We all know that we should have a serving of fruits daily. What type of dried fruit is the best to eat? Dried fruit can be good for your health and easy to take along as a quick snack.
Raisins are one of the best sources of boron, a mineral that, according to health experts, reduces bone loss in post-menopausal women. Sprinkle a handful into yogurt for optimum bone benefits, and add pecans, another food high in boron. According to researchers, prunes are also very effective in preventing and reversing bone loss. Prunes are known best for digestive health. (Read about dried fruit and constipation here)
When you are feeling tired, you may crave sugary snacks. Dates are a great substitute, as they have a relatively low glycemic index (GI), which means they keep energy levels steady and release their sugars slowly. Eating them with protein, such as walnuts, will keep you feeling full.
For the Vegetarians out there, figs are a great source of iron, which you need to protect yourself from anemia. Four dried figs supply a quarter of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Nutritionists recommend that to get the full benefits of figs, you should eat them as part of an orange juice-based compote. Vitamin C improves the iron your body absorbs from plant sources.
Recent research out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta illustrated that consuming more potassium than sodium is protective against high blood pressure and heart disease. Also known as the CDC, this is the department of the government that monitors food and medicine safety. When you eat dried apricots, you take in more than three times the potassium of bananas, and apricots contain only a trace of salt. Potassium keeps blood volume lower, which keeps down blood pressure – a win-win situation.
