It can be tough to find healthy snacks that are still tasty and craveable, but fruit leather manages to do both. Conceptually similar but much healthier than Fruit Roll-Ups, fruit leathers are chewy strips of dried fruit, per Washington State University. The best part is that you can find them in just about any fruity flavor you can think of — single-fruit leathers like strawberry, apricot, or peach or fun combinations like blueberry-banana, pumpkin-apple, or peach-raspberry (via MorningChores).
Just like how juices or smoothies have high concentrations of fruit, most fruit leathers pack a ton of fruits into a single strip, so youre getting more bang for your buck and plenty of nutrients in each bite. According to the International Journal of Food Science, pulp-based fruit leathers are high in dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a healthy snack to nosh on.
As with any store-bought food, however, its always important to watch for added ingredients like sugar. Yet while you may be tempted to make it at home, theres a good reason for why homemade fruit leather may not be worth the trouble.
A piece of fruit leather is no doubt more nutritious than lots of other snack foods – Twinkies, for instance. But fruit leathers can contain high concentrations of pesticides. That’s because the agricultural chemicals are sprayed on the fruit from which they are made.
It can be tough to find healthy snacks that are still tasty and craveable, but fruit leather manages to do both. Conceptually similar but much healthier than Fruit Roll-Ups, fruit leathers are chewy strips of dried fruit, per Washington State University. The best part is that you can find them in just about any fruity flavor you can think of — single-fruit leathers like strawberry, apricot, or peach or fun combinations like blueberry-banana, pumpkin-apple, or peach-raspberry (via MorningChores).
Just like how juices or smoothies have high concentrations of fruit, most fruit leathers pack a ton of fruits into a single strip, so youre getting more bang for your buck and plenty of nutrients in each bite. According to the International Journal of Food Science, pulp-based fruit leathers are high in dietary fibers, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them a healthy snack to nosh on.
Homemade smoothies are an easy way to whip up a healthy snack — just throw all the ingredients in a blender and youre good to go. Fruit leather, however, is not so simple to make at home. Multiple kitchen appliances are needed, including processors to make the purées, food dehydrators, and fine-mesh sieves (via Food Network). Once fresh fruit has been washed and seeds, stems, and peels have been removed, Washington State University explains that the fruit should be puréed and placed in a dehydrator on top of drying sheets.
As with any store-bought food, however, its always important to watch for added ingredients like sugar. Yet while you may be tempted to make it at home, theres a good reason for why homemade fruit leather may not be worth the trouble.
Then the mixture needs to dehydrate for six to eight hours, per Fresh Off the Grid; although Food Network notes the entire process can take over 20 hours to complete. In addition, the end result typically has an unappetizing color and texture in comparison to the store-bought versions most people are used to, which may make you less likely to wolf it down.
Fruit-based snacks can be healthy, like dried fruit or raisins, but they are also very sticky. Even real fruit contains natural sugars that if left to stick on to molars, can lead to cavities. A great way to avoid this issue is to either make sure that your child brushes after eating dried fruits, or stick to fresh fruit.
A. You aren’t the first parent to have this rude awakening at the dentist’s office. Your question sounds a lot like the kind of thing I discuss daily with parents in my practice.
Q. I was recently shocked to learn that my 8-year-old daughter has two cavities. One dentist suggested they could be a result of the gummy fruit snacks (fruit leather, roll-ups, etc.) and dried fruit snacks that she eats every day at school. Is that what caused these cavities?
The moral of the story is that a cavity free mouth requires good habits in lots of different ways. It’s important to start early and wipe baby’s gums with a clean cloth morning and night before teeth arrive. For older kids, keep snacks healthy, don’t share utensils or clean pacifiers with your mouth, brush twice daily and get your child to the dentist before their first birthday. This will keep your dentist visits short and painless.
The other source of cavities in young children is much less well known, and comes from habits that start in infancy. Tooth decay is actually caused by bacteria. Children are not born with these germs in their mouths, they get them from adults. When we share utensils with our young children, clean a spoon with our mouth, or share beverages, we are actually transferring the bacteria from our mouth to theirs. This bacteria, if not removed by twice daily brushing, leads to cavities.
This SECRET INGREDIENT changed Everything (Fruit Leather Your Kids Will LOVE)
FAQ
Is fruit leather a healthy snack?
Is fruit leather better than candy?
What is the nutritional value of fruit leather?
Is fruit healthy?
Fruits are an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, and fiber. Eating a balanced diet, including fruits, can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and diabetes. Most studies suggest that the optimal amount is two to five servings of fruit per day. Healthiest fruit with little amount of sugar content are lemons and limes, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, kiwis, grapefruit, avocado, and watermelon.
What are the health benefits of fruit leather?
The high content of nutrients ensures one’s health and combat fatigue and other health problems. Fruit leather comprises of natural fibers that provides numerous health benefits. Fibers found in it assist the process of digestion. Additionally, it cleanses digestive system and prevents the condition such as constipation and other bladder problems.
Are fruit leathers unhealthy?
Some commercial fruit leathers, however, may include potentially unhealthy ingredients. Fruit leathers can be low-calorie, convenient and light-weight snacks for kids and adults 1 3.