Fruits are chock full of essential vitamins, minerals, basic sugars, “good” fats and proteins. Nutritionists believe the average human being requires at least 5 servings of fruits per day. They are among the cleanest and healthiest of foods on the planet, especially if grown organically, and because there are no additives or trans-fat involved, the list of common fruits available to the public should be considered highly important in daily intake.

Apples: The World’s Favorite Fruit

Delicious, sweet and nutritious, the simple apple grows in many areas around the world. While China leads apple production (producing 41% of the planet’s apples), other countries such as the United States, France, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Argentina, Germany, Russian Federation, Chile and Japan also are top producers. Some warmer countries such as Mexico and Iraq also contribute to the world’s apple supply by growing them in the higher altitude regions of their countries.

Folks in the United States use apples for many different items. Half of the apples produced are eaten as fresh fruit. One-fifth of the supply is used in wine, jelly, juice, butter, cider and vinegar. 17% of the apples produced in the US are canned for pie filling or as applesauce and the remainder of the supply is sold to other countries.

Bananas: Exotic Yellow Paradise

On the list of common fruits, the banana is the world’s 4th largest fruit crop. Because the banana plant needs 15 months of warm weather (frost-free) to produce the fruit, this plant grows only in tropical regions such as Brazil, Uganda, Philippines, India and Latin American countries.

Some of the common varieties include:

-Valery
-Dwarf Cavendish
-Williams Hybrid
-Red Jamaica

Not only is the fruit of the banana plant used as fresh fruit, eaten in cereal, salads and cocktails, but also the plant itself is used to make mats, build roofs, bags and baskets because it is a durable fiber.

They are important and rich sources of carbohydrates and also contain potassium, vitamins C and A and phosphorous.

Cherries: Gems of Ruby Red

Cherries grow small and soft and have a pit, or stone. On the list of common fruits, the cherry is one of the most popular in the entire world as its unique and vibrant flavor lends itself to many different products. Native to Europe, cherries do come in varieties other than red, but also yellow and black.

Some of the products cherries can be made into include:

-Butters
-Jellies
-Dressings
-Salsa
-Coffee/Tea
-Pancakes and Pancake Toppings
-Coupled with Chocolate
-Juice

Pears: Sweet, Tart and Mellow

Pears lend themselves to baking and fresh eating easily because of their tender skin and even more tender flesh. They have a mild flavor and scent and are used in many classic, upscale dessert recipes.

Originating in Europe and Asia, pears were first cultivated as far back as the ancient Romans. There are over 850 different varieties of pears and contain important nutrients such as riboflavin and potassium.

The list of common fruits does not end there. Nature supplies us with ample opportunity to provide our bodies with the healthy, pure vitamins and minerals only fruits can contribute.

Dried fruits are eaten all over the globe and are a popularly consumed culinary delight especially in the months of winters. They have been in use in since ancient times, dating back to around 4000 BC. The first occurrence of dried fruits has been recorded in the region of present day areas of Turkey, Iran and Syria, known back then as Mesopotamia. Dried fruits have long been known for their high nutritional value, sweet taste and longevity.

Dried fruits are made synthetically and are not grown naturally. However, their synthetic production does not mean large scale use of chemicals. Many people do claim that in order to maintain the good coloration of the fruit, many commercial producers treat dried fruits with sulfur dioxide. This makes a dried fruit bad for health making it dangerous for people who already have problems like asthma. Many people however disregard this blame and claim the drying methods to be very safe and healthy.
There are many ways of drying the fruits which include natural as well as synthetic and the usually claimed ways of drying fruits include no chemicals and harmful methodologies. In order to make dried fruits, not all the fruits can be used.
Only a very few of them can be used for the purpose as all other, on drying, can become unusable and unfit for consumption.

Some of the most commonly used fruits for this purpose are pears, pruned, dates, peaches, plums, strawberries, apricots, mangoes, blueberries, peaches, figs, cranberries and apples. These fruits, in order to be dried, are either exposed to sun for drying or left to dry out naturally. As far as the synthetic ways of drying are concerned, specialized dehydrators or dryers are used for the purpose. Resins, plums, dates, prunes, pears, figs, apples, apricots and peaches have been classified as the traditional dried fruits while cherries, mangoes, cranberries, strawberries and blueberries are sweetened before they are actually dried.

Hence each kind of a dried fruit could use a different method and requirement for drying. Apart from the region known to the ancient people as Mesopotamia, dried fruits have also been widely used centuries ago in Egypt and the Middle East and have been a popular part of the Mediterranean cuisine. One of the common ways, apart from the traditionally used natural and synthetic ones, is to oven dry the candidate fruits. Using some layers of cheese cloth over the fruit, the drying process can be led with the oven door left slightly open and the steam allowed escaping. This method does not require too much of heat and for it to be successful the oven has to be set at the lowest possible temperature.

Usually, the highest of 145 degree Fahrenheit is recommended.

Due to their high content of nutrition, dried fruits are recommended by most U.S doctors and world’s leading health agencies. Typically, a dried fruit would contain almost as much nutritional value as a fresh fruit, hence these are considered to be very healthy for consumption. However, the high value of sweet in some of the dried fruits does not allow for too much of their consumption. In addition to providing all the essential nutrients to the body, dried fruits also provide mass immunization from a number of chronic diseases. The great combination of protective bioactive ingredients, healthy nutritional value and a nice taste has now made dried fruits popular all around the globe. However, their high resistance to spoilage and long lasting shelf life has made them a good food item to store and use not only to maintain good health but also use for quick servings when nothing else is ready and someone arrives at home.

They are also largely stored by many families where children need to eat at odd times. It is a pretty good and rather recommended idea as children only eat junk food when they feel hungry at odd timings. Such eating orders are not uncommon amongst children. The, why not serve them with something healthy rather than compelling them to go out and get things that might not be god for health at all. In countries where dried fruits are mass produced, people use them largely in homes due to their easy and cheap availability. In such countries, exotic drinks and food items are also made using dried fruits.

Some of the main nutrition’s of a dried fruit would be Vitamin A, potassium, sodium, calcium, Vitamin K and dietary fiber along with others. Like fresh fruits, they contain no cholesterol, saturated fats, fats, and trans fats. Hence they are fit for use by all kinds of people.