Dried fruit sugar content may surprise, nutritionist warns

Dried mango can contain more sugar than some candies, according to nutritionist Vili Jaakola, who advises treating dried fruit like sweets.

Dried mango, now a popular snack, contains 70–75 grams of sugar per 100 grams—higher than the 66 grams found in a bag of TV Mix candies. Jaakola, a nutritionist at Pihlajalinna, notes that many assume dried fruit is a light, health-promoting choice.

“The body doesn’t distinguish whether the sugar comes from a candy or a dried fruit. A fast carbohydrate is a fast carbohydrate, regardless of the source,” Jaakola says. The high sugar concentration results from water removal during drying, which condenses the sugar into a smaller volume.

He adds that oral bacteria use the sugars in dried fruit just as they do those in candy, and the lack of water makes it easy to overeat. While dried fruit may be a slightly better option than candy due to trace nutrients like vitamin A derivatives and fiber, Jaakola emphasizes it should still be treated as a treat, not a health food.

Fresh fruit is always the better choice, he says, as it keeps you fuller longer and lacks the concentrated sugar. If buying dried fruit, Jaakola recommends unsweetened varieties, noting that some products, like date-based “health candies,” can be misleading.

He cautions against assuming natural sugars or labels like “health candy” make a product healthier. “Natural doesn’t automatically mean healthy. Honey, for example, is still sugar.”