J. Lynne Brown, PhD, RD Responds:

J. Lynne Brown, PhD, RD, associate professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University, responds: Yes, with one note of caution. The drying process removes moisture, concentrating the carbohydrates, some vitamins and minerals, and other compounds. Some water-soluble vitamins and minerals might be lost in the drying process. The most important outcome is that dried fruit delivers more calories per unit weight than fresh does. 

Even so, dried fruits are a nutritious way to help meet the MyPyramid Food Guidance System (www.mypyramid.gov) recommendations. A quarter cup of dried fruit is equivalent to a half cup of fresh. Eating some fresh and some dried fruit over a week can make it easier to get the 2 1/2 cups MyPyramid recommends for most adults. Dried fruits are especially good used as additions to cereals and quick breads, plus they are handy snacks for outdoor activities because their small size and dried quality make them convenient to carry. So enjoy.