Having few dry fruits daily can provide innumerable health benefits. Read on to know more about the health benefits of dry fruits.Dry fruits are not just delicacies but extremely rich sources of proteins and minerals. This is precisely why every diet regimen recommends having at least a handful of dry fruits in your daily diet. There are umpteen choices in the dry fruit category, almonds, dates, raisins, walnuts, cashews, pistachios and peanuts being some of them.
Including dry fruits in the diet of children can help to aid their overall growth and development. For babies and younger kids you can grind the dry fruits into a fine power before giving them to prevent choking hazard. Although, dry fruits provide immense benefits, you must make sure that your kids consume them in moderation to prevent any problem caused due to overeating them. And just as you do before introducing any food item in your child’s diet, do check with a paediatrician.
Since the amount of essential nutrients is very high in dry fruits, it is found that most of them are loaded with medicinal properties as well. Here is a list of benefits of some most common dry fruits:
Almonds
Almonds are high on unsaturated fats apart from having vitamin B1, iron, phosphorus and copper. Regular intake of almonds helps the body to create new blood cells, raise the haemoglobin levels and aid the desired functioning of all the crucial organs of your system. Almonds are very beneficial on the skin too. Almond paste with milk or milk cream can work wonders on the texture and complexion, making it even, supple and fairer. You can add rose buds to this paste for more effective results. Then, almond paste with water or cream also helps in the cure of eczema. It also helps to relieve constipation problems. Almond oil can be applied to the scalp to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth, it also helps to relieve headache.
Raisins
Raisins are nothing but dried grapes which can be of the green and black variety. They are high in sugar content and are very beneficial in wasting diseases. This makes it very handy when you are recovering from a certain disease or after a prolonged treatment. They are very helpful if curing constipation issues. People, who are suffering from low iron levels, can benefit from regular intake of raisins. It also helps those who need to gain weight in a healthy manner.
Raisins tend to stick to teeth, so experts recommend offering raisins to kids with their meals so that other food helps to dislodge the remains of raisins from their teeth. Raisins can also be given to kids before they brush their teeth before going to bed.
Walnuts
This is the only dry fruit or nut that contains the essential omega 3 fatty acid that comprises of the alpha linolenic acid or ALA, linoleic acid and the arachidonic acid. They are high in the mono-unsaturated fatty acids or MUFA. They are very good for the heart as they reduce the levels of triglycerides. Regular intake of walnuts helps to increase the good cholesterol levels or the HDL. Melatonin is another essential component of walnuts that effectively protect against inflammation and other similar associated health issues. The other beneficial components include riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6, folates and niacin.
Cashews
They are very rich in protein and fibre content. Since it does not have any cholesterol, it is high on monosaturated fat which is great in improving the cardiovascular condition. With high antioxidant levels, cashews also effectively eliminate the free radicals, thereby proving to be beneficial in preventing and curing cancer. With high magnesium levels, it helps in building muscles and bones along with promoting the health of gums and teeth.
You will find in all the above mentioned and a host of other dry fruits and nuts that they are helpful in enhancing the energy levels and reducing stress. Their varied vitamin and mineral content helps in the prevention of myriad diseases and improving the existing health conditions of the system.
