Want to add the dried cranberries in your kitchen and to your diet? But, are dried cranberries good for you? Know everything about the dried cranberries in this guide before you buy them. You will also know if you can dry the fresh cranberries at home on your own and use them to enjoy various health benefits.
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What Are Dried Cranberries?
Dried cranberries are the berries that are made after dehydrating the fresh cranberries. The process of making the dried cranberries is the same as drying the grapes to make raisins. These berries also go by the name craisins.
You might not know, but most commercially made dried cranberries are made with added sugar and coated with a little bit of vegetable oil to stick to each other. It has impressive nutritional values, and you are going to enjoy the benefits of dried cranberries.
You can add the dried cranberries to salad, oatmeal, cookies, muffins, and various other food items. The taste of these berries is great. You don’t have to think much before buying them.
How Healthy Are Dried Cranberries? Are Dried Cranberries Good For You?
As you are looking forward to buying the dried cranberries, you should know some of the dried cranberries health benefits before you start eating them –
- Helps prevent urinary tract infection – As you are consuming the dried cranberries they have a high dose of proanthocyanidins, i.e., PACs. They are antioxidants and prevent the urinary tract infection by stopping the bacteria from sticking to your urinary tract walls. You need to take them in the right quantity to get the desired results.
- Lowers risk of cardiovascular disease – The best thing about the dried cranberries is that it helps in lowering your risk of dealing with cardiovascular diseases. It is because they have polyphenols with anti-inflammatory properties that helps in bringing down hypertension to avoid platelet buildup and eventually lower the risk of cardiovascular issue.
- May help prevent cancer – One of the best health benefits of dried cranberries is that it helps in preventing cancer. It has nutrients that help you avoid tumors and slow down the growth of the existing tumors.
- Improves oral health – You will also like the dried cranberries because of its capability to enhance your oral health. Cranberries have proanthocyanidins that help stop the bacteria from growing on your teeth and cause tooth decay. It also helps in preventing different gum-related issues in your mouth.
- Low in calories– If you want to have something sweet after your meals, just have dried cranberries because they are low on calories, which means you will not gain weight because you had dried cranberries in the morning or after your meal. It will even make you feel full apart from satisfying your craving. So, this is the best dried cranberries benefit.
- Dried cranberries are fat-free- The reason that it is ideal for snacks is that it is fat-free. While having dried cranberries, you don’t have to worry about weight gain because it will not happen. You can add it to your salad without thinking much. But, be sure about the number of berries you are having in a day. So, if are looking for answers to ‘are dried cranberries fattening’, it’s a big No.
- Enjoy fiber in dried cranberries- Only a few people know that dried cranberries are a great fiber source. It helps you in keeping your digestive system in good condition and efficient. It also helps in keeping your heart healthy. You can also have dried berries to maintain your blood pressure. So, you might have the answers to your question ‘do dried cranberries have fiber’.
- It has antioxidants – Dried cranberries are also a good source of antioxidants. Dried cranberries antioxidants include anthocyanin, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, and phenolic acids. These are the antioxidants that help you slow down or prevent the damage caused by free radicals to your cells. So, if you have these berries every day, your health is going to be amazing.
So, these are a few dried cranberry benefits you are going to enjoy with dried cranberries. You can get to know more about ‘are dried cranberries good for you’ once you start eating it regularly in a specific amount to improve your health.
Nutritional Value Of Dried Cranberries
Are dried cranberries good for you? Yes, these dried berries are good for our health as these have the following nutritional values. Let us talk about dried cranberry nutrition. In 40 grams of dried cranberries, you are going to find:
- Calories – 123 Kcal
- Total carbohydrates – 24 g
- Sodium – 1 mg
- Dietary fiber – 2 g
- Sugars – 22 g
- Fat – 0.6 g
- Protein – 0 g
In this, you will not find trans fats, saturated fats, or cholesterol at all. It has almost all the nutritional facts the same as the fresh cranberries. You are going to like it as much as you like fresh cranberries. So, add them to your diet now. So, if you have questions like are dried cranberries good for you or are dried cranberries healthy, the answer is yes.
Side Effects Of Dried Cranberries
As long as you are consuming the dried cranberries in a limited quantity, you will enjoy its benefits. But if you have them in excessive amounts, you may suffer from diarrhoea and an upset stomach. You may even suffer from a kidney stone if you do not keep a check on the number of dried cranberries you are having in a day. So, be careful while adding it to your diet. Moderation is key.
Easy Ways To Dry Fresh Cranberries At Home
After you have an answer to your question, ‘are dried cranberries good for you,’ let us talk about some easy ways to dry the fresh cranberries at home:
- Dry cranberries using an oven – With the help of an oven, you can easily dry cranberries at home. You need to follow some simple steps. Firstly, preheat the oven at 150˚F. Now, put a baking sheet on a rack and cover it with two layers of paper towel. Then you have to spread a layer of parchment paper on the paper towels, and spread the cranberries on the top of the parchment paper. You will then put the tray in the oven and let the cranberries dry for around 8 hours. And once the dried cranberries are ready, you are going to turn off the oven and leave the tray aside for 20-30 minutes. You can enjoy eating dried cranberries.
- Dry using a dehydrator – You can also try using a dehydrator to dry the cranberries. Here are the steps you need to follow to get the desired results- set up the dehydrator first (at around 140˚F); then spread the cranberries on the sheet or the tray of the dehydrator; after this, you might need to rotate the dehydrator to encourage the uniform drying; and then, check the cranberries after 10 hours. After checking the tray, if you think that the berries are dry completely, you can take it out of the dehydrator and let it cool for a few minutes. The layer of cranberries may take up to 24 hours to dry up completely.
How Many Dried Cranberries Should I Eat In A Day?
Well, if you want to add the dried cranberries to your diet, then make sure that you have 1/4th cup of them every day. Having them in a lesser amount is okay, but having it more than the suggested amount can bring some side – effects like an upset stomach.
So, be sure about the number of dried berries you are having in each serving. And, as you will start eating it every day, you will get an answer to your question in just a few days that ‘are dried cranberries good for you?’
Bottom Line
If you were thinking, ‘are dried cranberries good for you,’ then this guide is the right place to get your answer. In this piece, you are going to find all the health benefits of eating dried cranberries. And, after reading the section, you are going to like the berries because it makes sure that your digestive system, heart, and mouth are in good condition. It also helps you in preventing urinary tract infection, along with various other health issues.
You can also use this piece to know the side-effects of dried cranberries. You can know how to dry up the fresh cranberries at home using an oven or a dehydrator. And you can know what the nutritional values of the dried cranberries are. If you are not preparing the dried cranberries at home, you can get them from the market easily and at a good price. So, you need not worry about the cost of the berries in the market, but be sure about the quality of the cranberries you will get.
Disclaimer – This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information before making any dietary changes.