Is it healthy to eat dried apples? Why are dried apples useful and harmful? What are the benefits of dried apples

The benefits and harms of dried are a question that lovers of homemade preparations need to know the answer to. Dried fruits look perfectly safe, but you need to understand their properties in order to understand if this is actually the case.

Chemical composition and calorie content of dried apples

The benefits and harms of dried apples for the body differ from the beneficial properties and potential harm of fresh fruits. The fact is that the composition of dried fruits is slightly different - there are more elements in them, and some less.

Dried apples contain:

• fiber;
• antioxidants;
• natural sugars;
• vitamins A, K, H and PP;
• b vitamins - their dried fruits more than fresh;
• vitamin C - its share is significantly reduced, but still it is present in dry slices;
• potassium - there is a lot of it in dried fruits, thanks to which the product serves as an excellent diuretic;
• copper and iron - their content is also increased;
• magnesium, sodium and phosphorus;
• manganese.

Dried fruits are rich in carbohydrates, occupying about 58 g, proteins and fats are present in them - about 2 g and 0.2 g, respectively. The calorie content of the product is high - since dried fruits are almost devoid of water, their nutritional value increases dramatically. 100 g of dried apples contain about 250 kcal.

Useful properties of dried apples

The benefits of dried apples for the human body are expressed in their beneficial effect on almost all systems and organs. It is worth taking a closer look at the positive health effects of the product.

For the heart and blood vessels

Dried apples are high in potassium and magnesium. These elements are especially important for the good functioning of the vascular and cardiac system. Regular consumption of dried fruits prevents the development of atherosclerosis, ischemia, protects against heart attacks and strokes, and normalizes the heart rate. Dried apples are also recommended for consumption after a heart attack, their properties allow you to quickly restore the body's strength.

For the stomach and intestines

The benefits of homemade dried apples for the intestinal and gastric system are undeniable. The product contains a lot of fiber and pectin, so it helps to regulate bowel movements and improve peristalsis. Valuable mineral components, thanks to dietary fiber, are better absorbed into the bloodstream and absorbed by the body. The properties of the product improve the intestinal microflora and eliminate congestion.

For immunity

Since all vitamins are stored in dried apples, and the volumes of some of them become even larger, as a prevention of viruses and infections. They will be especially useful in winter and autumn, when many people begin to experience vitamin deficiency. If you use ordinary apple dried fruits, then you can do without expensive vitamin complexes - dried slices will eliminate the potential harm from changing climatic conditions at no extra cost.

For skin and hair

Dried fruits are high in calcium and antioxidants. Therefore, the benefits of dried apples for the body of women are especially great - their use helps to strengthen hair, increase the volume of curls. Apples improve the condition of the skin and allow you to maintain youth and attractiveness longer.

The beneficial properties of dried apples will not harm almost anyone, and yet it is especially important for some people to include this delicacy in their regular diet. Dried fruits are irreplaceable:

• with a tendency to constipation, edema and rapid weight gain - the diuretic properties of dried fruits and their beneficial effect on peristalsis will help to quickly establish the metabolic system, and toxins will no longer accumulate in the body;
• with high bad cholesterol - trace elements in the composition of dried fruits will help cleanse blood vessels, strengthen their walls and remove unnecessary stress from the liver and heart;
• for joint diseases - dried fruits contain a lot of calcium, therefore, they effectively strengthen bones, help relieve inflammation and pain in arthritis and osteochondrosis;
• with weakened immunity - the properties of dried fruits will quickly restore the balance of nutrients in the body.

Important! You need to eat dried apple regularly in old age or with intense stress, both mental and physical.

Their beneficial properties improve memory and concentration, and have a rejuvenating effect on the body.

Is it possible to give dried apples to babies

Dried apple fruits are digested rather slowly. The stomach of a small child is not ready for such loads, therefore it is not recommended to give dried apples to children. However, already from 6 months old, you can offer babies compote cooked from dried fruits in a volume of no more than 100 ml per day. After a year of life, the dosage can be gradually increased.

Attention! Since dried apples can be very harmful for certain diseases, you need to consult a pediatrician before offering dried fruit compote to a child for the first time.

Dried apples for pregnant and lactating women

For pregnant women, dried apple fruits are very useful. Their properties not only saturate the body with vitamins, but also help get rid of edema, which often occurs during the period of gestation. However, you should not forget about the calorie content of the product - the use of dried apples should be moderate.

During lactation, dried fruits will also not harm, their properties will be useful for both the mother and the newborn. But you need to stick to small portions and monitor the child's reaction. If the baby has an allergy, the use of dried fruits will have to be stopped.

Are dried apples good for weight loss?

Despite the fact that the calorie content of dried fruits is increased, they will bring great benefits during the diet. The benefits and harms of dried apples for weight loss are that the delicacy significantly improves peristalsis and helps to remove accumulated toxins from the body in a few days. To make the effect of the diet more noticeable, you can not only introduce dried fruits into your regular diet, but also completely replace your evening dinner with them. In this case, in a month it will be possible to part with 3-4 extra pounds.

The properties of dried fruits are beneficial during a fasting day. During the day, you must eat exclusively dried apples and drink plenty of water, and the daily dose of apples should be no more than 200 g. fasting days regularly, then the weight will be stably kept within the normal range. But in order not to harm the body, unloading should not be abused - useful fasting is shown no more often than once a week.

Are dried apples allowed for pancreatitis

In case of acute inflammation of the pancreas, any apples from the diet must be temporarily removed - this applies to both fresh fruits and dried fruits. But with chronic pancreatitis in a state of remission, dried apples are allowed for consumption. The main thing is not to eat them in too large quantities, otherwise the high fiber content will lead to the fact that the body will receive harm, not benefit.

The benefits and harms of dried apples for diabetes

Fiber and trace elements in dried fruits are of great benefit in diabetes mellitus. The properties of the product allow maintaining the correct metabolism and preventing the development of complications. At the same time, the glycemic index of apple drying is only about 25 units, depending on the variety, therefore, sharp leaps dried fruits do not lead to glucose in the blood.

Drinks based on dried fruits and decoctions will also be beneficial. Of course, they must be cooked without adding sugar, otherwise all the beneficial properties will turn into harm.

How many dried apples can you eat per day

The benefits and harms of apple drying depends on the amount of dried fruits consumed. It is recommended for a healthy person to eat only 4-6 pieces of delicacies per day; in such an amount, apples will improve health and do not harm.

Children and adolescents should be offered dried fruits in smaller quantities - only 3 pieces a day. And babies under 6 years old are allowed to use only 1 slice and no more than once every 2 days.

Healthy Dried Apple Recipes

Dried apple fruits are consumed not only in the form of soft slices. Healthy and rather tasty drinks are prepared from dried vitamin apples. They can be drunk for general health promotion, and sometimes home remedies can even help cope with the symptoms of certain ailments.

Dried apple compote

The simplest dried fruit drink is a regular compote. They do it like this:

• 100 g of dried apple slices are poured with a liter of water;
• after the water boils, the apples are boiled for another quarter of an hour on low heat;
• after the compote is ready, it is infused for 12 hours under a closed lid at room temperature.

Warm or cold compote can be drunk by the whole family, it is allowed even for the diet of young children. The benefits and harms of dried apple compote is that it strengthens the immune system and helps to improve digestion. Regular consumption of compote relieves the problem of constipation, the work of the heart and nervous system also improves, the level of blood pressure normalizes.

It must be remembered that the properties of compote can be harmful. It is better not to use it for gastritis, peptic ulcer and pancreatitis, at least in a state of exacerbation.

Dried apple decoction

Another useful remedy with healing properties is a strong apple broth. Prepare it as follows:

• about 200 g of dried apple slices are poured into 1.5 liters of water;
• after boiling, the compote is boiled for 40 minutes;
• the finished drink is cooled, then filtered.

To increase the benefits, you can add a large spoonful of honey and lemon juice to the broth, they will make up for the lack of vitamin C in the drink. Drinking a broth is very useful for colds and in order to strengthen the immune system. Also, the benefit of a decoction of dried apples is that the drink has strong tonic properties - you can even drink it instead of coffee, there will be more benefits, and the vessels and the heart will not receive an excessive load.

Dried apple infusion

A useful and quick preparation tool is an infusion based on dried apple fruits. In order to prepare it, you must:

• take a few dried apple slices;
• pour them with a glass of boiling water;
• add a lemon slice and half a teaspoon of honey to the drink;
• insist the product under the lid for a quarter of an hour.

Since during the preparation of the drink, dried fruits are not exposed to prolonged temperature exposure, the benefits of the infusion from dried apples remain even higher than the beneficial properties of compotes and decoctions. The infusion is very good for colds, drinking it is useful for prevention in the cold season.

There will be no harm from the drink with a deficiency of vitamins and microelements in the body, the infusion will quickly replenish the supply of necessary substances. The remedy will help with constipation and sluggish digestion, improve the condition of blood vessels and strengthen the heart system.

Important! The infusion quickly loses its benefits and medicinal properties, so it cannot be stored for a long time even in the refrigerator.

It is better to prepare a new drink every day, it takes very little time.

What varieties of apples are best used for drying

Benefit and harm dried apples about the same for any kind of fruit. Nevertheless, there are recommendations as to which fruits are best to choose for creating blanks:

• All the benefits of dried fruits are concentrated in their pulp, therefore, for drying, it is better to choose varieties with small seed boxes and thin peel.
• Since the apple slices are greatly reduced in size during the drying process, it is necessary to choose medium or large fruits. Sun-dried slices of small apples will turn out to be too small; it will take too many fresh fruits to prepare a small portion of a treat.
• When dried, the fruits of sweet varieties become almost tasteless. Although their beneficial properties are preserved, it is no longer possible to call such dried fruits a delicacy. But sour apples, when dried, acquire a very pleasant and clearly distinguishable taste, so it is better to use them to create blanks.

Fresh apples of varieties Antonovka, Titovka, Pepin, Aport, Cinnamon and White Naliv are ideal for drying. They meet all the basic requirements, and their blanks are juicy, aromatic and very healthy.

How to properly dry apples at home

You can buy sun-dried apples in markets or shops. However, it is much more convenient and practical to dry fruits at home on your own - it does not require much effort and does not take much time. There are several ways to dry fresh apple fruits.

Drying apples in the sun

If in winter you have to use household appliances to dry fruits, then in summer it is easiest to dry apples in the hot sun. To do this, they must be laid out on a grid or perforated pallet in a thin layer so that the slices do not overlap each other. From above, the apples are covered with gauze so that insects do not settle on the slices.

On average, the drying process in clear hot weather takes about 4 days if the apples are in the sun. In the shade, the fruit will take a little longer to dry. The slices must be turned over daily so that they wither evenly on all sides.

Advice! Drying apples in the sun is especially recommended in cases where it is necessary to preserve maximum vitamin C in dried fruits.

The useful substance is destroyed at high temperatures, and in the process of natural drying, quite a lot of it remains, although less than in fresh fruits.

Drying apples in the oven

If the weather outside the window no longer allows drying in the open air, or for some reason you want to cook dried fruits faster, you can use a gas or electric oven.

• Fresh apples are cut into small thin slices and laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in one layer.
• The baking sheet is placed in the oven, preheated to 80 ° C, and left for half an hour.
• After this time, the temperature must be reduced to only 70 ° C and the apples must be kept in the oven for another 5 hours.

After the bulk of the moisture from the slices has evaporated, they will need to be turned over to the other side on a baking sheet and the temperature inside the oven should be reduced by another 20 ° C. At a temperature of 50 ° C, the apples are left to dry in the oven for the next 4 hours, turning them over from time to time.

Drying apples in the microwave

Microwaving apple slices has its own advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages of this method include the fact that fruits will have to be dried in small portions - a large baking sheet with apples simply will not fit in the microwave. But on the other hand, the process of preparing a portion takes only about 5 minutes, which means that in the end you can cook quite a lot of dried fruits in a couple of hours.

Drying is done as follows:

• thinly sliced \u200b\u200bfresh apples are laid out on a plate and placed in the microwave;
• the kitchen appliance is turned on for 30 seconds, and then the plate is taken out and the slices are turned over, assessing the degree of their readiness.

Several drying cycles are required for just one serving.

Drying apples in the microwave is especially convenient when there is no oven or when it is impossible to keep the oven on for about 10 hours in a row.

Apples in an electric dryer

It is most convenient to dry apples in a special electrical appliance - a dryer designed specifically for preparing dried fruits. By default, the dryer is equipped with convenient perforated trays for slices, the user has the ability to set the desired temperature, depending on how quickly the sun-dried apples need to be cooked.

According to the classic recipe, the apple slices on pallets must be spread out in a thin layer and set to a drying temperature of 60-75 ° C. In this mode, the fruit is dried for about 8 hours; in the process, completely dried slices can be removed and new ones can be placed in the vacant space.

If you put the appliance at a temperature of about 100 ° C, the apples will dry faster. However, much less vitamins will remain in them, since nutrients are destroyed at extremely high temperatures.

How many dryers are obtained from a kilogram of fresh apples

When creating blanks, it must be borne in mind that the total mass of dried fruits will differ greatly from the mass of the raw material. In the process of drying, all the moisture leaves the apples, and they lose up to 90% of their mass, respectively, only 100 g of drying can be obtained from a kilogram of raw materials.

The harm of dried apples and contraindications to use

The medicinal properties and contraindications of dried apples are not the same for all people. Sometimes healthy dried fruits can be harmful to the body. It is not recommended to use them when:

• pancreatitis in the acute stage - to replenish the supply of vitamins, it is better to drink compote from dried apples, since it acts on the pancreas much softer;
• exacerbation of an ulcer or gastritis with high acidity - dried fruits will irritate the mucous membranes and will mainly harm;
• allergies - if there is an individual intolerance to apples, then in dried form they will be no less dangerous than fresh.

It is also necessary to use dried apple fruits with caution in case of diabetes. Small amounts of apple slices can be left in the diet. But from abuse of the product, there will only be harm, since the content of sucrose in the apple dryer is increased.

How to store dried apples

Qualitatively dried apple slices can retain their beneficial properties for up to 2 years. It is necessary to store them in clean glass jars or in linen bags in a dry place with good ventilation.

For a long time, dried fruits retain their beneficial properties when stored in the kitchen, in conditions of slightly high humidity. But the shelf life is reduced - you can eat drying only throughout the year.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of dried apples are a matter of their competent use. If you do not eat dried fruits in the presence of contraindications and control portions, then there will only be health benefits from sun-dried apples. The product will strengthen the body's defenses and contribute to the good functioning of the metabolic system.

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Good day, dear readers! The benefits of apples for the body, that's what we'll talk about. The fruit contains many essential substances. At the same time, it will be useful both in fresh and dried form. So, dried apples are good and bad for the health of the body.

Composition and calorie content

Drying implies the almost complete removal of water from the fresh fruit, but with the preservation of all the beneficial properties. It includes:

Minerals - potassium, iron, selenium, iodine, manganese, copper, potassium, phosphorus. They are necessary for the normal course of hematopoiesis processes, the full functioning of the cardiovascular system, metabolic reactions.

• Vitamins in dried apples. The fruit contains vitamins A, B, E, K, PP, ascorbic acid and beta-carotene.
• Sugar in abundance. Therefore, snacks with dried apple slices help to quickly recuperate after various types of stress.
• Pectin substances. They are responsible for improving metabolic / digestive processes, normalizing cholesterol levels.
• Organic acids. They are necessary for the body to maintain the physiological level of acid-base balance.
• Tannins. They are found in large quantities in the peel and have antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Phytoncides.

How many calories are in dried apples? In dried fruits, the number of calories rises many times. In fresh fruit, apple per 100 grams is 50-55 kcal, then in dried fruit 360 kcal.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of apple drying are due to the composition of the product.
The presence of fiber stimulates the digestive tract, preventing constipation, and also helps to remove accumulated toxins. Phosphorus improves brain function. The consumption of dried apples promotes a more complete absorption of calcium, a mineral that provides strong bones.
A handful of this product will replace dinner and can be a good alternative to dessert.

Probable harm

Dried apples can cause certain harm to the human body.
It contains a lot of sugars, therefore, with diagnosed diabetes mellitus and severe obesity, the product is recommended to be limited or completely banned. It is allowed to eat no more than a handful per day.

The use of the product must be completely abandoned during the period of exacerbation of ulcerative pathology.

If fresh apples with gastritis with high acidity are almost completely prohibited, then drying with this diagnosis can be included in the menu without fear.

Diagnosed pancreatitis (acute and chronic format) also becomes a ban. Before introducing drying into the menu, it is advisable to consult your doctor.

Application for diseases

Dried apple slices, due to their composition, will be useful in many cases. Drying can be used for a light snack, but in small quantities.

For the digestive tract

Apple drying normalizes the digestive tract: intestinal motility improves, stools normalize (constipation disappears). The disturbed microflora is restored.

While carrying a child

Dried apples during pregnancy will be beneficial, but in limited quantities. The reason is a possible weight gain, which can negatively affect labor.

During breastfeeding

Dried apples while breastfeeding can also be included in the diet. But in this case, it is necessary to monitor the baby's reaction to a new product, as it can cause the development of allergies. Dried apples should be introduced gradually with gv, starting with 2 slices per day. If the child is doing well, then the permitted daily rate for a woman - 25 grams.

With diabetes

For diabetes mellitus, a violation of the processes of carbohydrate metabolism is typical, the cause of which is diseases of the pancreas. When dried, a large amount of liquid leaves the fruit, which leads to an increase in the concentration of the sugars present. That is why dried apples for diabetes are recommended to be consumed in limited quantities. It is advisable to cook compotes from apple drying without adding sugar.

With pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas - pancreatitis requires a person to follow the principles diet food... This significantly limits the list of permitted foods, which reduces the amount of vitamins entering the body. Dried apples for pancreatitis are a source of vitamins and minerals.

Doctors are allowed to include apple drying for chronic pancreatitis in the menu, but only outside the period of exacerbation of the disease. To reduce the load on the pancreas, you need to cook compote from it. It is allowed to add a little granulated sugar or its substitute to the drink.

For the cardiovascular system

Apple drying contains a lot of potassium - an element necessary for the full functioning of the heart and maintaining blood vessels in good condition. Its regular consumption helps to strengthen the myocardium, increases the elasticity of the vascular walls and serves as an excellent prevention of stroke and heart attack.
Dried apples have more fiber. And as it dries, the amount of vitamins in it increases, but vitamin C becomes less. 100 g of dried apples contain 50% of the daily value of non-digestible dietary fiber. Pectin removes excess cholesterol from the body.

Some people may think that drying apples is good for anemia, as it is high in iron. But this is not so due to the fact that this iron is practically not absorbed by the body.

There is a very common myth that apples are high in iodine. But in fact, both apples and their seeds contain very little iodine, and in order for a person to make up for the daily iodine deficiency, they will have to be eaten in kilograms.
Dried apples contain a lot of fiber, coarse dietary fiber, and therefore these dried fruits have a beneficial effect on the intestines and improve digestion.

The amount of potassium in dried apples is greater than in fresh ones, and this makes drying an easy, diuretic, and accordingly removes excess fluid from the body and reduces swelling.

Losing weight on dried apples

Kefir-apple diet

To lose 1.5 - 2 kilograms very quickly, you need to "sit down" on a kefir-apple diet. Its total duration is 3 days.

During the day, you need to drink 200 ml of kefir and eat 4 pieces of drying. This is the norm for one meal. In total, you need to eat 5-6 times during the day.

During the diet, you need to use kefir with an average fat content of 1 - 2.5%. You cannot buy a completely fat-free drink, since it will be very difficult for the body to cope with serious dietary restrictions.

If the hunger is too strong, then you can drink 7 glasses of kefir. During the day, it is allowed to drink 2 liters of kefir, but not more - this is the maximum allowed.

Fasting days

To maintain the achieved weight, it is recommended to practice a fasting day once a week, when you can only eat dried apples. Thanks to their full composition, they will help not to feel strong hunger, and will contribute to better metabolic processes.

How to dry apples

To get a quality product, you need to know the technology of fruit drying. There are several ways.

On open air

This option is practiced in the summer when the heat is intense. Drying in the sun allows you to prepare a large number of apples at once.

The scheme is simple, first the prepared apple slices are laid out on nets and covered with a layer of gauze to protect them from flies and other insects. They are turned over daily. The process takes up to 4 days outdoors, and a little more if the apples are in the shade.

In the oven

Dried apples in the oven for the winter, as we do, the fruits must be cut into thin slices and laid out on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper in advance. The oven must be preheated to +80 degrees.

1. We put the baking sheet in the oven at this temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Then lower it by 10 degrees and leave the apples for the next 5 hours. This time is enough for the fruit to give up most of the water.
3. Turn the pieces over to the other side and lower the temperature to +50 degrees. Drying should be continued for another 4 hours, periodically turning the apple slices.

In an electric dryer

The prepared fruits are laid out in pallets in one layer. They are dried at +60 degrees for 8 hours.

In the microwave

Dried apples in the microwave, what we do, the drying process in the microwave takes only 5 minutes, but you can cook a small amount of apple slices at a time.

• The chopped fruit is laid out on a plate.
• You need to dry it at a power of 200 W for 30 seconds.
• After each end of the cycle, the fruits must be turned over and the degree of readiness evaluated.

It must be understood that when the temperature rises above 60 degrees, vitamin C is destroyed by almost 100%. Therefore, if the drying process was in the air, then there is a chance to preserve vitamin C. If you dried in the oven or in the microwave, then it is unlikely that vitamin C remained there. But the pectin definitely remained.

Storage

How to store dried apples at home so they don't lose theirs taste? There are several guidelines.
Store apples in a glass or ceramic container with a blank lid and in a dark place. The place where the apple cider will be stored must be cool and dry. A dark closet or tight-fitting closet works well. It is necessary to ensure that strong-smelling foods, in particular, spices, do not lie next to the dried apples. Otherwise, they will absorb their scent.

How to choose

We select those apples that are dried without chemical treatment. Some manufacturers use special preparations to treat apples before drying. The result is a light gray apple pulp, beautiful but not useful. It is good if you dip apples in lemon solution before drying, then they will remain white and will not be chemically processed.

How to use

You can use them in different ways, washing and eating, for example, with nuts.
Or cook a compote from dried apples. But for the compote to be not only tasty, but most importantly useful. What happens to vitamins during the preparation and boiling of dried fruits. During this time, up to 85% of vitamin B1, up to 98% of vitamin B9, up to 90% of vitamin C and up to 80% of vitamin E are destroyed. And here is the correct recipe for compote, which I saw in the Health TV program and, in their opinion, the vitamins in dried fruits after cooking the compote, up to 60% will remain.

So, take an apple cider, rinse it and soak them in a saucepan in the evening in a warm and boiled water... The next day, the fruit swelled, you add a little sugar there, it is better not to add sugar, stir and put on the stove. Bring to a boil, and as soon as the compote boils, quickly remove it from the stove. An important detail, during the boiling process, the lid of the pan must be closed. The destruction of vitamins occurs not only due to temperature, but also through contact with air.

The complete composition of dried apple slices makes them a valuable product for the body. From it you can cook not only healthy, but also surprisingly tasty compotes and decoctions that quench your thirst and at the same time have a healing effect. But excessive consumption of apple drying can cause weight gain and, accordingly, a deterioration in overall health.

When writing the text, materials from TV programs were partially used

"Health TV" and "Life is Healthy".

Apples in our country are the most common fruits. Their benefits to humans are very great. Representatives of traditional medicine recommend including apples in the daily diet for people with low levels of hemoglobin in the blood, these recommendations are especially relevant for pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Traditional healers believe that these fruits should be eaten not only raw, because the benefits of dried apples increase many times over.

Dried apples are a kind of preparation for the winter, but this type of fruit storage has many advantages over rolling compotes, preserves or jams. The main distinguishing feature of dried apples is that with such processing they do not lose their many valuable qualities at all. They can harm a person only under the condition of improper heat treatment or the use of chemical compounds in this process.

What is the value of dried apples?

Dried fruits contain a huge amount of vitamins, micro and macro elements that are necessary for a person for the normal functioning of all organs and systems. Vitamins K, E and B are necessary to saturate the circulatory system; the benefits of ascorbic and other acids are invaluable for brain function; iodine, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium, magnesium, iron and other elements must be present in the human body in the proper amount.

Dried apples promote good digestion due to their high content of pectin, dietary fiber and fiber. The proteins that make up these fruits, acids, essential oils and phytoncides stimulate metabolism and promote the formation of a favorable microflora in the intestine.

Who needs to eat dried apples?

The benefits of dried fruits are guaranteed to all lovers, but there are still people who are recommended to include this fruit in their daily diet without fail.

• People who have a tendency to constipation or an inflammatory process in the rectal area should definitely have dried fruits on their table every day. The content of fiber in them contributes to the rapid and painless elimination of toxins and the normalization of digestion processes;
• If a person has a high level of cholesterol, then the benefits of regular consumption of dried fruits for him are invaluable;
• The genitourinary system, which has certain disorders, needs many of the elements that make up dried apples;
• The musculoskeletal system needs constant calcium replenishment. Some diseases or improper lifestyle of a person cause irreparable harm, calcium is washed out of the body. Dried apples are a great way to restore what has been lost to the skeletal system without resorting to medications;
• Overweight people usually have a hard time expelling fluid from the body. Dried apples in abundance contain such a trace element as potassium, and it is he who contributes to the process of ridding the human body of excess fluid. Regular consumption of dried fruits leads to a decrease and complete disappearance of edema, and this is precisely the main benefit of apples for weight loss;
• If the immunity is weakened by previous diseases, then the best remedy to restore it, there is a compote of dried fruits.

In addition to all of the above, dried apples have other features. They promote the speedy digestion of proteins and fats, protect a person from early aging, and even help improve mental processes such as memory, attention and logical thinking.

Apple drying process

Not everyone knows that drying apples at home is very easy. At the same time, purchased dried fruits can cause tremendous harm to the body. The fact is that industrial drying of fruits involves fumigating them with burning sulfur. This is done to prevent darkening, because appearance dark apples scares off buyers. Manufacturers urologist andrologist It does not bother at all that the benefits of apples after such processing are reduced to a minimum, because the main thing for them is to sell their goods. To avoid unnecessary consequences, it is better to learn how to dry fruits at home.

Currently, there are many household appliances designed for drying vegetables and fruits at home. They are made of high quality plastic, which is not capable of harming the products. But all these appliances consume too much electricity, so thrifty housewives prefer to dry apples the old fashioned way.

The good old way of making dried fruit

1. Collect in your own garden, or at worst buy fresh bulk apples at the market;
2. Wash thoroughly, dry the fruit and cut them into circles or slices, about a centimeter thick;
3. Prepare a flat surface under the sun, cover it with cheesecloth and place the sliced \u200b\u200bapples on top. To prevent flies from landing on them, apples can also be covered with a thin layer of gauze on top;
4. You need to dry apples in the sun for 2-3 days, removing them overnight;
5. When the fruit dries up a little and darkens, you can dry them in the oven. The recommended drying temperature is 60-80 degrees.

After the fruits are dried for the first time, they will need to be laid out in fabric bags and kept in them for a week. After the specified time, the apple slices will need to be dried again, only now at a temperature of 70-90 degrees, and only then placed in an airtight container for storage.

At first glance, it may seem that the process of drying apples at home is extremely difficult, but if you remember what harm can be caused by fruits dried in production, then you can understand that the benefits of homemade preparations significantly exceed the imaginary complexity.

Which apples are suitable for drying?

Unfortunately, many gardeners do not know how great are the benefits of dried fruits and large yields of bulk apples are often lost, undergoing rotting. Every year, a huge number of apples ripen in the gardens of summer residents, but only some varieties are suitable for making dried fruits. As a rule, these are sweet and sour or sour apples, which contain the maximum amount of vitamin C. Such dried apples can be stored in a dried state for up to several years, while not losing their useful qualities.

Potential Harm of Dried Apples

As it turned out, the benefits of dried apples for the human body are unusually great, but can these wonderful fruits harm us? In fact, they can, but not everyone. The health and well-being of a person depends primarily on himself, therefore, in case of certain diseases, everyone himself must exclude from his daily diet foods that can harm health.

It is not recommended to eat dried apples for people who are excessively obese or diabetes mellitus at the last stage. These two cases are an exception in which tasty, healthy and aromatic dried fruits can harm a person. In all other cases, they are an excellent treat and a source of many vitamins and nutrients.

Video about the benefits and dangers of dried apples:

Among the variety of dried fruits, apples are the undoubted leaders, especially during seasonal vitamin deficiency. This is due to both the traditional prevalence of various varieties of garden trees and the undeniable value of their fruits. According to experts, the composition of apples seems to contain the elements of the periodic table.

However, under normal storage conditions, they retain their nutritional value only for 2 months of ripening. Therefore, you can provide yourself with such a pantry of healing substances until the next harvest using such a simple method as drying fruits. Contrary to the opinion that there are fewer nutrients in dried apples, this analogue of fresh fruits is a serious competitor to the latter. What is the "highlight" of dried apples, how to cook and use them correctly, our article will help you figure out contraindications.

Heat treatment of apples involves only getting rid of the liquid while preserving all the beneficial properties. At the same time, the vitamins, acids, minerals contained in them do not lose their primordiality even until the next harvest.

To be more convincing, get acquainted with the composition of the important for health old and young substances in these dried fruits, namely:

1. Minerals(iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, selenium, phosphorus, iodine). Without them, the normal functioning of the circulatory, cardiac, hormonal systems, metabolic processes is impossible.
2. VitaminsA, groups B, C, E, K, PP, beta-carotene. Thanks to this, the deficiency of vitamins from fresh fruits can be replenished.
3. Sugar(glucose, sucrose, fructose) make up up to 12% of the total apple content. They have a positive effect on the restoration of strength after physical, intellectual stress, and functions of the nervous system.
4. Polysaccharide pectin substances, without which metabolic and digestive processes are complicated, the normalization of cholesterol levels.
5. Organic acids(ascorbic, arabic, wine, lemon, chlorogenic, apple). These about 3% of the total product maintain the acid-base balance in the body and are reliable "enemies" of infection.
6. Tannins(catechins, tannides, flavanoids), which have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant properties. They concentrate in the peel of dried apples, protect cells from damage, and increase resistance to free radicals.
7. Phytoncides,preventing the development of various fungi, bacteria of a pathogenic nature.

The value of dried apples also lies in the long-term preservation of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, starch, and essential oils.

The calorie content of apple drying remains the same as that of fresh apples of any variety and color. So fresh fruit weighing up to 120 g and lighter dried until crisp will have 60 kcal each. And 100 g of dried apples contains up to 250 kcal. Calorie reduction can only be affected by damp storage conditions.

Useful properties of dried apples

These numerous valuable components of dried apples help the human body in various diseases. Thanks to fiber, the development of beneficial microflora in the intestines, the elimination of toxins is activated, and constipation is prevented. And if, with increased acidity, the use of fresh fruits has limitations, then the benefits of drying are indisputable.

The presence of iron in dried apples makes them very useful for anemia, and phosphorus - for the functioning of the brain. B vitamins affect the improvement of metabolism, stabilization of the nervous system. These dried fruits also assist the body in the absorption of calcium, which is of decisive importance in pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. This mineral also has a beneficial effect on the activity of the urinary system, the regularity of excretion of fluid from the body.

Those who want to lose weight can fearlessly include dried apples in their diet. Such dried fruits are highly effective as a flavorful, tasty preventive against obesity. Eating only about 10 slices of dried apples can be an alternative to dinner or sweets.

They are able to enhance immunity, improve memory, increase hemoglobin and prevent premature aging like fresh "rejuvenating" apples.

We offer you to get acquainted with some of the intricacies of using dried apples for certain diseases.

In case of diabetes mellitus, the metabolic processes of carbohydrates and water are disrupted in the body. As a result, the functioning of the pancreas is disrupted. On this basis, endocrinologists suggest using dried apples with extreme caution. In particular, it is not recommended to take them directly with food. This is because during drying, moisture evaporates and the concentration of sucrose (glucose) increases. However, this does not mean a complete ban on such healthy dried fruits.

It is advisable to use compotes from this tasty preparation without adding sugar and other dried fruits. A light, tasty and healthy drink prepared in this way can even be drunk instead of water.

To decide on the inclusion of dried apples in their diet, diabetics should consult with their attending physician, nutritionist.

With pancreatitis

With inflammatory processes of the pancreas (pancreatitis), a special diet is required. And this significantly reduces the list of acceptable food items, including vitamins. Since this disease in the acute phase involves a rather poor diet, up to starvation, and foods with fiber are excluded. But with chronic pancreatitis, dried apples are one of the few permitted dried fruits.

Pancreatitis sufferers should use them in moderation. This applies to both the amount and the pancreas-friendly cooking method. It is best to cook apple-dried compote with a small amount of sugar or a high-quality substitute. According to users, such a drink turns out to be tasty, aromatic, and absolutely harmless.

The easiest way to use these dried fruits is to replace them with your evening meal. To reduce the calorie content, it is recommended to soak 100 g of dried apples before eating, and then use without combining with other products. Such daily use of dried apples without radical changes in diet allows you to lose up to 3 kg in 1 month.

Along with this, you can use some types of diets, where dried apples are the "first fiddle", namely:

• Apple diet includes the use of 200 g of this drying along with any varieties of nuts within 5 days. The daily portion divided into 10 parts is taken every hour. In parallel with this, you must definitely drink a lot of water without gas and unsweetened tea (preferably green). During this time, it is quite possible to get rid of up to 4 kg of excess weight.
• Fasting day assumes 1 time a week throughout the day to eat 200 g of dried apples. At the same time, the requirements for drinking plenty of fluids remain in force. This method allows you to maintain weight at the desired level.
• Apple-kefir diet lasts 3 days and helps to lose up to 2 kg of weight. To do this, you need to drink 1 glass of kefir daily 5-6 times a day (fat content up to 2.5%), and then eat 4 slices of dried apples. At the same time, it is important that the drying is not swallowed whole, but chews well. The maximum allowable volume of kefir should not exceed 2 liters. Avoid using fat-free kefir.

It should be remembered that apple drying will be an alternative to debilitating weight loss by avoiding other foods.

Dried apples for children in the form of drinks are introduced into the diet along with special vegetable and fruit mixtures. Starting from 6 months, babies can already be given a very useful compote from dried apples. This drink is especially recommended for babies with stomach colic, intestinal diseases.

Compote for babies

The recipe for making compote for babies is quite simple.

For him you need dried, but not overdried apples (20 g), water (250 ml). After rinsing and soaking for 10 minutes, the dried fruits are poured with boiling water, boiled over medium heat for about 10 minutes and infused covered for up to half an hour. After that, the compote is filtered and cooled to room temperature. It can be sweetened a little by adding a little honey.

Please note that this drink must be introduced into the diet with care. Therefore, first give the baby 1 teaspoon to check the reaction of the body. In the absence of any abnormalities (redness, rash, etc.), the dose is increased to 2 spoons per dose. The daily allowance is up to 100 ml. The drink can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

When treating your child to a healthy drink made from these dried fruits, avoid mixing apples with other ingredients. This will allow his body to get used to the drink faster. It is better to gradually supplement such compote with prunes, dried apricots, raisins after a couple of months.

Eating dried apples during pregnancy and breastfeeding

You can “charge” your baby for health with the help of these dried fruits even during the period of his gestation and lactation. However, here, as in all other cases, it is important to know when to stop.

Pregnant women should use home-cooked organic food rather than store-bought products. Refusal to dry from the commercial network is due to the fact that unnatural allergenic additives can be used here. Therefore, it is better to cook them yourself at home. It can be done this way:

• Cut fresh apples into slices up to 1 cm thick.
• Dry until cooked.
• After cooling down, tasty healthy apples are ready to eat.

One of the most affordable ways is dosed (up to 25 g) daily use of dried fruits. During pregnancy, it is also useful to brew apple curing together with rose hips (1 tablespoon of each ingredient). After half an hour of infusion, you can drink up to 3 glasses of this drug daily.

These dried fruits have a positive effect on the quality of breast milk, its consistency without any side effects in the baby. At the same time, fresh fruit can provoke an increase in the acidity of the mother's diet, and in the child - the appearance of colic.

It should be remembered that excessive consumption of dried fruits can affect the weight gain of the future woman in labor.

The characterization of the merits of dried apples would be incomplete without a reservation about the “reverse side of the coin”. After all, their reckless use can be fraught with certain pathologies of the body. This is, however, not a complete exception, but limitations.

So, the high calorie content, the specific gravity of sugar, fiber in apple drying suggests restrictions for diabetics and those who suffer from obesity, stomach ulcer, acute pancreatitis. Acids in the workpiece can irritate the stomach lining. And this is especially harmful for gastritis.

This also has a negative effect in the presence of dental caries. Here, the reception of this valuable product in its pure form is very doubtful, and compotes are more appropriate.

Excessive enthusiasm for dried apples by pregnant and lactating women is excluded due to the possible appearance of unnecessary weight, toxicosis. And one more nuance - you should be careful with the bones in them. The fact is that, along with the useful vitamin B17, iodine, they also contain poisonous hydrocyanic acid, which, if in excess, can cause serious consequences. It is safe for health to eat no more than 5 seeds.

In all cases, it is very important to follow the advice of doctors about the amount and time of use (before or after meals), depending on the type of disease. But the normal gastrointestinal tract can also respond to uncontrolled eating of such a product with constipation or diarrhea, stomach cramps.

Even the absence of any diseases does not imply excessive consumption of dried apples. Especially here to focus on the purchased options. Indeed, unscrupulous manufacturers often use the preservative of toxic sulfur dioxide to make dried fruits more attractive. Many people react very sensitively to it. In this case, symptoms such as: headache, nausea, cough, sore throat may appear.

And if we add to these problems such a mercantile moment as the price for 1 kg from 115 to 800 rubles, then it is much more profitable and safer to dry apples with your own hands.

Drying these fruits at home requires simple steps such as:

• Selection of fruits. These should be juicy, sweet and sour apples, which have firm, not watery flesh. Preference should be given to unripe hearths, since in comparison with mature ones, they have more disinfecting properties. Too sweet varieties make the drying loose, and caked sugar forms dark spots. The greatest yield is given by apples with a thin skin and a small seed capsule. The varieties Antonovka, Aport, White filling, Brown, Pepin, Titovka are best suited for drying.
• Preparing applesconsists in rinsing with running water and drying. After that, if purchased fruits are used for drying, they are peeled. Home-grown environmentally friendly fruits do not need to get rid of the skin. Further, all damage, core are removed. Then the apples are cut into slices of arbitrary shape of the same size up to 7 mm thick.

Several methods are used to protect the workpiece from oxidation. This can be boiling (blanching) in boiling water or immersion in weak saline or vinegar solutions for several minutes. When planning the use of a future product in desserts, short-term keeping of slices in sugar or honey syrup is used. On the eve of drying, they are placed in the refrigerator overnight.

Remember, fresh apples are processed in small portions to avoid premature oxidation!

Apples drying methods

The choice of this or that method depends on the preferences of the procurers, living conditions and weather. The most popular among gardeners is drying in the sun (air), in the oven, electric dryer or microwave. Each of them has its own characteristics.

Drying apples in the sun

This is the least economical method and does not require any energy resources. It is carried out in summer at high air temperatures.

Sliced \u200b\u200bapple slices are laid out on a flat surface (baking sheet, mesh, etc.), covered with gauze, put out in a sunny place or in partial shade. In addition, you can string the slices on a strong thread, cover with gauze and hang in the sun, under a canopy.

Every day, the future drying is turned over and the absence of various insects under the gauze is checked. For their full readiness, it will take 3-4 sunny days and a little more in partial shade. It is necessary to ensure that the raw materials do not fall under the rain at this time.

Drying apples in the oven

Initially, the baking sheet is covered with parchment and placed in an oven preheated to 80 ° C. After half an hour warming up, the temperature decreases by 10 ° C and apple slices are laid out on a baking sheet to evaporate moisture from them. This continues for about 5 hours. After that, the slices are turned over on the other side, and the temperature is reduced to 50 ° C. In this mode, they dry for another 4 hours with constant turning.

Drying in an electric dryer carried out at temperatures up to 60 ° C for 8 hours. Slices of apples are laid out in a tray in one layer.

Microwave dryinglasts only up to 5 minutes. At a power of 200 W, 2 times in 1 minute, you need to constantly turn the laid out slices. However, we are talking about the drying time of one small batch of milkings. When harvesting a small amount of apples quickly, this is considered the fastest drying method.

In all cases, the readiness of drying is characterized by the absence of juice release, pulp stickiness, fragility when squeezed in the hand. Finished products should have a dull skin. At the same time, dried apples turn light brown in the oven, and cream in the microwave.

When choosing any of the methods, it is important to consider the need for the amount of workpiece. After all, the remaining unused dried apples can lose their value. Therefore, one of the benchmarks here can be data on the drying yield from 1 kg of fresh apples up to 120 g. This is due to their dehydration to 90% of the total weight. But vitamins, minerals under natural conditions (in the air, sun) are preserved as much as possible.

Among different ways Using these available vitamin and mineral concentrates, classic drinks are especially popular. Indeed, even during heat treatment, they retain the maximum amount of their useful properties. Therefore, they are included in the diet, both for therapeutic purposes and for the prevention of diseases.

Compote

Prepared with just 0.5 cups of dried apples per 1 liter of water. After re-grading, drying is washed and dried. When placed in boiling syrup, the sweetened beverage is prepared within 30 minutes. This time can be shortened by pouring cold water over the slices and simmering for only 15 minutes.

This drink can be supplemented with cloves, cinnamon, chamomile, lemon balm, lemon juice. One of the striking examples of such a drink is the Christmas ornament. When combined with other fruits, spices, herbs, you need to take into account the duration of their preparation. Combination options depend on individual tastes, indications, doctors' recommendations.

Decoction

A decoction of dried apples differs from compote in the absence of sweet additives in the form of sugar, fructose, honey. It is not only a healthy drink for quenching thirst, but also an effective invigorating remedy. Even avid coffee lovers appreciate it.

To prepare it, it is necessary to bring 200 g of drying poured into 1.5 liters of water to a boil and cook for 40 minutes over low heat. Then cool the resulting liquid, drain. To saturate the broth with vitamin C, add honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice (one tablespoon each). When warm, you can drink it instead of tea during cold weather. And in summer, when stored in the refrigerator, it will be a pleasant refreshing drink.

Infusion

Infusion on dried apples is a worthy competitor to drugs against colds and seasonal vitamin deficiency. With the help of this affordable drink, you can saturate a weakened body with vitamins, quench the thirst arising from a disease. It is a great addition to the treatment recommended by your doctor.

It is prepared very simply, without cooking. Several slices are filled with boiling water, a little lemon and honey are added. The volume of one preparation is calculated for 1 day.

Dried apples - beneficial properties and vitamins. Drying apples at home

To our delight, apples are our national treasure, and we do not experience a deficit in this healthy and tasty fruit. You should pay attention to dried apples, because Unlike fresh ones, we have a considerable assortment of dried apple products that are currently offered by manufacturers, in particular our company "S-Fruit Siberia": candied apple fruits, dried-dried rings and slices, apple croutons, and incredibly crispy natural apple chips ...

You can dry apples on your own, but also do not deprive yourself of the opportunity to try high-quality dried apple snacks, which are obtained in special production conditions, when dried at low temperatures while preserving vitamins and reaching a certain degree of dryness, up to a crispy plate.

It is worth noting that dried apples in some cases have clear advantages over fresh ones: useful substances do not disappear after the apple dries, and eating a handful of dried fruits is often easier than consuming 2 whole apples.

Pectin in dried apples

The benefits of dried apples are high in fiber. Fiber in reasonable quantities is useful for the gastrointestinal tract: it improves digestion, cleanses the intestines, normalizes stool, helps to accelerate metabolism, prevents the absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract into the blood (pectin, the component of apple pulp, is responsible for the latter).

In the peel of an apple, for example, there is a lot of cellulose, and in the pulp - pectin, all of this is dietary fiber; cellulose is insoluble dietary fiber (it is neither digested nor absorbed by our body), and pectin is soluble, together they play an important role in overall health. Many fruits contain pectin, but apples are especially high. In addition to the beneficial effect on the digestive system, pectin and cellulose have a healing effect on the skin - improve its condition in all respects.

If you have a lot of fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, then you get all the benefits described with fresh fruits and vegetables. But if you are not a fan of fresh plant foods, then dried apples compensate for the benefits of fresh fruit for the body.

It should also be noted that when consuming dietary fiber, one should not forget to drink at least 2 liters of water per day.

Dried apples inherit from fresh ascorbic acid, B vitamins, as well as trace elements: potassium, iron, manganese, selenium.

Are dried apples good for weight loss?

Dried apples contain a lot of natural sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose. The calorie content of dried apples per 100 g without added sugar is about 230 Kcal. Thus, it is a fairly satisfying product. Dried apples can be used on diets and for weight loss, but precisely because they can dull hunger and help avoid unnecessary snacks before bed. Also, dried apples are suitable as a candy substitute during a diet.

Dried apples do not contain fat, at the same time they are rich in fiber necessary for weight loss. The main thing is to comply with the norm and not to overeat extra calories.

Be aware that some dried apple products may contain sweeteners or sugar. Initially, any candied fruit contains sugar, because beforehand, pieces of fruits or vegetables are boiled in sugar syrup.

Our line of dried apples, free from sugar and other additives, contains surprisingly crispy all-natural ones, which are sold in metallized packaging that retains the properties necessary for apple chips, there are also dried-sun and wedges, as well. And we buy apples for the production of apple snacks in Russia, in the Samara Region.