Dry Fruits Online - Thottam Farm Fresh

They say health is wealth! This saying implies that one can live without money but cannot live without good health. Everything is achievable with good health. But, the key question is – how do you achieve optimal health?

Optimal health can be achieved by making conscious food choices, having a balanced diet, and including foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, like dry fruits. Apart from being yummy, they contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and antioxidants, making them the perfect snack. Thus, it must be part of your daily diet. Nowadays dry fruits online are very common and easy to get. It is easy to access which means it’s easy to be healthy with a little effort. If you can find the best dry fruits online, then you cracked the code for being healthy.

Dry fruits make the best snacks as they have zero added preservatives and artificial ingredients. They are a big part of the Indian diet and culture. You may have noticed that traditional Indian dishes contain dry fruits or use dry fruits for garnishing. They add a sweet and tangy taste to the food, and the bonus is the nutrients and antioxidants it provides. Dry fruit gift boxes are gifted during festivals, marriages, and other special occasions. In Indian culture, they are considered a symbol of prosperity and good health.

Dry Fruits

History and Evolution of Dry Fruits

Dry fruits were first used around 1700 BC. Primarily, they were part of cake recipes. The juice from dates was used as a sweetener in many dishes. Then they made their way into more traditional dishes. Cut to today, Dry fruits are eaten as a snack and are considered a rich source of minerals and proteins. If you want to incorporate dry fruits into your diet, let us understand more about them.

Kerala: The Dry Fruits hub

Kerala is known for cultivating organic dry fruits. Dry Fruit is such a business that has a profit margin of about 30%, that is why the dry fruit business is booming! With Kerala having ports for trade and business, it makes it convenient for business owners to have a setup in Kerala.

Kerala is also famous for spices. The soil here is the perfect blend for dry fruits and Indian spices. The conditions and weather for cultivating dry fruits are appropriate in Kerala. This is why Kerala is a hotspot for selling dry fruits and exporting them.

Dry fruits in Indian food

Indian foods are rich in flavor and masala. Indians believe in having all flavors in a meal – sweet, sour, salty, tangy, and spicy. Here is where dry fruits are essential. Due to their natural sweetness, dry fruits are added to dishes to neutralize the pallet. Biryani has kishmish, almonds, and cashews. Cashews are used in preparing Paneer Butter masala and Shahi paneer. The gravy of most curries consists of a blend of cashew puree and other vegetables.

Let us understand how dry fruits can be added to meals with the help of these recipes.

Salads

Salads are a great way of incorporating dry fruits into your meals. Whether you plan on ravishing a salad as a side dish or the main entrée, it can become a good source of healthy fibers. They do not need a lot of preparation and effort. You can be creative with ingredients and dry fruits in your salad. Assorted roasted nuts like pistachios, almonds, and pumpkin seeds can spice up your salad and elevate the dish. Nuts can add that crunchy texture and take your salad to the next level. Be sure not to add too many dry fruits because it takes away from the essence of the salad.

Dry Fruits

Sweets

Almost any Indian sweet you know contains some or the other dry fruit. The famous Kaju katli is prepared from a mixture of cashews and milk. ‘Gajar ka Halwa’ is always topped with almonds, Kesar, and cashews or Kaju. Anjeer and nut barfi, popular during festivals, is made by heating and combining figs, cashews, and almonds with condensed milk. Plum cakes are a Christmas favorite dish and are mixed with apricots, trail mix, and raisins.

Chikkis

Chikkis is a staple dish relished by both kids and adults. The best part about Chikkis is there are no fixed ingredients. You can play around and mix nuts and dry fruits. Chikkis are slightly sticky as jaggery or honey is the substance that binds the peanuts together.

Porridge

Porridge is an excellent English breakfast staple. Porridge is considered a comfort food and helps people heal from illnesses. It is a simple dish and is high in fiber and antioxidants. Adding a dry fruit mix will make it more healthy and nutritional.

Snacks

Dry fruits can help elevate a snack and make it tastier. Adding raisins and figs to a granola mix can add a bit of sweetness to the dish. Sandwiches are easy to whip up and are a great snack when traveling. Jams and jellies made with apricots and dates can be relished with a slice of toasted bread. Dry fruit smoothies are a good recipe for people trying to increase their daily healthy calorie intake.

Dry Fruits

Benefits: maintain good health with dry fruits

Dry fruits provide us with numerous benefits. Dried fruits help keep our blood pressure in check. They are rich in antioxidants and help facilitate smooth digestion. Dry fruits contain high levels of polyphenols that help improve immunity by showing anti-inflammatory effects.

Raisins– They are known for their juicy texture and provide medical benefits also. Raisins help regulate blood pressure and support weight loss. It also helps treat anemia.
Golden raisins– Golden raisins appear golden as they are dehydrated and contain sulfur dioxide. They are moderately healthier than normal raisins as they carry more flavonoids and antioxidant properties.
Pistas– Pista is a unique dry fruit as they impart UV protection and also helps keep the nervous system safe. Pista’s aid in wound healing and cellular growth. Crack open the shell and enjoy dry crunchy pistachios to keep yourself healthy!
Apricots– Apricots can subdue hunger by providing essential nutrients like vitamins A, E, copper, and magnesium. Apricots help you fight internal infections. Apricots are brilliant for the eyes, help in weight loss, and keep your bones and skin healthy.
Walnuts are hard stone-like fruit loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, proteins, and antioxidants. Fatty acids in it help reduce weight and regulate blood pressure.
Cashews– They are an excellent source of healthy fats! Cashews are high in unsaturated fat, dietary fiber, and plant-based protein. They are also high in calories and can provide instant energy. Their creamy texture and availability make them a perfect addition to sweet and savory dishes.
Fig– Figs have numerous nutritional benefits. It supports healthy weight management and contains anti-diabetic properties. Most importantly, they promote healthy digestion and boost immunity.
Almonds – Almonds have essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They help strengthen our bones. Plain almonds help lower systolic blood pressure.
Black raisins– Black raisins are super sweet and are excellent for improving hemoglobin. Black raisins regulate digestion and have a positive impact on bone health. They can be a great addition to cakes and pastries.
Dates– Dates are a tropical fruit that can be consumed wet or dry. Dry dates are full of digestive fibers and suppress your hunger. This iron-rich fruit helps our body in many ways to keep it healthy. It gives instant energy and enhances gut health. There are different varieties of dates grown all over the world having various benefits.

Sugai dates are a powerhouse of minerals and vitamins. They aid digestion.
Kudari dates are moderately sweet, chewy, and not so dry. They originate from Egypt and Saudi and are an alternative to sugar.
Safawi dates have more wrinkles. The more wrinkles, the chewier the date. They are grown in Saudi Arabia and are famous for treating intoxication and Anaemia.
Mabroom dates are a superfood as they are high in magnesium, potassium, and zinc. They are found in Saudi and can be consumed wet or dry.

Nowadays, with everything being digitized, there is a large online market for shopping for hundreds of varieties of dry fruits. You can also read customer reviews while shopping for dry fruits online. You can easily browse through websites like The Thottam Fresh and shop online without leaving the comfort of your house. You can buy anything from trail mix to individual dry fruits. Online shopping makes it convenient and allows you to make purchases at the click of a button.

Conclusion

Thus, dry fruits can do wonders if consumed daily in healthy doses! Dry fruits are now recommended as a great alternative to your 4 pm snacks which may be fried items and other unhealthy snacks. They provide the body with the right energy and stamina. They help to build a robust immune system, also a healthy gut. If consumed in the right quantity, dry fruits can do wonders.

Hence, if you are trying to embrace the ‘change’ you can start by including them in foods of your choice. Add them to your daily dishes or find alternative dishes when you can add more dry fruits. Avoid fried dry fruits with salt or sugar as they will add calories not required in the body. Make it a part of your daily diet by wisely including them in your meals and schedule.