10 Healthiest Dry Fruits | Nutrition & Dieting slideshows | Well Being center

Plums (prunes)

Dried plums are called prunes and they are jammed packed full of goodness. Prunes are known to help prevent against cancer and diabetes by stopping free radicals from attacking the brain and helping to control sugar levels. They are also packed full of vitamins especially vitamin c which is useful to prevent against illness and disease so eating them regularly will help keep your recommended vitamin intake at a high. Prunes have also been show to help secrete excess bile from the intestines which lowers cholesterol and the phenoic compounds in them have been shown to lower bone loss as you get older.

Sources & Links

Important notification about information and brand names used in this slideshow!
Photo courtesy of Son of Groucho by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/sonofgroucho/3316017655/
www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/12-healthiest-dried-fruits.html#b
http://www.livestrong.com/article/417264-which-dried-fruit-is-healthiest/

Apples

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away" Apples are traditionally a great fruit for keeping healthy and keeping away the doctors but why? A simple and relatively unknown benefit is to protect our teeth, chewing and biting an apple helps to reduce tartar and produces saliva preventing tooth decay. They have also been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer's by maintaining levels of acetylcholine in the brain. As like most fruits they contain high levels of vitamins, minerals and fibre to keep the body functioning and the digestive system healthy. The antioxidants in apples are also great for fighting diseases such as cancer and heart problems.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of William Jones by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/fritish/2972941035/
www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/15-health-benefits-of-eating-apples

Apricots

Apricots are a relative of the peach and can be found canned all year round or fresh during their season May to August. This fruit has a particularly high vitamin A content which is good for vision and the antioxidant effect of this vitamin is shown to stop free radical damage to the bodies cells and tissues. Having high levels of vitamin A decreases the risks of cataracts in aging adults, and apricots have a high level of beta carotene which is essential to keep the heart healthy. Beta-carotene helps protect against LDL cholesterol to lower the risk of heart disease.

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Photo courtesy of dreyboblue by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/dreyboblue/1252796459/
www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=3

Cherries

Cherries grow on trees and have a relatively short season, they carry water well and can easily be damaged so they are usually fresh when bought. Unlike other fruits cherries have been known to have anti inflammatory effects so they can be particularly healthy for people suffering with arthritis to help alleviate the pain and swelling. Suffers of gout have also shown that cherries help lower uric acid in the stomach to prevent the symptoms and is considered one of the best home remedies for gout. Melatonin is essential to get a good nights sleep and cherries are one of only a few fruits that are full of it, so eating cherries or drinking cherry juice can improve your sleep patterns.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Melissa Bernais by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/melissabernais/4804688031/
www.infowars.com/top-5-health-benefits-of-cherries/

Blueberries

Blueberries are a small fruit that make a great addition to your breakfast or can be eaten as a snack throughout the day. They have the highest antioxidant content of all fruit and are extremely high in vitamins A, C and B and they contain a lot of minerals such as copper and zinc. Improving your immune system by eating blueberries means you will be less likely to catch colds and infections and a polymer produced in these berries helps to stop bacteria from being produced in the urinary tract to stop urinary infections. Pterostilbene is found in blue berries which has been shown to be beneficial for curing and preventing cancer in particular colon or liver cancer.

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Photo courtesy of WILLIAM ISMAEL by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/williamismael/5542127686/
www.womenfitness.net/blueberries.htm

Grapes (raisins)

Dehydrating grapes produces raisins which can be eaten as a healthy snack anytime of day. Raisins in particular have a high antioxidant activity which helps to prevent damage to the bodies cells which will keep the body functioning efficiently delivering nutrients to the body and the brain. Secondly raisins have been attributed to protecting against macular degeneration - which is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults. A simple way to increase your raisin intake is to add them to salads and similar dishes, they are slightly high in calorie count per 25g but the serving size is normally very small.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Jenn Durfey by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/dottiemae/5187413991/
www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=33

Figs

There are many different types of figs and they can be eaten whole or raw, figs tend not to last very long so they are normally very fresh. Figs contain a high amount of calcium and has the highest calcium content of any of the fruit. They are also a great source of iron and potassium which are essential for strong bones and the bodies metabolic functions. A high fibre content helps to keep the digestive system healthy and are surprisingly filling so can be used to help with weight loss. However eating too many can make cause a slight laxative effect so they should be eaten in moderation.

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Photo courtesy of failing_angel by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/9445685231/
www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-figs.html

Pear

Pears are a very nutritious fruit which have a high water content so can be good at keeping you hydrated. They are also high in vitamins and minerals such as potassium and are also significantly high in fibre to regulate the digestive system. Pectin is a water soluble fibre and pears are higher in this type of fibre than their counterpart apples which can help lower cholesterol levels. Parents often choose pears to feed their infants before other fruits as they have a lot less side effects or laxative effects than other fruits. However pears are high in fructose and glucose which gives a great energy boost to adults but may not be great for young children.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Vegan Feast Catering by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/veganfeast/3996929840/
www.aperfectpear.com/health-benefits-of-pears.html

Tomato

Tomatoes are often mistaken as vegetables but they are in fact a fruit and a great addition to your diet. The main benefit is they contain the free radical lycopene which help to clean up the free radicals that can cause stomach, breast and colon cancer. It has also been shown to protect the skin from harmful UV which will lower the risk of skin cancer in aging adults. Tomatoes are high in vitamin c which helps boosts the immune system but cooking denatures the vitamin so it is important to try and eat a range of both fresh and cooked tomatoes. Lycopene has also been linked to anti aging effects and reducing the prominence of wrinkles.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of jeffreyw by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreyww/4861259929/
www.netdoctor.co.uk/diet-and-nutrition/health-benefits-of-tomatoes.htm

Papaya

The papaya originates from the tropics of America and has been established as a very nutrient rich fruit. A single papaya contains 39 calories which is low in terms of tropical fruits and has a great range of vitamins. Its most popular health benefit is for the skin, it is often used as a face treatment to cure acne and other infections. Also as this fruit is high in fibre it can prevent constipation and digestion problems and also helps to cure any infections in the colon. The high fibre content lowers your cholesterol as an enzyme stops the breakdown of cholesterol to prevent heart disease and attacks.