Fruits give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. But it’s not enough to just eat one kind of fruit. Some studies say that people should eat a wide range of fruits to get all the vitamins and minerals they need.
But it can be hard to eat a wide range of fruits every day. Not all kinds of fruits are always available. Also, most people find it inconvenient to go to the store often just to buy fresh fruits.
Because of this, many people turn to dried fruit. Besides being easy to use, it has many other advantages. Here are some things dried fruit can do for you.
1. Increases nutrient intake
The body can get more nutrients from dried fruit than from fresh fruit. When fruit is dried, its nutrients become more concentrated. It can give you more potassium, magnesium, and folate, among other things.
2. Prevents and controls diabetes
Even though dried fruit is high in sugar, it can help prevent and lessen the chance of getting diabetes. Antioxidants can be found in dried fruits like raisins.
The way insulin works can be made better by the antioxidants in dried fruit. They can also keep the pancreas from getting stressed out by free radicals and inflamed.
3. Boosts the immune system
Dried goji berries may help boost your immune system quickly. People think of them as superfoods because they have iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C in them. Also, they have less sugar and fewer calories.
Vitamin C in dried fruit does more than just make your immune system stronger. It also makes the skin better and fights infections.
4. Improves colon and digestive health
Dried fruit can help your hair and skin stay healthy. It has fiber that feeds the good bacteria. This helps the good bacteria keep the digestive system running smoothly.
Prunes or dried plums have a lot of fiber, potassium, and vitamins A and K. It is a well-known natural stool softener. They can help with the symptoms of constipation. They could also change how and how often a person poops.
5. Reduces anxiety and depression symptoms
Goji berries that have been dried can also help with anxiety and depression. Melatonin and/or serotonin levels can be raised by the polysaccharides in goji berries. This would make people less worried and sad. Antioxidants in goji berries could also help with stress and memory.
6. Aids healthy pregnancies
Eating dried dates may help labor and delivery go more smoothly. In the last few months of pregnancy, it can help the cervix open up. This could lower the chances of having to bring on labor.
Dates are also good for pregnant women in other ways. They have fiber, potassium, and iron. Dates are a great source of antioxidants. They won’t make your blood sugar go up if you eat them.
7. Promotes weight loss
Some dried fruit, like apricots, dates, prunes, and raisins, can help speed up your metabolism. A faster metabolism can give you more energy and help you lose weight.
Dried fruit can keep you from getting hungry. They can keep a person full for a few hours. Instead of snacking on foods that are bad for you and full of sugar, dried fruit is a better choice. Also, dried fruit can keep you from getting bloated because it helps your digestive system work better.
8. Prevents bone-related illnesses
Dried fruit may be most good for women, especially for their bones. Because osteoporosis usually affects women more than men.
The risk of getting osteoporosis can go down if you eat dried fruit. Prunes slow down the loss of bone, especially in older women. This gives the bones time to get back to normal.
9. Improves heart health
Also good for the heart is dried fruit. A gram of dried fruit has more fiber and antioxidants than a gram of fresh fruit. These things are very important for keeping your heart healthy.
Cranberries that have been dried can stop blood from clotting. This could help keep a steady flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body.
10. Keeps skin healthy
Adding more dried fruit to your diet can also help your skin look healthy and fresh. Omega-3 and other fatty nutrients in dried mangoes are good for your skin. Resveratrol, which is in raisins, is a natural substance that slows the aging of skin.
11. Prevents anemia and hypertension
Potassium is found in a lot of dried fruits, like apricots. It helps stop high blood pressure and heart palpitations.
Apricots, prunes, and raisins also have iron. Anemia can be less likely if you eat more iron-rich foods like dried fruit. Because of this, dried fruit is important for vegans and women who are pregnant.
12. Reduces the risks of mental illnesses
Dried strawberries and blueberries can help keep your mind in good shape. They have a lot of antioxidants, which can help keep you from losing your memory and getting other mental illnesses. The elderly, who are more likely to get dementia, are the best people for these.
13. Boosts energy
There’s a reason why dried fruit is often found in energy bars. Because it can give you more energy. Dried grapes, cherries, and apricots make a quick snack between meals. They can give you enough energy to get through a long day.
