Sultanas are a great way to add nutrition and fibre to your breakfast or lunch. For many people, sultanas are a staple ingredient in their brunch recipe. The high sugar content of the fruit makes it an excellent source of natural sugars for humans to enjoy. However, too much sugar can cause problems in our bodies, making us overly sugary.
What are Sultanas?
Sultanas are a type of dried fruit native to Central and South America. They are also called chocolate nuts. The fruit is oval and about the size of a large grapefruit. The colour of the fruit varies from plump to dry; the latter being more intensely flavoured. Sultanas in Australia are made by drying and then mashing the chocolates and spices used to make them. The dried fruit is then roasted or fried and then the resulting syrup is extracted to make the sultanas.
Drying and mashing specific fruits, like sultanas, is called processing. This brings up another important difference between sultanas and other dried fruits such as raisins and currants: processing also gives sultanas a higher sugar content than if they were simply left to mature naturally. Therefore, instead of being a healthy superfood that gives you energy and improves your health, sultanas can actually be harmful to your system.
How to Reduce Sugar Addiction?
The American Heart Association recommends that we consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day for our health. While natural sugars are not harmful in small amounts, excessive intake of them over time can lead to high blood pressure, increased heart rate and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The Only Food You Should Eat With Sultanas
While there are certainly advantages to eating sultanas (fresh, dried, or roasted), it is important to remember that they are an acquired taste. In fact, eating sultanas alone can feel like you are eating candy, particularly if you are not a fan of dried fruit. If you aren’t in the mood for the more intense flavours found in dried fruit, you can opt for more bland items like kiwis, oranges, and grapefruits instead.
The Final Words
Sultanas are a type of dried fruit native to Central and South America. They are also called chocolate nuts. The fruit is oval and about the size of a large grapefruit. The colour of the fruit varies from plump to dry; the latter being more intensely flavoured. Sultanas are made by drying and then mashing the chocolates and spices used to make them. The dried fruit is then roasted or fried and then the resulting syrup is extracted to make the sultanas. Drying and mashing specific fruits, like sultanas, is called processing. This brings up another important difference between sultanas and other dried fruits such as raisins and currants: processing also gives sultanas a higher sugar content than if they were simply left to mature naturally. Therefore, instead of being a healthy superfood that gives you energy and improves your health, sultanas can actually be harmful to your system.
