Are dried fruits healthy? About the benefits and myths about the dangers of dried fruits. Properties of dried fruits. Calorie content of dried fruits. The benefits of nuts. Dry goodness. Dried fruits and nuts

Let's try to understand the pros and cons, putting on two scales: “usefulness” and “misconceptions”, in the characteristics of dried candied fruits, nuts and other delicacies we love.

Misconceptions about dried fruits

Those who believe that dried fruits contain less sugar and are less calorie are mistaken. The truth is that when dried, water is removed from the fruit, that is, it loses weight and properties (the breakdown of some unstable vitamins, for example, vitamin C), but sugar and calories do not evaporate from it. Thus, if an apricot weighs 45 grams (about 12 kilocalories), then after it is “transformed” into dried apricots weighing 10 grams, energy value it already contains 15 kilocalories.

If you think that fresh fruits are healthier than dried or frozen ones, you are mistaken. Of all three listed above, the most valuable are fruits that have been subjected to shock freezing. Well, of course, with the exception of those that the “grandmother from the village” brought you. Ask yourself the question: “How much time has passed since the moment fresh fruit was plucked from a branch and fell into your hands? But frozen or dried fruits are subject to heat treatment literally a few hours after collection. So, one can argue about the benefits of “conditionally fresh” and heat-treated fruits.

The benefits of dried fruits

Dried fruits contain more biologically active substances, compared to fresh fruit. Essentially, it is a concentrate that contains calcium, magnesium, iron and other valuable substances.

Papaya(candied fruits) – renders restorative effect, activates protein metabolism In addition, it is an excellent “ingredient” for increasing sexual activity.

Dried date fruit– a wonderful energy tonic. Increases performance, contains substances similar in action to aspirin, which is why many people take dates for colds and headaches. In addition, dried dates contain a lot of vitamins, including vitamin B5, vitamin E and H.

Dried pear– normalizes intestinal function, another useful property inherent in the pear, it helps eliminate toxins and heavy metals from the body.

Dried apricots or apricot, no matter what they call dried apricot, one thing is certain, it’s just a treasure trove useful substances. It has been scientifically proven that dried apricots have a beneficial effect on the heart muscle due to their potassium content; in addition, dried apricots are an excellent prevention of cancer. This “miracle dried fruit” contains phosphorus, iron, calcium, carotene, and vitamin B5.

Prunes– another gift from nature for your health. Perhaps the first thing that dried plums have a beneficial effect on is the gastrointestinal tract. Prune infusion helps relieve constipation and normalize the digestive system. In addition, prunes are also useful for those who have heart problems and high blood pressure. In addition, it is believed that prunes are useful for kidney diseases, rheumatism, liver diseases and atherosclerosis. And thanks high concentration vitamin A, it also improves vision.

Benefits of nuts

All nuts have a fairly high calorie content, but if we are not talking about a “diet” as such, but about benefits for the body, then nuts are beneficial in pure form.

Walnut- this is not just a great delicacy, but also an unconditional help to your health. Nuts help with anemia, heart disease, dermatitis and colds. Besides, Walnut has a calming effect and is indicated for insomnia and nervous disorders. Walnuts are necessary for pregnant women, nursing mothers, and also during the recovery period after surgery. Has a beneficial effect on immune system body.

Almond sweet is useful for hypertension, obesity, stomach ulcers and duodenum, asthma, pleurisy, heartburn. In addition, sweet almonds are recommended to all persons over thirty years of age as a prophylactic against atherosclerosis in elevated level cholesterol. Bitter almonds are indicated for use as a prophylactic in the treatment of kidney diseases, upper respiratory tract, as well as in the treatment of certain diseases genitourinary system among women.

Hazelnut- pure protein. Used to prevent obesity, indicated for diabetes, chronic fatigue, phlebitis and varicose veins, enlarged prostate gland, arterial hypertension. Hazelnuts are used in the treatment of chronic anemia.

Peanut. Many consider this fruit to be useless, I hasten to convince you otherwise. Peanuts have a beneficial effect on tissue functions, promote cell growth and renewal. It is used as cholagogue. Peanuts help lower blood cholesterol levels. In addition, it increases potency and has a great effect on libido. It also improves memory, the ability to concentrate, and is indicated for insomnia and fatigue.

Cashew– a tasty, sweet, slightly curved fruit that perfectly strengthens the immune system; in addition, cashews normalize metabolic processes in the body, indicated for anemia, psoriasis and heart disease.

Pistachio. This small greenish nut can help during periods of great physical and mental stress, as it activates the brain and at the same time has a tonic and restorative effect on the entire body. Pistachios are useful for people suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, anemia, arrhythmia and thrombophlebitis.

Conclusion: dried fruits contain a huge amount of useful substances. 5-6 pieces of dried fruits, eaten daily, improve the condition of the skin, hair and nails, in addition, dried fruits are an excellent immunomodulator. This delicacy is useful for both children and adults.

Dried fruits are a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. They strengthen our immunity, protect against vitamin deficiencies, and replace harmful sweets and sugar for those who lead a healthy lifestyle. Dried fruits fit perfectly into our daily diet, inspiring us to try new salad and dessert recipes. They also simply lift your spirits with their natural sweetness. Almost all dried fruits are good for our health, but there are undisputed leaders among them. Top 10 healthy dried fruits─ in our review.

Figs are the leader in content dietary fiber(100 g of this product contains 63% fiber from daily norm). It is very beneficial for women's health, as it contains a huge amount of compounds and minerals that have a beneficial effect on female body. For example, folic acid, which is essential during pregnancy.

Figs are rich in potassium - its merit in reducing high pressure. Dietary fiber, which is found in abundance in figs, improves intestinal motility.

If dried figs has a salty-sour taste, which means its shelf life has expired and such a product should not be eaten. High-quality dried figs should not be dry or rough to the touch. Choose fruits that are beige or light brown in color, matte, and relatively soft to the touch.

Most useful for gastrointestinal tract.

Dried apricots

Dried apricots are one of the most favorite dried fruits for those who have a sweet tooth. Followers healthy image life they replace candies and other sweets with it, which is very good for health.

Dried apricots are rich in vitamin A (60% of the daily dose per 100 g of product), so its consumption will have a beneficial effect on the condition of hair and skin, as well as vitamin C, potassium, iron and fiber.

When choosing dried apricots, give preference to matte dried fruits. Bright, shiny, beautiful dried apricots should alert you - the fruit was probably treated with chemicals during drying. Before use, it is advisable to clean the dried apricots well - soak them in warm water for 15 minutes, then rinse under running water.

Most useful for the cardiovascular system and skin.

Due to its dietary properties, prunes are one of the best products for those who care about their weight. Dried plums are rich in fiber and pectin, which has a positive effect on intestinal function. This is a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals: prunes contain vitamin C, A, B vitamins, iron, potassium, magnesium. Also, prunes are one of the leaders in the content of organic acids (175% of daily dose per 100 g of product).

Prunes are not only healthy, but also versatile in use. In addition to eating it in its pure form, you can add it to pilaf and meat dishes(dried fruit gives them a piquant taste), prepare desserts, salads, various vitamin drinks.

Most useful for the pancreas and intestines.

Raisin

Raisins have a place everywhere: pancakes, baked goods, cottage cheese casseroles or fresh cottage cheese, porridges, salads, meat dishes. Dried grapes contain the most vitamin B1 (thiamine), which is necessary for normal operation nervous system. Due to their low sodium content, raisins are more suitable than other dried fruits for high blood pressure. It is good for dental health, helps improve vision, and due to its iron content (20% of the daily value in 100 g of product) it is useful for anemia.

Dried grapes are rich in fructose and glucose, so they are recommended to be added to the diet of people who perform heavy lifting. physical work. Raisins are one of the most accessible sources of vitamins and minerals. Just one handful of raisins added to oatmeal for breakfast, will bring invaluable benefits to your body.

Most useful for the nervous system, for anemia.

Dried apples are an affordable and worthy source of iron (43% of the daily value per 100 g of product), necessary for oxygen transport. For the same reason, they are useful for anemia and other diseases associated with low level hemoglobin.

Dried apples are a storehouse of dietary fiber. While fresh fruits contain 15% of the daily value of fiber, dry fruits contain 48% per 100 g of product. With moderate consumption of dried apples, cholesterol levels are reduced and the functioning of the digestive system is improved. On the other hand, dehydrated apples lack vitamin C, so you should not completely replace fresh fruits with them, so as not to deprive your body of this valuable compound.

Dried apples are healthy to eat with the peel, which is very rich in antioxidants. Therefore, if you dry the apples yourself, do not peel them.

Most useful for anemia, for the digestive system.

Dried pear

Dried pear is less popular than apples, raisins and prunes, but it ranks worthy place on the list of the healthiest dried fruits. It is rich in organic acids (75% of the daily value), dietary fiber, glucose and fructose, as well as vitamin C (13% of the daily value).

Among dried fruits, pear is the leader in its high content of antioxidants that protect the heart. Dried pear contains arbutin, a natural antibiotic. Dried fruit is useful for problems with the pancreas, improves digestion, and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

Dried pear satisfies hunger well, so you can snack on this dried fruit between meals.

Most beneficial for the heart.

Dried cherries are valued for their high content of pectin substances, which normalize intestinal motility. It is useful for circulatory system, normalizing blood clotting, being a good prevention of blood clots.

Dried cherries are the undisputed leader among dried fruits in terms of beta-carotene content, known as powerful antioxidants.

It should also be said that the dried fruit is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. So, a handful of berries contains the daily requirement of magnesium and cobalt.

Most useful for the circulatory system.

Dried mangoes

High-quality, ripe tropical mango fruits are rarely found on supermarket shelves, so we advise you to pay attention to dried mangoes, which fully preserve all beneficial features fresh fruit.

At regular use This dried fruit improves the functioning of the digestive system and intestines - and all thanks to the presence of a large amount of dietary fiber in the product. The benefits of dried mango for the cardiovascular system and nervous system are undeniable. This dried fruit is a natural cocktail of vitamins (A, C and E) and antioxidants. By introducing it into your diet, you will strengthen your immune system and improve the condition of your skin and hair.

Use fragrant pieces of dried fruit as natural substitute Sahara. Add them to porridges, various desserts, curd masses, and the dish will become not only more tasty, but also healthier.

Most useful for the digestive and cardiovascular systems.

Dates are a healthy alternative to sweets and candies. A glass of dried dates satisfies almost half of the body's daily fiber requirement (47% of the daily requirement).

Dates are a complex of vitamins and minerals that strengthen the immune system. Yes, one cup dried fruits provides 12% of the daily value of vitamin B6, 7% folic acid, 19% manganese, 15% magnesium, 5% calcium. Dried dates are leaders among dried fruits in terms of polyphenol content.

Dates contain excess fructose, so this dried fruit should be excluded from the diet if food intolerance fructose.

Most beneficial for the heart and immune system.

Dried melon

Melon is a fragrant, juicy and sweet fruit. This is a valuable dietary product that is easily absorbed by our body and, thanks to its high fiber content, improves digestion and intestinal function. Dried melon retains all the beneficial properties of fresh fruit.

Dried fruit contains a large number of microelements and amino acids. Dried melon is valued for the presence of folic acid, B vitamins, fiber, potassium and sodium, and beta-carotene. It is rich in vitamin C, which strengthens our immunity, has a beneficial effect on the nervous and cardiovascular system, indicated for anemia, constipation, urolithiasis.

Most useful for immunity.

Dried fruits are one of those products whose benefits we hear about since childhood, but we rarely use in our daily diet. Meanwhile, these are valuable and affordable sources of a huge amount of useful substances and good way have a snack between main meals.

Dried fruits are the healthiest alternative to sweets. So, you can replace regular sweets with healthier dried fruit sweets. The fastest and easiest option is to grind nuts and dried fruits in a blender with no big amount water and a pinch of salt, form into balls and, if desired, roll in coconut or sesame seeds. You will get delicious, sweet and healthy candies!

Dried fruits - most valuable product nutrition enriched with vitamins and minerals. Almost every diet contains snacks with this delicacy in its menu. Dried berries and fruits (including nuts) are great as an afternoon snack while losing weight. It is only important to choose the right portion, otherwise you can get the opposite effect.

The effect of dried fruits on the body during weight loss

By adding dried fruits in small quantities to your diet, your body receives the required daily amount of minerals and other useful microelements. And most importantly, dried fruits significantly dull the feeling of hunger and are a delicious sweet dessert during a diet.

During weight loss, the body begins to experience a lot of stress, thereby causing severe hunger and unpleasant weakness. A properly selected set of dried fruits will help replace rich and high-calorie foods. It is especially useful to eat them in.

Dietary products that can be partially or completely replaced with dried fruits:

• kefir;
• lettuce leaves;
• skimmed milk;

But you should understand that you shouldn’t eat dried fruits alone, they still contain sugar, and their excess can significantly spoil digestion and bring the whole diet to naught. You need to eat dried fruits in small portions, no more than 5 times a day.

If you add nuts to dried fruits, then this mixture will perfectly replace a full lunch while losing weight.

A diet based on dried fruits is considered one of the healthiest and delicious diets. In just 2-4 weeks you can lose significant weight and, on top of that, saturate your body with vitamins and strengthen your immune system.

Most dried fruit diets include a mixture of healthy and nutritious nuts, so when we say dried fruit, we mean dried berries, fruits and nuts.

• Prunes- the first famous dried fruit called into as soon as possible free the body from harmful substances, improve digestion and remove excess fats, preventing them from being fully absorbed. Prunes also contain beneficial substances that improve mood.
• Dried apricots– the second in line of the most useful dried fruits for weight loss. It replenishes calcium, potassium and magnesium reserves. Regulates heart function and reduces hunger for 1 hour.
• Raisin- a vitamin-rich dried fruit containing healthy sugars and iodine. Improves thyroid function. Included in any diet. Gives the body strength.
• Dates– popular dried berries that have a special “date” diet. However, many nutritionists do not recommend consuming these sweets as a product for weight loss. Most dates are not dried in a natural way, but using saccharization. That is, all dates are first soaked in sugar syrup and then only dried. As everyone who loses weight knows, extra sugar spoils the figure. And only a small proportion of the dates available on the shelves, dried without the use of sugar, are suitable for dietary nutrition for the purpose of losing weight.
• Apples and pears– are also actively used in diets and promote active weight loss. But unlike other dried fruits, apples and pears are preferable to use as a base for compote.
• Figs– an ancient dried fruit designed to cleanse the intestines and stimulate the process of losing weight. In addition to the weight loss effect, figs are considered the most active source of stimulating the immune system. Figs also cope well with colds and saturates the body with a large amount of vitamins. Separately, we can note the small grains of figs - they play the role of fiber - they remove everything unnecessary and harmful from the intestines.
• Nuts– the main source of satiety during weight loss. Any mixture of dried fruits is not complete without adding healthy nuts.

These include:

• almond;
• cashew nuts;
• pistachios;
• hazelnut;
• Walnut.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other dietary products, dried fruits have their pros and cons. The main thing here is to maintain a happy medium and not overeat them.

Losing weight with dried fruits has several benefits:

• heals and strengthens the entire body;
• helps to effectively combat overweight;
• reduces hunger;
• normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• helps to gently reduce the size of the stomach.

Dried fruits also have their disadvantages:

• Contraindicated for people with diabetes.
• In case of gastrointestinal diseases they can be dangerous. If you eat dried fruits for too long and too often, you may experience digestive problems.
• Frequent counterfeits(especially candied fruits).
• Failure to comply with sanitary and hygienic conditions. Dried fruits are often sold by weight. All day long, open boxes with dried delicacies stand in the open air - flies land on them, dust settles, hundreds of people pass by, who can sneeze, touch or even spit on the dried fruit.
• Treatment with chemicals. It is better not to trust those dried fruits that are sold in market stalls. Many unscrupulous sellers water the goods chemicals to repel pests and improve appearance goods.

Dried fruits + nuts

Some 5-7 years ago, nuts were considered the enemy of all those losing weight and were prohibited in any diet. The reason was the large amount of fat and calories. But thanks modern research, nutritionists have come to the conclusion that a small amount of nuts eaten during a diet will only be beneficial and will not slow down the process of losing weight.

Nuts also contain protein - one of the main components proper diet. They also have a beneficial effect on overall energy.

The ideal combination when losing weight would be a mixture of dried fruits (75%) and nuts (25%). You can make healthy and tasty bars based on dried fruits, nuts and grains, you can read more about them.

How to choose the right dried fruits

In order for the weight loss process to go smoothly without compromising your health, it is important to know how to choose quality products correctly. This is especially true for mixtures of dried fruits and nuts. Remember a few rules and tips for choosing dried products:

• Any dried fruits (including mixtures) must be hermetically packaged.
• Dried fruits should not smell of acid or wine.
• The dried apricots should not be very soft and definitely not hard.
• Dried apricots and prunes should have no seeds.
• Avoid bright orange dried apricots and black shiny prunes - these are all dyes.
• There should be no plaque on dried fruits. The presence of dust, dirt, grayness is a sign of contamination or even the beginning of mold.
• Do not buy loose dried fruits in tents near the road - dirt and machine exhaust settle on them.
• If you doubt the freshness of dried fruits, ask the seller to show documents for the products. There must be a date and expiration date. If the seller refuses to show the documentation, immediately pass by.
• Avoid buying sticky and candied dried fruits. They were most likely dried using sugar syrup. High-quality and natural dried fruit should not stick to your hands and sugar crystals should not form on it.

For more effective absorption of dried fruits, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with useful tips and tips.

1. Do not store dried fruits in bags or plastic. They can quickly deteriorate and become moldy. It is better to use cloth bags.
2. Before eating dried fruits, rinse them thoroughly.
3. Dried fruits can be eaten in four cases:
   • instead of a snack;
   • overcome strong feeling hunger;
   • enjoy something sweet;
   • drink delicious compote.
4. Eat dried fruits in small quantities, do not overeat on them.
5. Consume no more than half a handful of raisins per day.
6. Dried fruits are best consumed in morning time. You should not eat them at night.

Recipe for dietary dessert made from dried fruits

This recipe is not just delicious dessert, but it is also a valuable strengthening, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating agent that should be consumed even during the most severe diet. This sweet tastes very aromatic and tart. Ideal for tea. And most importantly, preparing such a vitamin charge is very simple:

1. You will need dried fruits in equal quantities. Depending on the final volume you need. For the first time, you can do quite a bit for testing. Take a handful of prunes, dried apricots, raisins, walnuts and hazelnut. In addition there is 1 lemon and honey.
2. We thoroughly wash the fruits and nuts and let them dry from the water.
3. Next, you need to grind all the dried fruits. You need to remove all the seeds from the lemon, otherwise the mixture will be very bitter. You can use a blender, but a meat grinder is best.
4. Mix the resulting ground mixture thoroughly and season with honey. 1-2 tablespoons is enough.

You need to eat this “vitamin” every day before meals. And then any diet will be tasty and effective for you. This delicacy can fully replace the use of vitamins in tablet form.

This mixture made from dried fruits is very sweet and has a high calorie content, but it does not have any effect negative impact on the process of losing weight. But such vitamins perfectly relieve hunger and the need for sweets. Plus, this mixture is great outside of the diet.

We bring to your attention a video with a famous nutritionist from the Ionova Clinic about which dried fruits are healthy:

Contraindications

Despite the high usefulness of the dried fruit diet, there are a number of contraindications to its use as a stimulant for weight loss:

• Availability diabetes mellitus;
• flatulence;
• dysbacteriosis;
• exacerbation of gastritis;
• stomach ulcer;
• intolerance to certain dried fruits;
• allergy.

If you find at least one indicator that suits you in the list, don’t despair. There are many others effective techniques losing weight, which lulls the feeling of hunger, benefits the body.

When losing weight, dried fruits perfectly complement your diet and protect your figure. The main thing is to choose the right one diet menu and calculate the required amount of dry treats. The best decision would be to go to a nutritionist, where they will explain everything to you in detail and select a suitable diet.

Since childhood, everyone is familiar with tasty and useful compote from dried fruits. Drying fruits began in ancient times: they were taken with them on military campaigns, stocked up for the winter, and also for treatment, because the properties and nutritional value of dry fruits are higher than fresh ones. What benefits do dried fruits bring to the body?

Benefit

Despite the fact that dried fruits are very high in calories, nutritionists recommend including them in the menu for weight loss. The essence of the diet is based on replacing sugar and desserts with dried fruits. This method allows you to noticeably reduce body volume and tighten your skin within a month.

Any fruit can be dried. However, the most common and useful in our time are the following dried fruits.

1. or dry apricot - the leader in the content of vitamins, micro- and macroelements among dried fruits. This product is indispensable for diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Dried apricots help regulate the amount of cholesterol in the blood and reduce arterial pressure. It is used in the treatment of diuretics and constipation. Dried apricots help improve vision, refresh the complexion, and strengthen hair. To prevent many diseases, it is enough to eat 4 pieces a day.
2. . Prevents diseases of the digestive system, improves metabolism in the body. Just 5 fruits a day are enough to improve general state and well-being. Dried plum is used as antimicrobial agent for infections in the oral cavity.
3. and pears. These dried fruits have a beneficial effect on digestive system, improve kidney function, reduce blood levels bad cholesterol. Dried pears and apples should definitely be included in the menu during the cold season to strengthen the immune system.
4. . Strengthens the heart and vascular walls, restores heartbeat, thins the blood. Figs help to cope even with severe constipation, renders diuretic effect, reduces blood pressure. This fruit stimulates mental thinking, therefore it is indicated for people engaged in creative activities.
5. . They cleanse the body well of poisons. They help to recover from respiratory diseases, joint diseases, and kidney ailments. Dates reduce the risk of cancer and improve brain function. 8-12 fruits per day should be eaten in case of sleep disturbances and heavy mental work.
6. . Dried grapes have many advantages. It strengthens the immune system, prevents anemia, improves vision, helps maintain the health of the genital organs, and helps cope with nervous overexcitation, fever, and weakness. Raisins must be present in the diet of those who are engaged in heavy physical labor or professional sports.

Dried fruits and their beneficial properties are used to prepare beauty masks at home. All dried fruits contain many vitamins and minerals that help make the skin well-groomed, toned, and healthy. With the help of masks made from dried fruits, you can also improve your hair: make it stronger, more elastic and shiny.

Harm

Studying dried fruits, their benefits and harms, experts found that this product is potentially dangerous to the body. It's about about dried fruits produced on an industrial scale, the production of which uses unsafe technologies and toxic chemicals. They do this to speed up the drying process, increase shelf life, and give the fruits a marketable appearance.

Most often, fruits are dried in gas and gasoline ovens. Their surface cracks and absorbs carcinogenic substances that harm all human organs. Such dried fruits can be distinguished by cracks in the skin and an unpleasant odor.

To extend shelf life, fruits are most often treated with sulfur dioxide and caustic soda. These substances are used in non-food industries for human body they are dangerous: they destroy the mucous membrane of the digestive organs and cause poisoning. To give fruit beautiful view, they are often lubricated with glycerin, dyes and sugar syrup - compounds that are also harmful to the body.

In addition to dangerous chemicals, dried fruits have on their surface pathogenic bacteria. To prevent intestinal infection, dried fruits must be washed thoroughly. Regular washing running water will not be enough. To wash out dirt, germs and chemicals from all the rough spots, you need to soak the dried fruits, changing the water several times. The soaked fruits will straighten the skin, and that’s it. harmful substances easy to remove.

Dried fruits, despite their small volume, contain more calories and carbohydrates than fresh fruit. A snack with a handful of dried apricots is comparable in energy value to eating a plate fried potatoes. In order not to dial overweight or not exceed upper limit blood sugar levels, you need to eat dried fruits in small portions.

Contraindications

Dried fruits are contraindicated for use when:

• obesity;
• allergies, including to fresh fruit;
• diabetes mellitus;
• ulcer.

Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women

In the first trimester of pregnancy, dried fruits should always be included in the diet of the expectant mother. They are indispensable for toxicosis: a handful of dried apricots or raisins blocks nausea and also compensates for lost nutrients and vitamins for severe vomiting. Dried fruits are convenient to take with you to snack on and prevent bouts of severe hunger that often accompany pregnant women. In the second half, high-calorie fruits should be discarded if future mom rapidly gaining weight.

At breastfeeding Dried fruits will help replenish the deficiency of nutrients in an organism exhausted by childbirth. They will also provide necessary elements growing child. Unlike fresh fruits, dried fruits are available all year round, so a nursing woman can always supplement her diet with them.

Compound

Dried apples contain the following vitamins:

How to cook

Dried fruits are eaten raw or as part of any dish: baked goods, cereals, compotes, desserts, sauces. However, to maintain maximum valuable substances They should not be subjected to additional heat treatment.

Storage

Natural dried fruits can retain their properties for a year, covered with sugar syrup - only 4 months. Different types, even if it is a compote mixture, it cannot be stored in one place: some of them will definitely spoil. To extend the shelf life and avoid the appearance of mold, after purchasing dried fruits, you need to dry them again in the oven at the minimum heat setting.

Dried fruits can be kept in glass, ceramic, wooden containers, hermetically sealed with lids or tightly tied cloth or gauze bags. You can place a jar of salt in the storage area, which will absorb excess moisture. Adding dried mint to dried fruits will help prevent insects.

Dried fruits must be sorted periodically. If there are bugs, you need to keep the product in the oven at average temperature. It is better to store dried fruits in small volumes, purchasing more as needed to avoid spoilage.

How to choose

To purchase dried fruits that are truly healthy for the body, you need to choose those that have been dried in the sun or in the shade (most importantly, in the open air) without processing. chemicals. Fruits prepared in this way will not look very appetizing: small, wrinkled, darkened. However, it is these dried fruits that will be truly beneficial and will not cause harm to the body.

Properly dried prunes have a dark matte color, turn white when wet, and taste sour. It is best to choose prunes with pits. Real dried apricots have a dark brown tint and should not be shiny. Preference should be given to apricots - dried apricots, dried with the pit. When choosing raisins, you need to consider that they are produced from two types of grapes. Raisins from the white variety will turn out to be brownish-red, and from the black variety - dark with a blue tint. There are no high-quality yellow-white raisins. Dates can be hard, heavily dried, but natural: without sugar syrup.

When choosing any type of dried fruit, you need to take a handful of them and squeeze them slightly: natural ones will not stick together or wrinkle. A sign of the quality of dried fruits is also the presence of a small number of insects in them. It is important to distinguish this product from candied fruits. The latter are prepared not from natural fruits, but from a mixture of juice, sugar syrup and dyes. They do not provide any benefit to the body.

To find truly natural dried fruits, you need to study companies that import them directly from producing countries. Fruits are dried naturally in the southern region of Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Abkhazia. Such a product will not be cheap, but it will provide maximum benefits to the body.

What goes with it?

Dried fruits go well with many dishes. Together with nuts and a fermented milk drink, they make a healthy dinner. Dried fruits can be added to any porridge: you get a tasty and nutritious breakfast. Prunes are served with meat: they help digest them faster protein product. The natural sweetness of dried fruits allows you to prepare baked goods without adding sugar.

Natural dried fruits are an excellent replacement for unhealthy cakes, cookies, and chocolate. However, you should not abuse them. Food preference should be given fresh vegetables and fruits, and leave dried fruits for dessert.

Are you sure that you know absolutely everything about the benefits and not-so-benefits of dried fruits? Don't rush to answer. Because even experienced nutritionists and biologists cannot give an answer with 100% certainty. There are several points of view on this matter. Some believe that these same “dried fruits” are not so healthy; others, on the contrary, claim the impeccable properties of dried fruits, which have a more than beneficial effect on the human body.
Let's try to understand the pros and cons, putting on two scales: “usefulness” and “misconceptions”, in the characteristics of dried candied fruits, nuts and other delicacies we love.
Let's start with the most common misconceptions, so.

Misconceptions about dried fruits

1) Those who believe that dried fruits contain less sugar and are less calorie are mistaken. The truth is that when dried, water is removed from the fruit, that is, it loses weight and properties (the breakdown of some unstable vitamins, for example, vitamin C), but sugar and calories do not evaporate from it. Thus, if an apricot weighs 45 grams (about 12 kilocalories), then after it is “transformed” into dried apricots weighing 10 grams, its energy value is already 15 kilocalories.
2) If you think that fresh fruits are healthier than dried or frozen ones, you are mistaken. Of all three listed above, the most valuable are fruits that have been subjected to shock freezing. Well, of course, with the exception of those that the “grandmother from the village” brought you. Ask yourself the question: “How much time has passed since the moment a supposedly fresh fruit was plucked from a branch and fell into your hands?” But frozen or dried fruits are subjected to heat treatment literally a few hours after picking. So, one can argue about the benefits of “conditionally fresh” and heat-treated fruits.
Perhaps we can end this “in the ointment”.

Now about the benefits of dried fruits

3) Apparently, dried fruits are healthy.

Nuts. Benefits of nuts