You already know fruit powders are highly nutritious, extremely versatile and many are super delicious!
But are they as healthy as fresh fruit?
After all, it's hard to beat biting into a juicy red apple or eating freshly cut pineapple – and both are loaded with unbeatable nutrition such as fiber, vitamin C and potassium, and countless other vitamins and minerals.
So, what's the difference, really?
And is adding a tablespoon or more of blueberry, red raspberry, acerola cherry, or banana powder to your favorite recipe, yogurt, smoothie, or cold drink, as healthy as eating the real thing?
Let’s now explore this fun topic and review some examples.
Fresh Fruit vs. Fruit Powders: The difference
Before we answer if fruit powders are as healthy as fresh fruit, let's first look at what a fruit powder actually is.
As you probably know, the best case scenario is to pick your favorite fruit right off the tree and immediately enjoy it. While some people are lucky enough to do this every day, it’s not how most of us get to eat our fruits and veggies these days.
At Z Natural Foods, we strive to bring the freshest, most nutritious fruits to your home as we possibly can.
After the blueberry, strawberry, banana, or favorite fruit has been freshly picked, it is quickly and carefully dehydrated or quickly freeze-fried and then ground into a powder.
In most cases (especially at Z Natural Foods), nothing is added, and nothing is taken away except the water. Our goal with every natural fruit powder is to start with the whole raw fruit just as nature intended you to benefit from it.
And drying this fruit immediately after picking it actually locks in the nutrients for about two years.
Alternatively, picking fruit, transporting it across the country, letting it sit on a grocery store shelf, then bringing it home and finally consuming it over the next 7-10 days will cause a loss of much of the nutrition that was there when it was first picked.
In fact, the longer the time between picking and eating, the greater the loss of nutrients. That's why picking and then drying quickly may be even better.
As soon as the fruit is dried, the nutrition is preserved.
If we are dehydrating the fruit, a careful, slow, and very low heating process removes the water content from the fruit while locking in the peak nutritive value. And while it's true that in most cases, the enzyme content is usually not as high as it is in fresh fruit, our fruit powders still contain enough of the naturally occurring enzymes to assist the body in digestion and its other functions, just as if you were eating the same piece of fresh fruit.
Most Nutritional Value is just as Potent in a Fruit Powder
Whether freeze-dried or low temperature dehydrated, our fruit powders retain about 95% of their nutritional potency. And in some cases, because the powders are concentrated, the nutritional value could be even higher. This means they are a reliable source of essential antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, and fiber – yes, fiber!
For example, our Freeze-Dried Organic Goji Berry Powder packs 500 times more vitamin C than an equivalent orange while containing more beta carotene than carrots.
Our Organic Apple powder contains all 18 naturally occurring amino acids, magnesium, potassium, zinc, pectin, fiber, and other nutrients you’d expect from a fresh apple.
The dehydrated powder perfectly preserves most of the nutrition. We then store it in a temperature-controlled environment sealed in an airtight pouch before carefully transporting it from our warehouse to dinner tables all over the world.
Healthy Digestion and Incredible Antioxidant Power
Many of our fruit powders are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which may support a healthy digestive system and act as prebiotics to feed your probiotics resulting in overall digestive health. A great example is Organic Noni Fruit Powder which contains components that may promote healthy digestion. You might also look to our Unripe Organic Green Banana powder or Organic Baobab Fruit powder for a healthy dose of fiber.
As you might already guess, most of our dark berry powders are loaded with extraordinary antioxidant properties. For example, Purple Aronia berry powder has higher anthocyanin and flavonoid levels than blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates, and acai berries!
The secret to Purple Aronia's power lies in its intense purple color resulting in a potent concentration of antioxidant phytochemicals. Additionally, our Organic Freeze-Dried Acerola Cherry Powder is a treasure trove of antioxidants like anthocyanins, vitamin C, vitamin A, copper, selenium and zinc.
Let’s now look at five example fruit powders:
1. Mulberry Fruit Powder
With this type of fruit powder, you can be sure of reaping many health benefits. Mulberry Fruit Powder is thought to play an important role in promoting eye and vision health. It may also traditionally help support a healthy heart, may support healthy blood pressure, and may help reduce stress and anxiety.
Mulberry fruit powder contains many important minerals, vitamins, amino acids, phytochemicals, alkaloids, and bioflavonoids. Mulberry fruit powder has a long history in traditional and alternative medicines.
2. Mangosteen Powder (whole fruit)-Organic
Also known as “Queen of Fruits,” mangosteen is considered one of the world’s best superfruits. The fruit contains minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. Vitamins include vitamin C, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, beta-carotene, and pantothenic acid.
Other nutrients are phytochemicals, xanthones, and fatty acids. With all this incredible nutrition, Organic Mangosteen Fruit Powder may support a healthy immune response, may support cardiovascular health, and may aid healthy joints, skin health, and possibly even support blood circulation.
3. Noni Fruit Powder Organic
Thanks to its wide range of health benefits, this fruit powder is also known to have some incredible health benefits. Noni Fruit powder is so full of nutrition that it may play a beneficial role in decreasing muscle aches, promoting well-being, and supporting a healthy inflammation response. It may also help reduce headaches, speed up the recovery process of damaged or injured muscles, and may support a healthy immune system.
4. Baobab Fruit Powder-Organic
Another name for this fruit powder is “The Tree of Life.” This extraordinary African fruit is highly nutritious! It is a fantastic source of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins A, B-1-2-3-6, C, calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber.
Baobab Fruit Fiber helps reduce constipation, may support healthy lipid levels, and possibly aids in calcium absorption. Additionally, this fruit powder may have antifungal and antibacterial properties, may promote analgesic activity, and may help the body fight free radical damage.
5. Organic Pineapple Juice Powder
This organic pineapple juice powder is prepared to give you a delicious and vibrant tropical drink. This fruit powder is high in bromelain, vitamin C, vitamin B1, and manganese. It promotes digestion in addition to having a wide range of health benefits.
Organic Pineapple Juice Powder supports a healthy inflammation response, aids in food digestion, promotes a healthy immune system response and may help reduce indigestion. It also may provide antioxidant defenses to your entire body system.
Fruit powders are nutritious, easy to use, and incredibly versatile.
They don’t have added sugar, preservatives, colors, sweeteners, or flavorings. They are ideal for ice creams, desserts, sauces, and smoothies. They are also a great alternative to artificial flavoring in desserts and other types of food.
Not only that, but in many cases, they are budget-friendly and will last a long time when properly stored.
For Bulk inquiries and custom formulations click here: https://www.znaturalfoods.com/pages/bulk