Apricots Health Benefits
Apricots are related to peaches and plums and are highly nutritious. Apricots health benefits are numerous. To know more, read on…
Apricots are fruits with a golden skin and velvety texture. They are roughly round in shape and are smaller in size, as compared to peaches. Even though sweet in taste, these fruits have a tartness too. Apricots have stony pits, from which apricot kernel oil is extracted. Apricot tree ( Prunus armeniaca) can grow to a maximum height of thirteen meters. The fruits develop during early spring and are mostly harvested during early summer. These fruits are highly nutritious and have various health benefits. Given below are the apricots health benefits, and the numerous advantages of eating apricots.
Apricot Nutrition Are apricots healthy? Apples, bananas, oranges, etc. are the most common and popular fruits. Most of us tend to buy the same fruits, every time we visit the supermarket. There is a wide range of other fruits that can offer similar or higher nutrition, as compared to these fruits. One such fruit is apricot, which has a high nutritional value. This fruit is rich in most of the essential nutrients, especially, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, potassium, etc. An apricot with a weight of around 40 grams, amount to 17 calories and contain 4 grams carbohydrates
, 0.5 grams protein, 3 grams sugar, 1 gram dietary fiber, no cholesterol and 1 gram fat. The vitamin A content of this apricot is 914.20 IU and the amount of beta carotene is 544.95 mcg. It has 3 mcg folate and 1.2 mcg vitamin K. It has high levels of potassium, i.e. 104 mg and also contains 3 mg of magnesium, 7 mg of phosphorous, etc. Apart from the above mentioned nutrients, apricots have high levels of lycopene too. Now, you have a brief idea about the nutritional value of apricots. The following paragraphs deal with the health benefits of apricot.
Health Benefits of Apricots
Apricots are available in both fresh and dried forms. While, dried apricots are available throughout the year, fresh ones are seasonal. Both are nutritious and offer various health benefits. Dried apricots health benefits are said to be higher as compared to the fresh form. Unlike the fresh ones, the nutrients in dried apricots are more concentrated. However, the dried ones are high in calories and may sometimes cause some reactions, due to the preservatives used in them. Mentioned below are the health benefits of eating apricots.
- Being rich in dietary fiber, apricots are often recommended for smooth bowel movements in people suffering from constipation. Apart from that, this fruit aids in digestion and for destroying intestinal worms.
- The high levels of beta carotene in apricots is beneficial for the health of eyes, especially, in preventing macular degeneration. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from many other health problems, like Alzheimer’s disease.
- Apricots are rich in other antioxidants, like, vitamin C and lycopene. These antioxidants can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, heart diseases, etc. Read more on lycopene benefits.
- Apricots health benefits include its use in treating anemia. This is because of the high levels of some minerals, like, iron and copper, that help in the production of hemoglobin.
- Apricots health benefits include its ability in treating diseases, like, asthma, tuberculosis and bronchitis.
- Apricot oil is found to be effective in skin care. Apart from making the skin shiny and smooth, apricot oil is also used in treating scabies, eczema, etc. Apricot oil is also said to be good for ear pain.
Hope the apricot nutrition information and health benefits were useful. So, enjoy this fruit, and at the same time, reap the apricots health benefits. However, never indulge in overconsumption of this fruit, as it may sometimes cause stomach upset.
