Nuts & Dried Fruits

Nuts & Dried Fruits covers almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, mixed nuts, raisins, dates, dried apricots and gift assortments.

Genuinely Good Food, With Two Caveats

• Nuts are one of the better-evidenced foods there are — protein, fibre, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium, with reasonable evidence for heart health at a handful a day.

• They are also calorie-dense. A handful is a portion; half a bag is a meal’s worth of calories.

• Dried fruit is concentrated sugar. The water has gone, so a small handful of raisins carries the sugar of a large bunch of grapes without the volume that would stop you. It also sticks to teeth, which makes it harder on them than fresh fruit.

• Choose unsalted and unsweetened where you can. Salted nuts and sugar-coated dried fruit change the picture considerably.

Storage — Where Most Nuts Are Ruined

• Nuts go rancid faster than almost anything else in a kitchen, and in this heat it happens within weeks rather than months. Rancid oil tastes bitter and like old paint, and it is genuinely not good for you.

• Airtight container, in the fridge, once opened. The freezer for anything you will not finish within a month.

• Walnuts, pecans and pine nuts go fastest because they are highest in polyunsaturated fat.

• Smell them before using. If they smell like old paint or taste bitter, throw them out.

• Buy the size you will finish rather than the largest pack.

• Dried fruit needs airtight storage too — it goes hard and sugars out in dry air, and moulds in damp air.

Allergies and Children

Nut allergy can be severe. Check the allergen line, and note that most packs carry a “may contain” warning because of shared processing lines. Whole nuts are a choking hazard for children under five — ground or as a smooth butter instead. Dried fruit and nuts are traditional Ramadan and gift items, and for a mixed gathering it is worth knowing what is in the bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a sensible portion?

About a handful — 25 to 30g — of nuts a day. That is where the health evidence sits, and it is a lot less than most people pour out.

Should I refrigerate nuts?

Yes, once opened, and freeze anything you will not finish within a month. It is the single thing that most extends their life in this climate.

Is dried fruit as healthy as fresh?

It keeps the fibre and minerals, and it concentrates the sugar considerably. Fine in small amounts; not a substitute for fresh fruit, and harder on teeth.

How much shelf life will it have?

We stock to arrive well within date and do not knowingly ship anything close to expiry. If you need a specific minimum for a particular order, ask before placing it and we will check the batch.

How long does delivery take?

Inside Dhaka, usually one to three working days. Outside Dhaka, generally two to five, depending on the courier and your location. We contact you to confirm the order before it is dispatched.