PROPERTIES OF DRIED FRUITS
From a botanical point of view, dried fruits are those that have a hard texture when ripe. They look like wood and, when pressing on them, they are not soft. There are different types of fruits classified, according to a set of scientific criteria. (See more information)
Man has known and consumed dried fruits since ancient times. The consumption of these fruits, among other virtues, calmed the hunger after heavy physical exertion, helped keep the muscles in good condition to face so many many adversities, and kept the bones strong.
Especially during those cold months in which not much hunting could be found and when fruits were not available at hand, nuts provide a good food reserve.
Primitive men were originally dedicated to collect those dry fruits that were born wild. It has been found people used this type of food over 10,000 years ago. Gradually, they learned how to cultivate them.
At present, most of them come from cultivated trees. There are approximately 25 kinds of dried fruits cultivated by man in the world , all of them extremely interesting.
Dried fruits in the health of the heart and the improvement of the circulation
From a nutritional point of view dried fruits have a very rich greasy oil composition, with a percentage that oscillates between 50 and 70%. Most of these oils are monounsaturated fatty acids, most notably oleic and linoleic acid, which exert a major role in controlling cholesterol, the sanguineous circulation and the health of the heart. Among the most suitable nuts, we have, for example, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or peanuts. Various studies have shown that the ingestion of these fruits during normal periods of 20 to 25 days reduced the levels of " bad cholesterol "(LDL) by 10%. Coconuts would be an exception here , because they are very rich in saturated fatty oils.
This wealth in fats gives these fruits a great caloric power. They attain an average of more than 500 calories per 100 grams, with very few exceptions, such as chestnuts, ( Chestnuts are very rich in carbohydrates but they contain little fats, so they only have 170 calories per 100 g) . For their calorie content, nuts are particularly suitable for people who perform heavy physical exertion, such as athletes or those who work in hard physical jobs requiring high energy input and for children, aged more than 3 who are always performing a constant activity.
Not only the unsaturated fatty acids of nuts provide beneficial properties to heart health by reducing levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL). Folic acid content of the amino acid lysine prevents the increase in homocysteine levels. If these they were high, they could contribute to the deposition of cholesterol in the artery walls, leading to a corresponding narrowing (atherosclerosis) and the possibility of suffering from some vascular injury.
Dried fruits and bones health
Dried fruits are very rich in calcium, to such an extent that them can be used as a substitute for milk for those with lactose intolerance. Ingestion of these fruits is a good way to keep your bones in good condition preventing osteoporosis, a disease very common in elderly people who suffer from thinning of the bones.
For the young, the consumption of these fruits can help strengthen bones and promote proper growth. Among the richest dry fruits in this mineral, we would emphasize almonds (240 mg / 100g), Brazil nuts (170 mg / 100g) , hazelnuts (140 mg / 100g) or pistachios (110 mg / 100g).
Fiber and dried fruits
Fiber wealth in dried fruits has its result in their ability to increase the speed of feces expulsion from the body. A diet rich in nuts help preventing constipation and avoiding the appearance of intestinal diseases such as diverticulosis.
Fiber does not only facilitates intestinal transit, but it also helps reduce cholesterol by decreasing its absorption and slows the absorption of sugar so one can dispose of energy for one's body for longer.
Dried fruits to replace meat
Nuts are rich in vitamins, specially vitamin E, which has antioxidant properties. Therefore the intake of these foods is adequate to prevent certain diseases caused by the influence of free radicals, including many cancerous type diseases.
They also have most of the vitamin B group. All these vitamins, together with their richness in proteins and minerals, such as phosphorus, potassium, copper or iron determines that these foods are very suitable for people who want to lead a vegetarian diet and want to do without meat.
To obtain some essential amino acids, present in meat and absent in nuts, it is enough to combine some whole grains with some legumes. Soybean and lentils, for example, are very rich in these components.
Dried fruits to increase fertility
Certain minerals such as zinc and selenium, appear to play an important role in male fertility. A low intake of these two minerals may be related to the number and mobility of sperm, which affects its fertility. There are some tree nuts, such as cashews, peanuts or Brazil nuts, that contain high amounts of zinc. Brazil nuts are particularly interesting for their selenium content.
 More information on the fruits in the listing above.
Related information: Types of dried fruits |
