Fresh is best but dried is tried and true, too

That fresh is best is quite a – uh – stale statement. Now, here’s fresh news: "Dry" is worth a try, too – that is, dried fruits which have the same antioxidants as those found in fresh fruits that protect against disease, according to antioxidant experts. It doesn’t have to be juicy to be healthy. Fact is, the only thing lost during the fruit’s trip from the orchard to the processing plant is water plus some vitamin C. It pretty much retains its health benefits like iron, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants, according to a very juicy report by Dorothy Foltz-Gray in Health.

A mouthful of warning though: Many dried fruits contain sulfur dioxide that can trigger breathing problems. Do check package labels.

Each type of fruit, fresh or dried, has its special health properties. On top of the heap are prunes which pack in more antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables eaten daily. For those who dig figs, well, they’ve got thrice as much calcium – and lots of phosphorus to help the body absorb that calcium – as other fruits. Peaches and apricots and other orange-yellow fruits are among the best bets yet as they’ve got plenty of beta-carotene.

And then there’s the sun-dried raisin that’s raising health researchers’ spirits. Being dried grapes, raisins naturally contain the same cholesterol-lowering compounds found in wine that safeguard against heart disease. And now, a recent study shows that raisins protect the heart in more ways than one. An experiment done by nutritionist Gene Spiller of the Health Research and Studies Center in California found that those who ate a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains – plus 400 calories’ worth of raisins daily – reduced their total blood cholesterol levels by about 8 percent. More, their artery-damaging LDL (low density lipoprotein or the bad cholesterol) showed less oxidation. Blood tests showed that the subjects in the study were pumping out fewer of the enzymes the body normally produces to fight off harmful oxidation. It could only be because the antioxidants in the diet were doing their job. Researchers believe that raisins were the major players here.

But here’s something even juicier about raisin. Another study indicates that raisins can protect against colon cancer. The reason is that, together with fiber, the tartaric acid found in raisins moves food through the colon faster, thus limiting the time that potentially cancer-causing agents spend in the body.

Researchers have zeroed in on a compound called resveratrol that’s found in grapes that can keep cells from turning cancerous and inhibit the growth of those that are already malignant.

A sweet reminder though before you start popping raisins: Dried fruits have more calories than their fresh counterparts and they’ve got loads of sugar, too. Fact is, some dried fruits get almost 70 percent of their calories from sugar.

But then again, between a can of soft drink and a fistful of raisins, the second is a better choice. While both may give you a sugar lift, experts believe that the body can handle the sugar in raisins better than the refined sugar found in soft drink. This was illustrated in a study where three hours after eating raisins, the volunteers’ blood sugar levels were much the same as before they ate. This could be because of the fruit’s fiber which slows the digestion of sugar. This fiber in raisins also prevents the fruit’s sugar from raising blood levels of triglycerides (a blood fat that can increase the risk of heart disease).

One last thing: Dried fruit is not only good as snack food. It can give a fresh touch to a lot of dishes, from entrees to desserts. Wanna try the recipes on this page? Or as one popular ad says, would you rather eat a prune or look like one?

PORK CHOPS WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES

4 center-cut loin chops, about 1-inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine, plus more if needed
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup fat-free chicken, beef or vegetable broth, plus more if needed
1/2 cup dried prunes
1/2 cup dried apricots
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice or wine vinegar
Minced fresh parsley for garnish

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until oil just begins to smoke. Add chops, brown well on both sides.

Add wine and garlic. Cook, turning the chops once or twice until the wine is all but evaporated, about 3 minutes. Pour in broth, turn heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning the chops once or twice, until meat is tender. (Be careful not to overcook or the pork will dry out.)

While the chops cook, soak apricots and prunes in water to cover. When pork chops are done, remove to a serving platter. Add fruit to pan drippings, stirring and scraping the bottom to blend well. If necessary, add about 1/2 cup more liquid (white wine or broth). After about 5 minutes, stir in lemon juice or wine vinegar and simmer briefly. Pour sauce over chops and garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

RAISIN AND WALNUT LOAF

3/4 cup raisins, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
l level tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup boiling water
7/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 level tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. lemon juice

Put the raisins and walnuts in a bowl with the soda, add the boiling water and leave to stand. Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat the egg and egg yolks and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the flour alternately with the raisin and nut mixture.