DEC 6; 11 (23): 3934.

  18. Vinson JA, Zubik L, Bose P, et al. Dried fruits: excellent antioxidants in vitro and in vivo. J am coll nutr. 2005; 24 (1): 44-50.

  19. Mao T, Huang F, Zhu X, et al. Effects of dietary fibers on glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J FUNCT FOODS. 2021; 82,104500. DOI.org/10.1016/j.jff.2021.104500

  20. Luhovyy BL, Kathirvel P. Food proteins in the regulation of blood sugar control. Adv food nutr res. 2022; 102: 181-231. DOI.ORG/10.1016/BS.AFNR.2022.05.001

  21. Ellouze I, Akhavan N, Singar S, et al. The relationship between fruit and fruit products with glucose homeostasis and diabetes: a full update on current clinical literature. Dietetic2023, 2 (3), 237-266.

  22. Guan J, Liu T, Yang K, et al. Taking dried fruits and lower risk of type 2 diabetes: a Mendelian randomization study with two samples. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2024; 21 (1): 46. DOI: 10.1186 / S12986-024-00813-Z.


By Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD

Panoff is a dietitian, writer and speaker recorded with more than a decade of experience specializing in the health benefits of a plant -based lifestyle.

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