Antioxidant activities and beneficial health effects of some dried fruits commonly consumed in Algeria: a review

Abstract

This review aims to give a summary of what has been found so far about the profile in bioactive molecules and the beneficial effect of dried fruit commercially available and commonly consumed in Algeria. It is known that Mediterranean diets, especially the Algerian one, are characterized by the presence, in the food ration, of virgin olive oil, fruits (fresh or dried) and vegetables in abundance, cereals and vegetables (fresh or processed), olives and seeds. Dried fruits come in several preparations (main dishes, dessert, cakes) in Algeria. In recent years, Mediterranean diets, including Algerian diet, have attracted a lot of attention from the scientific community because of the beneficial effect they have on health, especially cardiovascular health, and this in relation to the presence of bioactive molecules such as phenolic compounds, carotenoids, certain vitamins, and many others. In this work, the bioactive molecules’ profile, antioxidant activities, and the beneficial health effects of some dried fruit (dried fig, raisins, dried apricot, and prune) commonly consumed in Algeria are examined. In general, the results of this review paper emphasize the importance of dry fruit consumption on health on the one hand and on the other hand, encourage the decision-makers in the agricultural sector to promote and protect shrub culture to benefit from the nutritional quality of dried fruits and thus improve the health and long-term well-being of the consumer.