Freshly dried & dehydrated?
Seen often in luxury environments like spas or fitness-focused diners like juice cafes, fruit-infused water is hardly a revolutionary drink. What is unique is the use of dehydrated or dried fruit crisps in lieu of fresh fruit. Is there a difference between the two? Are the health benefits the same? I dug a little deeper to find out and surprisingly could not find as clear an answer as I’d originally thought.
DETOX WATER?
Fruit-infused water depends on the combination of fruits, vegetables and herbs for taste and pairings for health benefits. The synergy of mixed vitamins and minerals focus on either a specific ailment like digestive issues or create support like increase antioxidants.
PROS
Very little calories: the fruits are simply “infused” instead of juiced or blended
Ideal for weight loss plans: contains less sugar and preservatives than packaged products
Toxin removal and detox
Balances pH levels of the body
Supports digestive health
Boosts immune functions
Improves mood, general complexion and energy levels
CONS
One-Time use
Pricey if store-bought
HEALTH BENEFITS
The below resources are found naturally in dehydrated fruit:
Vitamin A
Vitamin K
Polyphenols
Fiber
Antioxidants
The general health benefits from long-term use include:
Improved blood flow
Reduced oxidative damage
Reduced risk of chronic diseases
Please take note that store-bought “dried fruit” are processed with additional ingredients to enhance preservation. Dehydrating fruits from your own kitchen will inevitably leave out these processed preservatives and therefore are much more recommended for your health. If a person is allergic to chemicals or preservatives, dehydrating at home is advised to be the best option to healthily enjoy the true flavors of dried fruit.
THE FRUITS THEMSELVES
Each fruit has a unique health benefit. Surprised by this fact? Please, don’t be and instead be surprised at the below list for learning on what those benefits actually are:
Lemons and Limes – Natural detoxifier that aids with digestive bloating and fluid retention
Cucumber – Cools the inflammatory responses in body as seen in reduced puffiness and bloating, and additionally hydrates the body and flushes toxins out
Mint – Soothes the stomach and reduces inflammation
Watermelon – High in antioxidants like lycopene
Basil – Contains strong anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits
Strawberries – High in antioxidants that boost immunity
Cantaloupe – Improves skin and hair conditions
Pineapple – Has strong digestive enzymes that aid in overall digestion
Blueberries – High in antioxidants
Peaches – High vitamin C which benefits the skin and Carotenoids that turn into vitamin A
Oranges – High in vitamin C which helps to alkalize the body (balance the pH levels of acidic foods)
The real questions we all want to know: which dried fruits are best for…?
Weight Loss – Raisins, Apricots, Prunes, and Dates
Low Sugar – Apricots, Raisins, Prunes, Figs, Mulberries
Fiber – Fig, Peaches, Prunes, and Dates
Skin – Mango, Papaya, Tomato, Pear, Cherry, Blueberry, Apple
Constipation – Date, Fig, Prune, Apricot, and Raisins
DEHYDRATED, DRIED, OR FRESH FRUITS?
The primary differences are based on:
Portion size-based over-consumption, and
Influences from packing processing
Dried fruit shrinks in size as their volume loss comes from the water zapped during the dehydrating process and yet the same health benefits of calories, sugar levels and more remain. The danger lies in how easily the shrunken size is overlooked and consumed at a faster rate compared to their normal size. It’s easy to eat in one sitting 8 dried apricots yet can a person do the same when those apricots are fresh? Despite the volume loss, the concentrated doses of sugar, fiber, and calories when consumed at a fast and larger rate are comparable to candies and potato chips. Eek!
During the packing processing the higher concentration of these influences, i.e. sugar, are added to counterbalance the preservatives, which ultimately impacts the person’s health, i.e. create a higher glycemic index. Having a higher glycemic index means that measure of a food’s effect on blood sugar levels will increase, which is seen when consuming cakes, candies, sodas, and other simple sugars. No surprise here that the caution for a higher glycemic index relates to insulin resistance and diabetes. Can we all say together, “No, thank you?”.
So, lesson learned here is that dehydrating your own fruits ensures that there will not be any extra preservatives, sugars, and the like. This means that your dried fruits will have a low to moderate glycemic index and will create a response similar to fresh fruits. There are two main ways to dehydrate your fruit yourself:
Oven
Dehydrator Equipment
Using either option is based ultimately on which fruit you plan to use, as the temperatures and longevity for dehydrating specific fruits vary.
Consuming dehydrated fruits is known to positively influence health as listed below:
Strong sources of potassium and fiber
Influences a lower body mass index (BMI)
Reduces waist circumference
Reduces abdominal obesity
HIGH SYNERGY COMBINATIONS
Also known as Detox Recipes, the influential pairings below that suit summer vibes can be easily found online:
Lemon and Mint or Ginger or Cayenne Pepper or Lime
Strawberry and Basil
Apple and Cinnamon
Cucumber and Mint or Lemon
Blackberry and Orange
Watermelon and Mint
Grapefruit and Rosemary
Orange and Lemon or Pineapple
Parts of this article published on Beautchat. Thanks.
— JW & Simona