Weight Watchers Should Avoid Too Much Dried Fruit

Demand for easy-to-store dried fruit is growing as single households proliferate in Korea. Supermarket chain E-Mart said sales of dried fruit rose 1.9 percent between January and October to occupy 9.8 percent of all fruit sales.

But experts warn that nibbling dried bananas, persimmons, cherries, mangos and raisins all day can lead to excessive calorie intake.

Dried fruits have high sugar and calorie levels as the water dries out and nutrition, fiber and vitamins increase. A fresh persimmon weighs about 160 grams and has 70 kcal, but a dried persimmon weighs just one-fifth of a fresh one at 32 grams but has 76 kcal. Much the same is true for other dried fruit.