Dry Fruit and Nuts | Dry Fruit Benefits | Dry Fruit Nutrients

Dry Fruit and Nuts | Dry Fruit Benefits | Dry Fruit Nutrients

dry fruit

Dry fruits have been enjoyed by people around the world since ancient times for their sweet taste and nutritional value. There are many types of dried fruits from various parts of the world and they can be eaten alone or combined together to make a delicious snack. They are often used in baking recipes due to their high sweetness content. However, they’re not just for desserts; they’re also great additions to breakfast cereals, salads, snacks, and shakes. In fact, they’ve even been shown to help prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and improve brain function. What makes these foods so good? Here are some of the benefits of eating dry fruits:

Almond  

Almonds are very nice to eat, delicious to chew and also very nutritious. These nuts have high calorie content and are rich in dietary fibre. In addition to this almonds are full of monounsaturated fats which help to lower cholesterol levels. Hence almonds are considered as one of the best food items for brain function and good memory. Buyers should buy only fresh whole almonds, not dried ones. Also never buy roasted or salted almonds. They lose some nutritional value due to processing techniques.

Cashew nut  

Cashews are small oval-shaped nuts with an average size of about 1 cm (0.4 inches) and a brownish colour. Similar to peanuts, cashews are known as a powerhouse of protein. A 100 grams serving contains around 40 calories and provides 12 percent of daily recommended dose of vitamin E. Besides being extremely tasty, cashews also have several health benefits to offer. They are an excellent source of iron and zinc and contain significant amounts of magnesium. Vitamin E present in cashews helps to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Buyers should always look for fresh and unblemished cashews with no signs of spoilage. Also make sure to store them properly to avoid rancidity and mould formation.

Coconut  

Coconut is actually a fruit, not a nut. It belongs to the same family as the palm tree and date. A medium sized coconut weighs around 2 pounds and looks similar to a football. Coconuts are commonly found in Asian countries like India and Thailand. But today you will find more than 50 varieties of coconuts grown in different parts of the world. Coconuts vary greatly in terms of taste, texture, and nutritional value. The meat of coconut is called “coconuts” while the shell is made up of three layers – fibrous outer husk, watery inner husk, and the hard endosperm. Each of these layers serve a specific purpose. The white flesh of coconuts contains 75% fat which makes coconuts a great source of nutrition. Its oil is made up mainly of lauric acid, capric acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid. Lauric acid is especially useful for fighting infections and boosting the immune system. Studies have shown that people who consume coconut regularly tend to stay healthy and live longer lives. Coconut milk is obtained by grating open coconuts and soaking the resulting paste in warm water for 5 minutes. Then strain off the liquid. Coconut milk is widely used in cooking and baking. You can drink coconut milk straight away while its solidified form is called “copra”.

Pistachio  

Pistachios are green in colour and have a sweet flavour. There are two major types of pistachios out there - Persian and Italian. Both contain equal amounts of proteins, fats, fibres, vitamins, and minerals. One hundred grams (about 3½ ounces) supplies nearly 24 percent of the daily requirement of manganese. Apart from having delicious flavour, they are highly nutritious. Manganese is essential to produce collagen and testosterone in our bodies. Buyers must ensure that their pistachios

Walnuts

Walnuts are a delicious snack and provide numerous health benefits. They are high in protein, fibre, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and folate. They contain a variety of phytonutrients including ellagic acid, polyphenols, lignans, and flavonoids.

Dried apricots

This fruit doesn't have much nutritional value, but it does have some benefits for your body. Apricots help lower cholesterol levels in humans and prevent blood clotting. Eating them regularly may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Raisins

Raisins are a dried version of grapes that offer many of the same benefits as regular grapes do. They're loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids that protect against free radicals. But if you consider how many calories you get from eating other foods, raisins might make sense. A cup of raisins provides about 100 calories. That's less than a slice of bread or a handful of nuts, but it adds up over time. If you ate only half a cup of raisins a day, you would burn off about 16 calories. So, eating more raisins could help you lose weight if you want to. 

Dates

Dates are the oldest cultivated fruit tree and have been around since prehistoric times. They were used for food, medicine. The two types of dates available today are Medjool dates and Deglet Noor dates. Medjool dates are rounder and larger than Deglet Noor dates and are typically sweeter. Dates are often referred to as “nature’s candy”. Dates contain lots of vitamin B complex, fibre, protein and iron. They are also loaded with antioxidants, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorus and niacin.  Dates are rich in natural sweetness and add an appealing texture to baked goods. Their natural sweetness makes them ideal for use in trail mix or granola bars. Dried dates are great added to smoothies.

fig dry fruit

The fig is a type of small evergreen tree (about 30ft tall) native to the Mediterranean region. Its fruits are known as “the queen of fruits”. Figs have been cultivated since ancient times and their high nutritional value makes them a popular food among people around the world. Fruits of fig trees are packed with many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Their high content of vitamin C and beta-carotene make them a great addition to our diet. Moreover, they are loaded with iron, copper, zinc, calcium, potassium, manganese, fibre and dietary fibre. In addition, they are rich in polyphenols, resveratrol, quercetin, caffeic acid, gallic acid and ellagic acid. These compounds possess antioxidant activity and help prevent cancer cells from developing. They are also excellent detoxifiers of heavy metals and radioactive substances present in the environment. Moreover, it contains prebiotic fibres that help promote immune system function as well as digestion. Thus, eating figs regularly would provide us with many health benefits.