Spices Corner

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are of the best ways to get the nutrition of fruit when fresh fruits are unavailable. The only nutrient that is lost during the drying or dehydrating process is Vitamin C, but all other nutrients remain preserved and the taste is intensified. Dry fruit lasts a lot longer than fresh fruit, properly sealed it can last for years and is a popular item for food storage. While raisins are the most common and popular dried fruit, dried prunes, apricots, dried blueberries and dried apples are all popular alone, or in dried fruit bars and cereal and granola mixes. There are two basic ways to dry any fruit. The easiest way is to leave it in the sun until it has reached the desired consistency, usually chewy and slightly tough. Be careful about bugs and pests, surrounding the fruit in cheesecloth can help and be sure to thoroughly wash the fruit before storing or consuming it. This method preserves more of the dried fruit nutrition, but takes longer than using a dehydrator. The second method for drying fruits are by using a dehydrator, an electrically powered mechanical kitchen appliance. Many allow the fruit to be easily put into the container before the machine is turned on. Once it’s going no other work has to be done to enjoy dried cherries, dried strawberries, dried bananas, or any other dried fruit and food.   Dry Fruits Dried fruit and nuts make an excellent snack anytime, on the road, in class, at work, or camping. Because they are easily preserved, fruit gifts and dried gifts can last for a long time and be enjoyed by many people. They are excellent additions to any gift basket, big or small. One concern some people have with some dry fruits are the addition of sulfur dioxide to the skin of the fruit to preserve its color. Properly dried fruit becomes brown no matter what fruits are dried. Many people prefer the brighter colors from dried fruit with sulfur dioxide added, it definitely looks more appealing but sulfites, as many compounds with sulfur are called, can trigger asthma attacks and other violent respiratory reactions among some individuals. It is limited to people who are especially susceptible to asthma attacks and companies that add sulfites are required to label their products with that information in an obvious place. Bulk dried fruits are great for food storage and for putting together gifts and fruit baskets. A little bit of dried fruit can go a long way, and a lot of it can keep a small army healthy during even the harshest winters. It can easily be added into baked goods, cereals and almost any mix of nuts and granola for a delicious treat. Although fresh fruits are always healthier, dried fruits retain much of their nutritional value. The taste however is concentrated and chewy, quite delicious and very different from fresh fruit. Even with fresh fruit available, dried fruit promotes better immune health and has much more fiber per bite, keeping that colon clean and healthy. Dry Fruits are Badam, Pista, Cashew, Raisin, Black Grape, Walnut, Cherry, Apricot, Figs, Amla,