Dried Blueberries

Name: Dried Blueberry — the dried fruit of the blueberry shrub, genus Vaccinium (most commonly the highbush blueberry, V. corymbosum). Because blueberries have a waxy skin that resists moisture loss, commercial dried blueberries are typically infused with a small amount of sugar syrup before drying to help them dehydrate evenly and stay palatable.

Description

Blueberries are deciduous shrubs native to North America, ranging from low, ground-hugging lowbush plants to highbush cultivars several metres tall, and are closely related to cranberries and bilberries within the same genus. The true berries ripen to a deep indigo-black and are prized fresh as a dessert fruit, though they are also widely baked into pastries and preserved in other forms.

Unlike thinner-skinned fruit, blueberries' waxy outer coating (the same bloom that gives them their dusty appearance) slows down natural drying, so commercial “dried” blueberries are usually first pierced or lightly coated with sugar to help moisture escape evenly during dehydration. This is a relatively modern processing step rather than a traditional preservation method, developed once mass dehydration technology made large-scale drying practical.

Main nutrition value

Per 100g, dried blueberries (sweetened):

Dried blueberries stand out for vitamin K and vitamin C, both notably higher than in most other dried fruit, along with a solid amount of fiber.

How best to be consumed

A small handful (25-30g) sprinkled over cereal, yogurt, or baked goods is a sensible serving, since dried blueberries pack meaningfully more sugar and calories per 100g than the fresh berry. They hold their shape well in baking and granola, and rehydrate reasonably well in oatmeal or hot cereal if a softer texture is preferred.

Overconsumption could cause…

Because most dried blueberries include added sugar on top of the fruit's own natural sugars, eating them freely rather than in modest portions can add up in calories and sugar more quickly than the fresh berry would suggest. Their small size also makes it easy to lose track of portion size, so measuring out a handful rather than eating straight from the bag helps keep intake in check.

GroupsDried FruitsHeath family (Ericaceae)High fibreLow fatLow sodiumRich in vitamin KDried

Made fromBlueberry

Related foodsDried CranberriesDried MangoDried CherriesCurrantsDried LonganDried Goji Berries

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central — Blueberries, dried, sweetened (FDC ID 168158), 100g portion: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168158/nutrients Encyclopaedia Britannica — blueberry: https://www.britannica.com/plant/blueberry