Dried fruit is a relatively well-known food in our country. The most famous of them certainly include prunes, apricots, raisins, dates, cranberries and blueberries. In addition to these, dried pineapple, apples, pears and bananas are also commonly available.
Dried fruit contains healthy nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and several vitamins. That's why it's a very popular snack or mid-afternoon snack, especially popular with children.
And what else should you know about dried fruit?
10 things you should know about dried fruit.
What is dried fruit?
Dried fruit, as the name suggests, is fruit that has had all the water removed from it in its raw state. After washing, the fruit is placed in special dryers and dried for several hours.
What does dried fruit contain?
Dried fruit contains about the same nutrients as raw fruit. However, it should be noted that if we were to consider weight alone, dried fruit contains much more fiber than raw fruit.
In addition, dried fruit contains vitamins A, C, and E, iron, and various antioxidants.
What are its health benefits?
The main health benefits of dried fruit include reducing blood pressure, inflammation in the body, improving digestion, and also lowering cholesterol.
Which dried fruit is the healthiest?
It should be noted here that the healthiest dried fruits are those that have not had any added sugar or have not been treated with sulfur dioxide. This is used in the preservation of dried fruits and helps them retain their original color. In addition, sulfur dioxide can cause digestive problems if consumed in excess.
How to store dried fruit?
We recommend storing dried fruit in a closed container or bag in a dry, dark place.
How to wash dried fruit?
The truth is that if you eat dried fruit straight from the package, you don't need to wash it. In some cases, however, you can pour boiling water over it and let it sit for about 30 minutes before eating. Such dried fruit is especially suitable for baking or preparing such date and pistachio balls .
Is dried fruit suitable for children?
Dried fruit is quite healthy and is therefore very suitable for children as a snack or an afternoon snack. However, remember that you should only give dried fruit to children who are already eating solid foods regularly.
Is dried fruit suitable for diabetics? What is the glycemic index of dried fruit?
The answer to this question is not so clear-cut. Some types of dried fruit contain more than 50g of sugar per 100g of product and their glycemic index can be around 60.
High sugar content and glycemic index can also have adverse health effects for diabetics. Higher consumption can cause weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and can also worsen diabetes itself.
Therefore, we recommend that you consume only a few grams of dried fruit per day.
Does dried fruit lower cholesterol?
According to recent studies, some types of dried fruit can lower cholesterol. These include prunes, which are high in antioxidants and can lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.
Does dried fruit contain sulfur dioxide?
As we mentioned above, some dried fruits also contain sulfur dioxide, which manufacturers use to help preserve the fruit's original color and appearance.
However, if you can, buy dried fruit that is not "sulfurized."
And what to add in conclusion?
As you may have noticed, we recently added several types of dried fruit to our menu.
Now you can buy, for example, dried mulberries , dried apricots and crispy apples from us .
Our dried fruit is 100% natural, contains no added sugar and is not treated with sulfur dioxide.