What Makes Dried Fruits a Healthy Snack Choice?

September 26, 2022

Fruit that has had almost all of its water removed is known as dried fruit, which is simply fruit that has been dried. The most popular are raisins, along with dates, prunes, and apricots.

Many individuals are missing out on the health advantages of dried fruit because it has been classified as “unhealthy” along with hundreds of other items by the diet industry. Can we really compare a handful of sweets to dried fruit, which has antioxidants, fibre, and natural sources of fruit sugars? Not in our opinion.

Dried fruit makes a fantastic nutritious snack when used sparingly. It has significant amounts of dietary fibre, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer and a high concentration of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The health advantages of dried fruit are listed below.

Micronutrients

When compared to fresh fruit, dried fruit is a more concentrated source of vitamins and minerals since it contains less water. In order to consume the prescribed five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and to increase the quality of one’s diet, dried fruit should be included in one’s diet as it is a shelf staple and is naturally sweet, encouraging consumption. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that they have a lot more calories per 100g.

Antioxidants

Anthocyanins, catechins, and phenols are only a few of the plant substances abundant in dried fruits with beneficial antioxidant qualities. These substances may have positive effects on health, including increased blood flow and a reduced risk of developing conditions like heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Dietary Fibre

Dried fruit has about two to three times as much fibre than fresh fruit. To maintain digestive health and to slow down the rate of digestion and absorption, most of us don’t consume enough fibre. Additionally, eating more fruit fibre is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Helps With Labour During Pregnancy

In the final few weeks of pregnancy, consuming dates, a type of dried fruit, may aid cervical dilatation and lessen the need for induced labour.

Bone Health

According to studies, dried plums may help maintain healthy bones by reducing the rate of midlife bone deterioration. One explanation for these advantages could be the high levels of bone-friendly minerals like vitamin K and boron found in dried fruits like prunes.

It’s crucial to understand that not all dried fruit is made equally. Before being dried, some dried fruit is combined with sugar syrup to provide additional sweetness; while this may be delicious, it does raise the final product’s sugar level. You should watch your portion sizes and consume considerably less dried fruit if it has been candied or otherwise sweetened. It is preferable to stay with unsweetened forms of dried fruit, which rely on the fruit’s inherent sweetness rather than adding sugar or syrup if you want to buy the healthiest dried fruit available.

It’s important to remember that despite being natural, the sugar in dried fruit can still cause tooth decay. Instead of nibbling on dried fruit throughout the day, it is preferable to eat it during meals or alongside foods high in protein, such as yoghurt or nuts.

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