Dried Mangoes

Yesterday I went to Aldi.

I really hate going to Aldi.  No one has any respect for anyone else's personal space, you can't find anything, and there's usually some feral kids running around I'm assuming just belong to the store.

I keep going back because their prices are outstanding.

I usually get myself something small as a treat to pick up my spirits afterward.  This time I happened to see some dried mango when I was picking up almonds.

I know dried fruit is more calorie and sugar dense than fresh fruit, but this was a splurge.  After packing all my groceries into my car, I ripped open the bag and had a handful of pieces.  It was probably about a serving.  I was planning on munching on the rest on the car ride home.

I decided to take a look at the nutrition panel.  I don't have the exact numbers with me writing this, but this one I found online is pretty close.

Serving size: 6 slices (40 grams).  Okay, that's reasonable.  Calories: 130.  Makes sense.  Dietary fiber: 1 gram.  I expected more, but whatever.  Sugars: 27 grams.  WHAT?

I checked the ingredients.  The top three were Mango, Sugar, and Powdered Sugar.  WTF?

In a similar sized (37 grams) serving of Haribo Gummy Bears, there are 130 calories and 19 grams of sugar. 

Why does an already sweet fruit need more sugar than candy that is essentially entirely sugar?

This just illustrates how food is marketed. I thought I was getting dried fruit and maybe some preservatives to improve shelf life. What I was really getting was candy.  

I know it's on me to read the label first.  I have control over what goes in my body.  But I can't help but feel a little betrayed.  I thought I was getting a snack that, while not the best thing for me, still had some nutritional benefit.  I thought I was doing better than getting a candy bar.  I was wrong.