Dried fruits has concentrated nutrients (vitamin and mineral). For example, raisins (which are dried grapes) are richer in iron compared with fresh grapes. Prunes has more fiber too which help relieve constipation. Dried fruit is a healthier replacement to other sweet snacks or junk food. Some athletes eat dried fruit as a source of quick energy. Dried fruits has much longer shelf life than fresh and can be kept for 6 months to a year in an airtight container.
Things to Watch Out with Dried Fruits -
The reason fruits are dried is to reduce the water content. As water is a good transport medium for oxygen, with less water, oxygen levels will be reduced. The drying process may deplete vitamin C content too. Even if dried fruit is rehydrated with water, it is not as good as fresh. Sugar is added to some dried fruits and making it sweet and sticky. So, it may not be good for your teeth. Before you buy the dried fruits, look at the nutrition facts from the ingredient labels. The fewer ingredients, the less processed the food is. The first ingredient should be fruit, such as raisins, dates, apricots and not salt, sucrose partially hydrogenated oil.
Though with more nutrients, dried fruits also has more calories. For example, a cup of sliced fresh plums has about 90 calories whereas a cup of prunes has about 400 calories. Not all dried fruit is dried fruit like dried banana chips are not dried fruit. The amazing health benefits of fruit are well known.
Consumption of fruits has been shown to do everything from reduce the risk of cancer to helping with the promotion of weight loss. Fruits also have been shown in studies to have a blood pressure lowering effect due to their low sodium and high potassium content.
With more and more health benefits of fruits being identified, it’s not surprising that people are increasing their intake of these sweet and colorful orbs. Due to their convenience, many people are also reaching for bags of dried fruit to fulfill their fruit quota.
But are Dried Fruits Healthy?
Although fruit in any form is going to be healthier than a creamy chocolate or a nougat rich candy bar, the health value of dried fruit is less clear. When fruit is dried, the process used to remove the water also removes many of the water soluble vitamins including Vitamin C, the B vitamins, and potassium. Since it’s potassium that gives the blood pressure lowering effect, dried fruit may not favorably affect the blood pressure profile as fresh fruit is known to do. Plus, the sugars present in the fruit become more concentrated as the water is removed which means you’ll consume more calories with dried fruit than you would for an equal number of pieces of fresh fruit.
Another problem with substituting dried fruit for fresh fruit is that many dried fruits contain sulfites which are used as a preservative. Some people are known to have severe allergic reactions to foods that contain sulfites, further calling into question the health of dried fruits.
One way to resolve this problem is to purchase organic dried fruits which generally are free of sulfites. On the up side, besides antioxidants, dried fruit has a few other benefits. It’s high in fiber, so it may help The following table compares the nutritional values of some fruits fresh and dried: relieve constipation, lower blood cholesterol, and control diabetes. It’s also a healthier alternative to other sugary snacks and a good source of quick energy for athletes or others who burn lots of calories.
Many dried fruits are also high in iron, potassium, and selenium — all important nutrients for maintaining healthy blood and muscles. They’re especially helpful to people who suffer from anemia, so you might consider a daily handful of raisins if anemia is a concern for you Although not as healthy as fresh fruits, there are health benefits of dried fruit that can make them worth keeping on hand.
Dried fruits are a good source of fiber and roughage which can help to promote colon health. Plus, they have a shelf life of up to a year and take up little shelf space in your cabinets. When you’re ready to eat them, it’s as simple as tearing the wrapper off the package and enjoying them straight from the bag.
To get the health benefits of dried fruit, try sprinkling them lightly on your morning oatmeal or other cereal, adding them to yogurt, baking them into quick breads, or using them as salad decorations. This is an excellent solution for the colder months when you may not have access to a plentiful supply of quality fresh fruit.
When summer comes and fresh fruit is in abundance, you may derive more potential health benefits from switching to fresh fruit. Having said that, dried fruit is an alternative to fresh fruit when fresh fruit is not available.
Advised, do not eat whole bag of dried fruit as snack. Instead, having a few of them in plain yogurt in the morning is good enough. Given a choice, fresh fruit is still the better food.
Originally written for Heal India, edited and distributed by DesiDieter.
