Health Benefits of Fruit

Please note that most organic and unsulphured dried fruits are dried and sorted with no other processing being used. This can result in fruit that is darker, drier and often "tough-skinned" and chewy. The flavour is still delicious, but the appearance can sometimes be a shock to those new to these natural products.

Cherries

Cherries are related to plums, peaches, apricots, and almonds, plus many others from this vast and versatile Rose family.

Cherries are a good source of Vitamins A and C and potassium.

They also contain pectin and anthocyanins, which are flavonoids linked to the prevention of cancer and heart disease. One study found cherry juice to be a potent antibacterial agent in the fight against tooth decay, showing that cherry juice could block up to 89% of the enzyme activity leading to plaque formation. Cherries have also been effective in treating the symptoms of gout.

Persimmons

Persimmons are very high in iron, potassium, and Vitamin C.   They are also rich in vitamin A and calcium.

The fruit resembles large, orange tomatoes; but, instead, they have a wide, pale brown calyx and translucent skin. At their best, they have a very sweet, honeyed flavour, described as being like a combination of plum, honey, apricot, pumpkin, and mango laced with perfume.

Pears  

While Pears are highly regarded as a source of instant energy due to their high concentration of carbohydrates, they are also high in fiber. They are reasonably low in calories and can be eaten quite freely.

Sun Dried Halves - A delicious addition to a balanced diet. Ideal on its own or as an addition to cereals, deserts and cakes. Pears contain a small amount of Vitamin A and C, as well as some potassium and riboflavin. The vitamin C is generally concentrated in the skin. They are also a good source of food fiber, which includes pectin, gums, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignins. These are found in the clerenchyma cells that make up the gritty particles in the pear's flesh.

Commercial dried pears are treated with chemicals such as sulfur dioxide. This is to inactivate the enzyme 'polyphenoloxidase', which darkens the fruit during the drying process. This sulfur compound sometimes causes allergic reactions in people, which can be severe enough to cause anaphylactic shock. Even though the appearance may not be as pleasing, it is always healthier to choose organically grown unadulterated dried fruits.

Apricots

Dried apricots are especially rich in carotenes, which are the natural yellow pigments that the body uses to make Vitamin A. According to the American Cancer Society, apricots, and other foods rich in carotenes, may lower the risk of cancers of the larynx, esphagus, and lungs. Apricots also provide potassium, iron, calcium, silicon, phosphorus, and Vitamin C. The copper and cobalt in apricots is beneficial in treating anemia, but should be used cautiously during pregnancy and in cases of diarrhea. In some animal studies, dried apricots were just as effective as liver, kidneys, or eggs in the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia.

Dried fruit is more expensive because it takes five pounds of fresh apricots to produces only one pound of dried; and, since drying removes only the water, the nutrient qualties remain relatively the same. Ounce for ounce, dried apricots, compared to the fresh, have twelve times the iron, seven times the fiber, and five times the Vitamin A.

It is interesting to note that both the fresh and dried apricot are a main food staple of a tiny Hunza principality in the Himalayas, who are known for their extreme longevity, excellent health, and an almost exclusive vegetarian diet.

Organically grown apricots have a superior flavor when fresh.  Although their appearance is less appealing when dried, they are not subjected to any bleaching or colouring. Organic apricots have not been treated with preservatives and become darker in colour, with a carmelized, almost fig-like flavour. Always buy organic because sulfur dioxide has caused some allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock in people sensitive to sulfites.

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