If you’re a health-conscious snacker, you might have come across Tru Fru at local grocery store or online.
Tru fru is a frozen snack made by dipping 100% real fruits in premium chocolate(white, milk, and dark) and then freezing them to create a crunchy and delicious snack.
It comes in various flavors, such as strawberries, bananas, cherries, and more, all covered with a layer of white, milk, or dark chocolate.
And while Tru Fru is marketed as a nutritious snack that can satisfy your sweet cravings without guilt, are they healthy for you?
Short answer: Tru fru is not very healthy for you as it is high in sugar and low in protein and fiber content. However, it is made from fruits and is a better alternative to other highly processed snack options.
Let’s dive deeper into Tru fru, including it’s ingredients, nutritional value, and much more.
Also read: Are Triscuits Healthy? The Truth About These Crackers
Ingredients in Tru fru
Tru fru is marketed as made with clean ingredients. The ingredients used in Tru fru are non-GMO.
The exact ingredients in Tru fru might vary depending on the flavor.
However, some of the common ingredients that you would find across most of the flavors include:
Fruits: Tru fru is made up of 100% real fruits. It is available in various fruit flavors such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, cherries, mangoes, etc.
White chocolate: It is made up of cane sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, soy lecithin, and vanilla.
Milk chocolate: It is made up of cane sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate liquor, soy lecithin, and vanilla.
Dark chocolate: It is made up of cane sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, and natural flavor.
Tapioca dextrin: It is a white powdery substance used as a thickener or stabilizer in food products.
Confectioners glaze: It is a glossy, clear coating used in foods to give them a shiny appearance.
How much sugar is in Tru fru?
Tru fru contains a significant amount of sugar, ranging from 5 to 9g per serving in Hyper chilled varieties and 13 to 17g in Hyper dried varieties.
Among all the flavors, Banana peanut butter & dark chocolate has the least sugar(5g per serving), while coconut melts with milk chocolate have the highest sugar(17g per serving).
It’s worth noting that the sugar in Tru Fru comes from both the chocolate and the fruit itself. However, most of the sugar comes from chocolate, which is added sugar.
According to American Heart Association, men’s daily sugar intake limit is 36g(9 teaspoons), while women’s is 24g(6 teaspoons).
Consuming just a single serving(28-30g) of the Tru fru can provide 14% to 47% of the daily sugar limit for men and 20% to 70% for women depending on the flavor.
Moreover, most Tru fru flavors use cane sugar, which is typically less processed. However, if consumed in excess, it can have the same negative effect as regular sugar.
Here is a table showing the sugar content of each Tru fru flavor:
| Tru fru flavors | Added sugar(g) | Total sugar(g) |
|---|---|---|
| Pina colada | 5 | 8 |
| Raspberries(white & milk chocolate) | 7 | 9 |
| Raspberries(white & dark chocolate) | 6 | 8 |
| Strawberries(white & milk chocolate) | 7 | 9 |
| Bananas(peanut butter & dark chocolate) | 3 | 5 |
| Blueberries(white & dark chocolate) | 6 | 9 |
| Cherries | 6 | 8 |
| Raspberries(dark chocolate) | 12 | 13 |
| Coconut melts(dark chocolate) | 13 | 13 |
| Strawberries(dark chocolate) | 12 | 14 |
| Bananas(dark chocolate) | 12 | 13 |
| Coconut melts(milk chocolate) | 16 | 17 |
| Mangoes(dark chocolate) | 12 | 14 |
Is Tru fru a good source of fiber?
Tru fru is not a significant source of fiber, containing 0 to 1g per serving in hyper chilled varieties and 1 to 2g per serving in hyper dried varieties.
According to American Heart Association, the recommended daily fiber intake is 25 to 30g a day for adults.
That means even consuming the highest fiber-containing Tru fru flavor provides only 8% of the recommended daily value.
In addition, being high in sugar and low in fiber, Tru fru is not an ideal choice for people with diabetes.
Here is a table showing the fiber content of each Tru fru flavor:
| Tru fru flavors | Fiber(g) |
|---|---|
| Pina colada | 0 |
| Raspberries(white & milk chocolate) | <1 |
| Raspberries(white & dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Strawberries(white & milk chocolate) | 0 |
| Bananas(peanut butter & dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Blueberries(white & dark chocolate) | <1 |
| Cherries | <1 |
| Raspberries(dark chocolate) | 2 |
| Coconut melts(dark chocolate) | 2 |
| Strawberries(dark chocolate) | 2 |
| Bananas(dark chocolate) | 2 |
| Coconut melts(milk chocolate) | 1 |
| Mangoes(dark chocolate) | 2 |
How much protein is in Tru fru?
Tru fru is not a good source of protein, with most of the flavors containing just 1g per serving.
Among all the flavors, Banana with peanut butter & dark chocolate and coconut melt with milk chocolate has the highest protein content(3g per serving).
If you want to increase your protein intake, Tru fru is not the best snacking option.
Here is a table showing the protein content of each Tru fru flavor.
| Tru fru flavors | Protein(g) |
|---|---|
| Pina colada | 1 |
| Raspberries(white & milk chocolate) | 1 |
| Raspberries(white & dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Strawberries(white & milk chocolate) | 1 |
| Bananas(peanut butter & dark chocolate) | 3 |
| Blueberries(white & dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Cherries | 1 |
| Raspberries(dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Coconut melts(dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Strawberries(dark chocolate) | 2 |
| Bananas(dark chocolate) | 1 |
| Coconut melts(milk chocolate) | 3 |
| Mangoes(dark chocolate) | 1 |
Is Tru fru good for weight loss?
Tru fru is not good for weight loss as it contains a significant amount of sugar and is also low in fiber. However, you can eat it in moderation only by choosing the low calories flavors.
If you want to enjoy the Tru fru on a weight loss diet, opt for the hyper chilled varieties(70-100 calories per serving) as they are lower in calories than hyper dried varieties(150-160 calories per serving).
Note that consuming recommended serving of Tru fru will not significantly impact your weight.
However, because they are delicious and come in small bite-sized portions, they are easy to overeat, which can hinder your weight loss efforts.
Also, remember that weight loss or weight gain doesn’t depend on one specific food but on your overall diet and lifestyle.
Is Tru fru processed food?
Tru fru is a processed snack as it contains ingredients like cane sugar and soy lecithin.
However, it is not as bad as other highly processed snack foods such as sodas, twinkies, candy bars, pies, biscuits, and potato chips.
Tru fru does not use artificial additives such as colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Is Tru fru gluten-free?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye and can cause adverse reactions in those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Fortunately, Tru Fru is gluten-free as it does not contain any ingredients that contain gluten naturally.
It is also marketed as gluten-free through labeling on the front of the pack.
Is Tru fru vegan?
Tru fru is not vegan as it contains milk ingredients like milk powder and milk fat among it’s flavors.
Is Tru fru kosher?
Tru Fru is a kosher food that meets the strict requirements of Jewish dietary law and is safe for those who follow a kosher diet.
Final words
While Tru fru comes in a wide range of delicious fruit flavors, it is not a very healthy snacking option for you due to its high sugar content.
In addition, while it is marketed as nutritious, in reality, it is low in fiber and protein.
However, it is made from real fruits and therefore considered a better alternative to other highly processed snacks that contain harmful artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.
It is safe to consume in moderation as a guilt-free indulgence, but it should not be your regular go-to snack.
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