RIYADH: Health-conscious consumers are turning to new versions of traditional snacks in order to tackle obesity in the Kingdom.
Freeze-drying has emerged as a popular way to process fruits in a move away from traditional drying with heat, which can cause nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants and fiber to be depleted. Freeze-drying causes less degradation and ensures more goodness is retained.
“When I first tried freeze-dried strawberries, I loved them,” Riyadh resident Abdullah Saud told Arab News. “Because I have diabetes I am not allowed to consume a lot of sugar or fruits, but the strawberries are great. They are not sugary, for my taste.”
• Public health physician Dr. Zahra’a Al-Ahmed, who specializes in nutrition, warned that while freeze-dried fruit retained structure and flavor, it could still be high in calories.
• The Saudi Food and Drug Authority’s Healthy Food Promotion Initiative is reducing unhealthy additives in food products to improve nutritional labeling.
