Dried fruit is a convenient and tasty ingredient for all your on-the-go meals.
It’s a perfect addition to your kid’s school lunches, brown bag office lunches, and road trip snacks.
Dried fruits help to boost your fruit intake and curb sweet cravings.
Dried cranberries are one of my favorite dried fruits.
They have a tart and sweet flavor that combines well with granola, salads, smoothies, trail mixes, and desserts.
Cranberries are packed with many protective compounds like anthocyanins, proanthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavonols, and terpenes that have antioxidant, antinflammatory and antibacterial effects.
They’re especially helpful at preventing infections because they are rich in anti-viral compounds.
Looking to buy dried cranberries in Singapore or internationally? Check out these two great options:
- Singapore: get dried cranberries delivered via Foodsterr.com. Get 10% off any order with the coupon code LGD10 at checkout.
- International: order dried cranberries from iHerb.com. $5 off to first-time customers, with great delivery prices (incl. to Singapore).
Dried cranberries are the best way to enjoy all the benefits of fresh cranberries. They are sweeter than their fresh counterparts and hold more vitamins, minerals and phenolic compounds than other types of cranberry products, like juices and powders, which lose some of the benefits.
Let’s get to know a little more about this dried fruit.
A Well Stocked Pantry – Dried Cranberries
What are Dried Cranberries
Dried cranberries are fresh cranberries that have been sweetened and dried to make them more palatable. Originally, cranberries have a tart and bitter taste because they are very low in sugar.
After harvesting fresh cranberries, manufactures freeze, slice, sweeten, and dry them. This process preserves most of the nutrients and makes the fruits tastier.
Cranberries are rich in a compound called ursolic acid, which has significant anti-inflammatory effects. Studies show that dried cranberries have as much ursolic acid as fresh cranberries.
They have antiviral and antibacterial properties that can help to prevent UTIs, particularly in women. Studies show cranberries can prevent UTIs by making infection-causing bacteria unable to adhere to healthy cells.
Cranberries also have beneficial effects on your metabolism and cardiovascular system.
Studies show they can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, improve vasodilation, lower blood pressure, fight free radicals, and lower inflammation.
Cranberries have earned a spot in your pantry and diet.
What to look for in buying dried cranberries
Because dried cranberries are sweetened, you need to be careful about the type of sweetener listed in the ingredients.
Your package should have 3-5 ingredients at most: cranberries, a sweetener (usually sugar), vegetable oil (usually sunflower oil), citric acid (as a natural preservative), and sometimes a juice extract (for color).
Make sure your cranberries aren’t sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. As the name says it, it’s high in fructose, which is unhealthy for your metabolism.
Your cranberries shouldn’t have any additional “natural” flavors either.
It’s important to remember that dried fruit has a higher concentration of sugar and carbs than fresh fruits, so eat them in small portions to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Only 1/3 cup of dried cranberries contains 33g of carbs, divided in 26g of sugar and 2.3g of fiber.
How to Eat Dried Cranberries
The best way to eat dried cranberries is by combining them with protein-rich or high-fat foods like nuts, seeds, yogurt, leafy greens, and cheese.
You can use dried cranberries in any of these recipes:
Where to buy dried cranberries in Singapore
Looking to buy dried cranberries in Singapore or internationally? Check out these two great options:
- Singapore: get dried cranberries delivered via Foodsterr.com. Get 10% off any order with the coupon code LGD10 at checkout.
- International: order dried cranberries from iHerb.com. $5 off to first-time customers, with great delivery prices (incl. to Singapore).
