Seeing that fruits is one of many things that can make us healthy, consuming fruits frequently is always advised. Having the benefits of blue dream weed or other types of natural vegetables and fruits becomes a motivation. But sometimes, eating ripe fresh fruits can be pretty boring, especially if you’ve done it many times over and over again.
People do have innovations in order to make the day more colorful. One of them is creating dried fruits. Dried fruit has been widely consumed today, because dried fruit can last longer than fresh fruit.
In addition, dried fruit is also cheaper to eat fresh fruit. Because dried fruit is made from fresh fruit, many people believe that dried fruit is just as healthy as fresh fruit. BUT, is that actually true?
The drying process is usually done after the fruit is picked to prevent nutrients from being lost. All fruit can dry effectively, and this is usually done by sun drying, warm air drying, and by freezing. Of the three types of drying, freezing can retain the most nutrients, but drying sun and air also releases quite a bit of nutrients.
Warm air drying is the most common, as it is faster than sun drying and less expensive than freezing. This means, dry fruit that is widely produced for consumers has a slightly lower nutritional value than fresh fruit.
After the fruit is dried, it is packaged using sulfur dioxide, which is an artificial antioxidant and antibacterial agent. This can prevent the dried fruit from changing color and extend the shelf life of the fruit.
Dried fruits contain higher levels of sulfur dioxide than other foods, and this high amount is of concern to many people. In relatively low doses such as those found in many dried fruits, most people feel no pain (although this is still a poison).
However, a small percentage of people are sensitive to sulfur dioxide, especially those with asthma. Taking sulfur dioxide can cause headaches, breathing problems, and itchy skin.
Even in extreme circumstances, this will cause heart problems. So, you’d better avoid dried fruit which has sulfur dioxide, but these are often hard to find and usually more expensive.
The only additive commonly added to dried fruit is sugar, and this is usually used to add flavor. Fruit is already relatively high in sugar, so adding more sugar can contribute to the effects of disease. The sugar from dried fruit doesn’t actually cause side effects, but combined with added sugar can cause health problems.
Fruit is mostly water, and by drying it you are removing a lot of the mass of the fruit. For example, blueberries are 85% water, so if they are dried, 80 grams of dried blueberries will provide the same amount as 148 grams of fresh blueberries.
This means that 80 grams of dried blueberries have the same nutrients as 148 grams of fresh blueberries, and this applies to any type of fruit. So, you’ll get more vitamins and minerals in dried fruit, but get lots of sugar and no water. In the end, you can still have the benefits of blueberry.
Talking about dried blueberry, most of you probably want to know further about what it can actually give to us. Is there any benefit to grasp from the dried version of a blueberry? Let’s find out.
1. Contains A Lot of Vitamin C
Just like the benefits of bearberry, even dried blueberries have a high amount of Vitamin C. One of the benefits of blueberries is to prevent premature aging. This is thanks to the content of vitamin C and antioxidants in blueberries which can stimulate collagen formation in the skin.
This effect makes blueberries good for preventing wrinkles, improving skin texture, and preventing skin damage due to pollution and sun exposure.
Blueberries are known to be rich in vegetable components as well, such as flavonoids which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. As previously mentioned, blueberries are high in vitamin C which can function as antioxidants and help the wound healing process, boost immunity, and provide anti aging benefits.
2. Controls Blood Sugar Level
A number of studies have shown that eating dried berries or fresh blueberries, can help the body to control blood sugar. Berries are enriched with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Therefore, berries are a great choice for people who have problems regulating blood sugar.
With only a small portion of dried blueberries, you can easily control your blood sugar level. It’s never a tiring process when it comes to craving dried fruits.
Blueberry is a fruit with a low glycemic index, which is good for blood sugar regulation, especially for those with diabetes. Consume these five fruits every day, and you will feel the positive benefits for the body.
3. Reduces Cancer Risk
Just like other healthy foods like benefits of palm kernel seeds, cancer risk can be reduced by consuming dried blueberries regularly. The nutritional content in blueberries, especially vitamin C and other antioxidants, can help protect body cells from free radical damage.
These substances also help slow the development of several types of cancer, such as lung cancer, oral cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.
4. Maintains Mental and Brain Condition
Regular consumption of dried blueberries is also beneficial for supporting brain health as well as maintaining memory and concentration.
Several studies suggest that regular consumption of blueberries and a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and dementia.
5. Provides Healthier Heart
A bit different from benefits of aronia berry, consuming dried blueberries can help to protect your heart against the deadly risk of heart attack. Dried blueberries are useful to help lower cholesterol in the blood so that it can reduce the risk of heart problems.
This is because blueberries contain lots of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can prevent fat accumulation and damage to the heart’s blood vessels.