Properties: DriedFruits
Dried fruits are dried fruits with an intense fruit flavor. The fruits have lost their moisture through drying. Their sugar content increases and makes them more durable. Available are sulfured and unsulfured dried fruits. Sulfuring the dried fruits prevents them from rotting and losing their intense color.
Origin: DriedFruits
Dried fruit actually originates from the Middle East, particularly from Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Here, fruits were already made durable by drying in earlier times. It was the first method of food preservation that was known. Dried dates and figs were known in Mesopotamia and dried grapes in Armenia. In Greece, dried figs even belonged to the staple foods. Later, this kind of preservation came from the Middle East through Greece also to Italy. There, figs and raisins were used as popular dried fruits and staple foods; they were considered a special accompaniment to dishes. In Asia, on the other hand, plums, peaches, and apricots were dried.
Uses: DriedFruits
Dried fruits are a healthy snack raw for in between meals. Moreover, they are an important component in a fruit muesli or fruit bar. For drying, plums, prunes, apples, pears, grapes, strawberries, kiwis, apricots, and peaches are particularly suitable. Smaller berries like cranberries or rosehips can also be used for drying. Naturally, tropical and exotic fruits are available in dried form as well. These include dates and figs, pineapples, bananas, mangos, and papaya. Smoothies and desserts can be made from dried fruits. Dried fruits are also found in fruit bread. Another delicious variant is candied or chocolate-coated dried fruits.
Due to their sugar content, they are considered a quickly available energy source for children and athletes.
Storage: DriedFruits
Dried fruits can be stored easily. They should be kept dry, cool and as light-protected as possible. After opening, they must be sealed well again. Optimal sealable containers are suitable for this purpose.
Water-reduced dried fruits are indeed relatively long-lasting, but they are not imperishable. For longer shelf life, the fruits are treated with gas or sulfur to protect them from parasite infestation. A method with fewer chemical additives is preservation under steam.
Health: DriedFruits
Dried fruits are a healthy and sweet snack. They provide the body with more and longer-lasting energy than sweets. Moreover, the nutrient density of dried fruits is higher than that of fresh fruit. Dried fruits are rich in vitamins and a valuable source of minerals. The only exception here is heat-sensitive vitamin C. The iron content in dried fruits is particularly high, for example in apricots, blackberries, dates, figs, and plums.
Especially figs, plums, and pears have a regulating effect on the intestines and are mildly laxative. Generally, dried fruits are strongly alkaline, which stimulates metabolism. The proportion of carbohydrates and especially sugar is relatively high.
Season of DriedFruits: Dried fruits can be obtained throughout the year. There are several methods for their production. Traditionally, fruit was cut into small pieces and laid out in the sun to dry, known as drying. The natural drying process can be accelerated by dipping the fruits into a solution of potassium carbonate to soften the water-impermeable wax layer on the outside of the fruits and thus speed up the drying process. This procedure is particularly common with sultanas.
There are also technical auxiliary methods where, using drying machines, drying takes place at temperatures between 60 to 75 degrees depending on the type of fruit.
Theoretically, any fruit can be dried and turned into dried fruit.
Another method is freeze-drying, in which the fruit is first deep-frozen and then the frozen water is evaporated under pressure.
DriedFruits taste: sweet-intensive
Dried Fruits and Their Significance
Dried fruits refer to dried fruit with a residual moisture content of 20%. The first dried fruits originated in the Middle East. There, the fruit was dried in the warm sun. It was the first method of food preservation. Dried fruits became an important staple food at that time. Today, people choose dried fruits as a healthy snack for in between meals. Instead of industrial sugar, the fruit sugar does not enter the bloodstream as quickly and one remains performance-capable longer. Additionally, delicious mueslis or fruit bars can be made with dried fruits.