11 Health Benefits Of Dried Fruits

Dried fruits and nuts have been part of the Mediterranean diet for years now. We’re talking 1500 BC! Drying, or dehydrating, is one of the oldest ways to preserve food. That makes sense if you think about the seasonality of fresh fruit. Having some preserved in storage is always a good idea!

Why go through all that trouble just to dry fruits and nuts? Well, for starters, you can’t always have fresh fruit lying around. Second, they’re tasty. And, most importantly, they’re healthy! That’s definitely a good reason to keep making them.

What are the health benefits of dried fruits and nuts? There’s a bunch of reasons! We’ve come up with 11 reasons why you should consider adding them to your diet. You can thank us later! For now, just check out the list below!

11. Nutritious Fruit - Whenever You Want! 

We’ve mentioned the practicality of having dried fruit and we just can’t stress this enough! When you’ve no access to fresh fruit, especially during winter, you can always rely on dried fruit. There’s also tons of dried fruits out there - mangoes, dates, apricots… You have a variety of choices and are all ready to be eaten at your convenience.

Fun fact. The absence of fresh fruit in the cold months is what actually prompted the Swedes to create a soup using dried fruits. It’s called the Fruktsoppa!

10. Diet Food

The most common tip we hear about weight loss is to get some exercise. While that’s great advice, it’s not the only culprit as to why people gain weight. Often, the problem could be what we’re eating! While you can have cheat days now and again, your daily diet defines your health and weight. Snacking wisely is always a great step to take, and what better snack is there than dried fruits? That’s surely a good way to fill the tummy!

There’s a handful of dried fruits known to help with metabolism - a key to weight loss. These are your figs, raisins, apricots, dates, and prunes. Why not try these Crazy Jack Soft Prunes?

9. Food That Fuels 

Everyday athletes in need of an energy boost often go for some dried fruit and nuts. Aside from being a mess-free snack, these provide your body with good amounts of carbs. These carbs are sources of natural sugars - not refined, bad ones!

Not just athletes, but busybodies can also benefit from an energy boost! It’s no wonder that dried fruits are a common ingredient in power bars. 

8. Mini Fruit for Mini Humans 

Just an observation, dried fruits do look like mini versions of their fully-hydrated counterparts. Did you know that they could help you grow your mini-me? During pregnancy, you may be advised to increase your iron intake. Anaemia, or iron deficiency, could increase the risk of premature births.

To combat this, some would often recommend dried fruits. Dried apricots to be specific. You can try these Crazy Jack Dried Apricots - they’re organic, with nothing artificial, and they’re delicious & nutritious! 

7. Hearth-Healthy Food

A high-antioxidant diet could limit the risk of many diseases like cancer or heart disease.

Dried fruits are packed with antioxidants. Studies have found that while Vitamins E and C are good sources of antioxidants, dried fruits are even better! Some of the fruits that are high in antioxidants are plums and figs. Try Crazy Jack’s Soft Figs - they’re organic, low-calorie, and very high in fibre!

6. Fibre-Filled Food

Similar to reducing stock to make something richer like gravy, that’s what dehydrating fruit does - makes them richer. Dried fruits have noticeably more fibre content. By weight, dried fruits have about 3 times higher fibre content than fresh ones!

Dried fruits have become a breakfast staple because of their fibre content. They usually go well on top of yoghurt or cereals.

5. Dried Fruits are Gut-Friendly!

Did you know that dried fruits help with colon and digestive health? You’ve often heard of getting “things” going by drinking a bit of prune juice, but dried prunes work just as well! Also, going back to reason #6, they’re great sources of fibre, which we all know can “rock the party.”

4. Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

Dried fruits and nuts are full of calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, and boron. Let’s talk about boron for a bit. Boron reduces the risk of osteoporosis and is good for overall bone health. It can be found in dried beans. If you’ve heard of the beans song, then you’ll know that beans are actually fruit!

3. Dried Fruits Could Help With Acne!

Dried fruits like apricots could help you fight acne! We’ve gone over how dried fruits have tons of vitamins and minerals. Dried apricots, specifically, have Vitamin A and E. Vitamin A has been linked to helping skin heal and helps avoid breakouts. Vitamin E, on the other hand, helps reduce UV damage.

Wondering where to get some apricots right about now? Try Crazy Jack’s Soft Apricots!

2. There’s Always Some Somewhere

The presence of dried fruit and nuts is common in muesli and granola. It makes the introduction of them to your diet a little easier. Just have a taste of Alara’s Muesli with dried fruits and nuts and you’ll see what we mean! It’s high in fibre and protein, it’s gluten-free, and it is absolutely delicious.

With a healthy & tasty breakfast, you’re already taking a great step towards a healthy lifestyle.

1. Small, but Nutrient-Dense

With dried fruits being as common as they are, we often don’t think of them as great as their fresh counterparts. But some would argue that they are! Dried fruits still contain many nutrients, although there is a bit of give and take.

With regular fruit, you may have to eat more just to get the nutrients you need. For example, a cup of dried bananas has 85% more potassium than a cup of fresh bananas. If you want to include more nutritious fruit in your diet but don’t necessarily want to go bananas eating a whole lot of it, dried fruits may be the way to go!

Some fruits just have more of certain nutrients than others. The great thing about dried fruits is that you can mix and match your fruit based on your nutritional needs. So, if you need more antioxidants as well as fibre, a mix of dried mangoes and dates could work for you!

All Your Fruits in One Basket

That’s the list of 11 reasons why dried fruits and nuts are good for you! We hope you learned a little thing or two and we certainly hope that you consider adding some to your diet. Trust us, they’re great snacks to have especially for long trips! There’s a reason why dried fruits have been around for centuries - they’re really just that good!