Fruit-Based Dry Fruits in Pakistan
When the majority of people talk about dry fruits in Pakistan, they are talking about what colloquially falls in the category of nuts, like almonds, peanuts, or cashew nuts. But in many non-western countries, there are also a lot of dried fruits that are made as a result of literally drying a piece of fruit.
It is a custom almost unique to the East for the most part, other than maybe one outlier we will list below, that fruits themselves be dried and eaten during the winter and not just nuts. So, in this article, we will tell you about some of the dry fruits that actually originate from fruit and are not a nut.
The Two Kinds of Dry Fruits in Pakistan
While they are often lumped together in normal everyday conversation, dry fruits and nuts are actually two different kinds of food items. The first thing that might come to your mind when thinking about dry fruits as a person living in Pakistan might be something like peanuts or cashews. In reality, these are a different category of food called nuts. Nuts are defined as seeds that come enclosed inside a shell or pod.
On the other hand, a dry fruit is exactly what it sounds like. It is a fresh fruit that has been dried through one of many methods to become smaller and more concentrated as well as get a longer shelf life. But if you go to a dry fruit shop and ask for them, the terms will be virtually equivalent.
So, why are we differentiating them here? Well, as they originate from two different sources, the two kinds have different health qualities to each of them, and most people only talk about the health benefits and qualities of the nuts.
While both are quite beneficial for your health, there are some major differences in their nutrient content. Nuts tend to be high in things like protein and fats. In high amounts, these high levels of fats, especially saturated fats (the bad kind), as well as what tends to be a very high level of calories, can be problematic.
Dried fruits like kishmish, on the other hand, as you might expect because of their concentrated nature, contain a high amount of sugar, which means that they can be problematic for people with diabetes and other weight-related illnesses.
Fruit-Based Dry Fruits
Now, we will tell you about the most commonly consumed fruit-based dry fruits, their health qualities, and benefits.
Dry Khubani
The dried form of khubani, known in English as dried apricots, is one of the most commonly consumed fruit-based dry fruits in Pakistan. The khubani is similar to a small peach in both appearance and texture, as well as taste to some extent. At the same time, the dried form is small, golden colored, and has a jelly-like texture, making them quite popular amongst children especially.
One of the biggest benefits of fruit-based dried fruits that is also found in this option is the high amount of fiber. Fiber is one of the essential nutrients for the health and smooth running of your gut. Fiber also slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
Kishmish
The one dry fruit, as we mentioned earlier, that is based on an actual fruit and is eaten more or less across the world, including the West, is the Kishmish, or what is known in English as the Raisin. The Raisin is made from dehydrating, either in the sun or through machinery, grapes.
Raisins are usually either used as a topping on other sweet dishes or eaten as a snack combined with nuts like peanuts. Kishmish are very high in antioxidants, particularly vitamin A, which are known for being very beneficial for eye health. Antioxidants reduce the damage caused by the formation of free radicals in your body, which is one of the leading causes of many chronic diseases in the body.
Anjeer
If there is one dry fruit that can be said to have been consumed since ancient times, it is the anjeer fruit or what is known as the fig in English. This fruit has been consumed since as far back as ancient Greece.
The Anjeer has been used for its close to medicinal nature since ancient times. Women are often given the anjeer soaked in milk as a way of increasing their level of fertility. In addition, anjeer is known to be helpful in treating respiratory issues as well as irritation and inflammation in the throat and the passageway of your lungs.
Anjeer is also a great natural food to use as an energy booster for athletes, as it is known to be just as good as energy drinks in boosting the level of energy of a lethargic and exhausted person. Along the same lines, they should be consumed carefully as the high level of sugar can also be harmful to the person.
Conclusion
Many people restrict themselves when it comes to dry fruits to only consume the ‘nut’ category of foods when, in reality, there is a much larger scope of foods that are available. So the next time you search online dry fruits in Pakistan, make sure to keep an eye on these very healthy options as well.
