Dried fruits are delicious, refreshing, and suitable for all ages, offering high nutritional value. Common types of dried fruits include chestnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, melon seeds, almonds, jujubes, pistachios, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, jujubes, raisins, and many more. Dried fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals, each with its own unique nutritional benefits.
What are dried fruits? What are their benefits?
1. Jujube
Dried jujubes, also known as red dates, are high in vitamin content and are considered a natural vitamin pill. They can boost the human immune system, enhance vitality, and have benefits such as strengthening the spleen and stomach, replenishing qi and nourishing blood, and nourishing yin for skin health.
2. Raisin
Raisins are a dried fruit extremely high in iron and calcium content. They can improve the body's metabolic functions and have benefits such as replenishing blood and qi, relieving fatigue, protecting the heart and blood, lowering blood pressure, and promoting digestion. Raisins are an excellent blood-nourishing food for anemic individuals and have a positive effect on the recovery of patients with coronary heart disease.
3. Preserved Plum (Huamei)
Dried preserved plums are rich in antioxidants and plant fiber, offering anti-aging and digestive benefits. The plums used to make preserved plums were once called "fruit for the blood" by Li Shizhen. The *Compendium of Materia Medica* states that plums can "strengthen the stomach, astringe the lungs, warm the spleen, stop bleeding, resolve phlegm, reduce swelling and detoxify, promote fluid production to quench thirst, and treat chronic coughs and diarrhea."
4. Walnut
Dried walnuts, also known as Persian walnuts, are rich in protein and have earned the reputation of "longevity fruit" and "fruit for the intellect." Walnuts can benefit the brain, improve immunity, moisten the intestines to relieve constipation, and invigorate blood to remove stasis. Additionally, walnuts have the medical effect of securing the kidneys and preventing sperm leakage, and can be used to treat conditions like asthma, cough, and lower back pain.
5. Peanut
Dried peanuts contain a large amount of starch and can effectively help the body recover energy. In addition, peanuts have effects such as promoting bowel movements, nourishing the kidneys, nourishing yin, prolonging life, anti-aging, and clearing the lungs to resolve phlegm. The red skin of peanuts can prevent beriberi, xerophthalmia, neuritis, and cheilitis, so it's best not to remove it when eating peanuts.
6. Chestnut
Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty once said: "Chestnuts are the fruit of the kidneys; those with kidney ailments should eat them." Dried chestnuts are not only delicious but also have extremely high medicinal and health-preserving values. Chestnuts are rich in dietary fiber and have benefits such as strengthening the spleen, benefiting the heart, nourishing the kidneys, strengthening muscles and bones, and nourishing the blood. It is best to eat 6-7 chestnuts daily, as eating too many can easily lead to gastrointestinal discomfort.
See if nuts are right for you?
Q: Can diabetics eat nuts?
A: Diabetics can eat nuts without any problem.
In fact, except for chestnuts and ginkgo nuts, nuts contain very little starch but are relatively high in dietary fiber, so the risk of raising blood sugar is minimal. And a key task for diabetics is to prevent and control cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, in which nuts can be quite beneficial. Eating a small handful of nuts in the morning is, to say the least, a wise food choice for diabetics.
For example, a study published in 2004 found that adding a handful of walnuts to the diet of type 2 diabetics could improve their blood lipid profile. In a Spanish study of 9,000 cardiovascular disease patients, it was found that eating nuts was beneficial for controlling blood lipids and the risk of heart disease.
Q: Can gout patients eat nuts?
A: Gout patients can also safely eat a small handful of nuts.
Because nuts are classified as low-purine foods, with purine content lower than soybeans and most legumes. For example, the purine content in walnuts is 25 mg/100g, in Brazil nuts it is 23, in hazelnuts it is 37, and in peanuts it is slightly higher at 79. In comparison, tofu is 68, soybeans are 190, and pork is 150.
Q: Can dieters eat nuts?
A: Dieters can eat them with confidence.
Because research has found that some nuts have a significant satiating effect. For instance, large almonds have the highest fiber content among nuts, which can effectively suppress hunger and prolong the feeling of fullness. Even nuts with a relatively lower fiber content, like walnuts, are beneficial when eaten in moderation without increasing the overall calorie intake of the diet.