Different Types Of Dry Fruits And Their Well Being Advantages

Mazafati dates

Soft, dark, almost black skin with a moist, sticky flesh underneath. Mazafati is picked and sold fresh-dried rather than sun-dried for weeks like some other varieties, which is why it stays plump instead of chewy. It’s eaten as-is, stuffed with a nut, or chopped into porridge and baking. Because of the moisture content it needs refrigeration or freezing to keep past a few weeks at room temperature.

Raisins

Dried grapes, sold in a few distinct colors depending on the grape and the drying method: golden (sulphur-treated, dried in shade), brown (sun-dried, more concentrated flavor), and the smaller currant-style raisin used in baking. Texture is chewier and drier than a date, with a sharper tartness under the sweetness. They hold up well at room temperature for months, which is why they end up in trail mix and cereal rather than eaten on their own as often as dates are.

Dried apricots

Halved, pitted and dried, usually with a tangy edge that dates and raisins don’t have. The bright orange ones are treated with sulphur dioxide to stop browning; the darker, wrinkled ones are sun-dried without it and taste more concentrated, almost like a different fruit. Good chopped into rice dishes or stewed compote, less good eaten in large handfuls since the tartness gets tiring fast.

Dried figs

Small seeds throughout give figs a texture the others don’t have, slightly crunchy inside a soft, honeyed flesh. Turkish and Iranian figs are the two most common types sold internationally; the flattened, pale ones are usually Turkish, and rounder, darker ones are more often Iranian. Best sliced thin over cheese or yogurt where the seeds and sweetness both come through.

Dried mulberries

Light, almost crumbly texture once dried, closer to a dried berry than a dried fruit like the others on this list. Mild, faintly floral sweetness rather than the heavy sugar hit of a date or raisin. Common in Iranian and Central Asian snack mixes, usually paired with pistachios or almonds rather than eaten alone.

Buying and storing

Check the ingredient list before buying any of these: some brands add extra sugar syrup or sulphur beyond what’s needed for preservation. Dates and figs keep best sealed and refrigerated once opened; raisins and dried mulberries are more forgiving and can sit in a sealed jar in the pantry. For dates specifically, our Date Fruits range and Kedai Kurma selection cover the main grades we export.