Our contemporary lives are so full of clutter that almost everything is evaluated on the basis of efficiency, which is why most activities are moving to the internet including online grocery shopping, banking and even educational activities. In such fussy times, we try to find quick fixes for everything and food or nutrition is no different in that regard. Nuts and dry fruits are a delightful blessing in such situations given the fact that they carry a plethora of essential nutrients and you can easily grab a handful to munch on the go. There is also a distinction made between dry fruits and dried fruits. The former refer to nuts like pistachios, walnuts, almonds and cashew nuts while the latter are naturally fleshy fruits which have been dried out like figs, apricots, raisins and cherries. Let’s look at some of the considerations you should bear in mind when adding them to cart, whether through your online grocery store Karachi or neighborhood department store.

Are there any risks involved with over consumption?

Both dry fruits and dried fruits have several health benefits but also some key differences and it is imperative to learn about them so you can continue to consume them according to the recommended nutritional requirements. Dry fruits are high in calorific value and saturated fats and this fact is equally important as the much touted benefits of high vitamin, mineral, protein and healthy fat content. People trying to lose weight or suffering from cardiac conditions must therefore limit their consumption more than the others knowing that eating dry fruits with the underlying assumption of health benefits can potentially act as a double edged sword. It is due to the same reason that nutritionists recommend soaking them in water overnight and peeling the skins in the morning before consumption, in order to reduce saturated fat levels contained within them. Dried fruits on the other hand are higher in terms of their sugar levels so people who have conditions related to gallstones, water retention, high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity should be careful while including them in their diet plans. Athletes and anemic people can really benefit from their nutritional value though, since they carry the same minerals and vitamins as the actual fresh fruit with water content being the only thing that is taken out. Dried fruits also give your immune system a boost and pump antioxidants into your body.

There are a few other considerations that one must take into account while browsing the online grocery store catalogues for buying dry fruits and dried fruits. In case you have picked packaged dry fruits or dried fruits taking a quick glance at the ingredients will also dissect the merit of your choice. Nuts and dry fruits that have been artificially salted, sweetened or fried should give you the heebie-jeebies. Also, look out for packaged dried fruits that have sugar listed among the list of ingredients because that’ll only give you added calories without much more nutrition. There are also fruits that lose taste or turn bitter when dried like cranberries, while buying such dried fruits you can go for the ones sweetened with natural fruit juice.

What are some of the key benefits of dry/dried fruits and nuts?

Now that we’ve covered some of the basic risks associated with consuming dry fruits, nuts and dried fruits it is time to consider some of their amazing benefits. Dry fruits are clearly very rich in nutrients like magnesium, folate, iron, calcium and potassium. They also keep diseases away and provide you with good health by improving your immune system as they contain antioxidants. Apples and apricots contain phytonutrients that lower the risk of cancer causing cells by acting as anti-oxidants. Pistachios help prevent tumors in the prostrate and lungs whereas cashew nuts and almonds are associated with the prevention of breast cancer. Walnuts and Brazil nuts are also known for having anti-carcinogenic properties. Since dried fruits and nuts helps your body maintain a better balance of essential nutrients you can also use them in moderation for staying lean and losing weight. Other dried fruits like figs are richer in fiber and they can help you maintain healthy bowel movements and overall digestion. Apricots and prunes are also in the same category of high fiber dried fruits. Dates and pistachios are good for relieving constipation and providing bowel flexibility. Prunes, almonds and walnuts improve your gut health as well with soluble fiber acting as a probiotic and laxative properties that give you an overall healthy digestive system.

If all those benefits for the inside of your body weren’t enough these superfoods make you glow and shine on the outside as well. We’ve all seen dry fruits being used in moisturizers and facemasks which begs the question, if applying them from the outside can help why can’t including them in your diet? The answer is obvious. They don’t just prevent signs of ageing but certain dry fruits like walnuts are great for avoiding dry skin and almonds help remove dead skin cells.