Health Benefits of Dried Fruit Baskets

The first popular dried fruit was the raisin, a dried grape. Its history can be traced back six thousand years to Ancient Egypt. At the time, people dried fruit in the sun as a method of food preservation. But beyond simple preservation, it had several advantages over fresh fruit. For starters, it was highly portable and could be taken along as a snack without having to worry about it spoiling in the desert sun. And as a snack, they were preferable to fresh fruits because they provide sugar in a more concentrated form. Dried fruits like raisins also added a boost of flavor to bland foods.

Are they as healthy as fresh fruit? The answer is probably not. You see, when fruit is dried the dehydration often removes more than just water. Many of the water soluble vitamins like vitamin C and the B vitamins are also removed. As we mentioned, dried fruits are also higher in sugars, which means that they have more calories. But this is not necessarily a bad thing, since sugar provides energy. That may be why this is a common ingredient in popular trail mix snack packs.

Dried Fruit

We also know that dried fruits like raisins and dates are a good source of fiber. The most obvious benefit of fiber is that it promotes regular bowel movements, which will improve overall digestive health. Studies have also shown that high fiber diets can reduce cholesterol levels and may even reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.

Where can you find them? Most supermarkets stock small assortments of these items. But if you want an impressive selection of the fruits either for personal use or to send as a gift, we suggest dried fruit baskets. These baskets can be purchased at competitive prices from fruit sellers on the internet.

The average dried fruit basket will only set you back about thirty to forty dollars and it will include an impressive arrangement of delicious dried fruits. Unlike fresh fruit baskets that often only feature three or four different fruits, these offer a larger sampling. The baskets that we reviewed contained half a dozen food items, including raisins, dates, pears, figs, cherries and sliced pineapples.

But before you buy, make certain that you locate a company that uses natural methods to dry their fruits, rather than chemical agents. Sure, it might end up costing you a bit more, but your family and friends will taste the difference.

And of course, fruit baskets make a perfect gift!

Health Benefits of Dried Fruit Baskets

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