Summer brings many goodies. Apricots is one of them. These are summer delicacies as fresh fruits but they are available dried and canned throughout the year. Apricots both fresh or dried are widely used. Most people use it as a snack.
These orange colored fruits contain beta carotene, fiber and many vitamins. They have velvet skin with soft and sweet flesh and are not very juicy.From the sweet flesh to the kernel (seed) everything in Apricots provides some or the other health benefits.
You can eat Apricots and apply its kernel oil on the skin. They are small in size as compared to the peaches but are a great source of Vitamins and Minerals.
Vitamins – Apricot contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin A is good for skin and mucous membranes, vision and age related macular degeneration. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and is good to protect damage caused by free radicals. It is also good for heart, blood pressure and osteoarthritis. Fresh apricots have more vitamin c than the dried ones.
Minerals – Apricot contains iron and potassium. Iron plays a vital role in oxygen transportation, regulate cell growth and improve immune system. Potassium is required by every cell in the body to function properly. It helps in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke.
Anti-Oxidants – Apricot also contains beta carotene and dietary fiber provides numerous health benefits ranging from preventing heart diseases and protection against cancer.
Following are specific health benefits of apricot and its kernel oil
Eating both fresh and dried apricots is good for you skin. Rubbing apricot oil on eczema and scabies has been found to stop the spread of the skin disease and protect the skin. This is because of vitamin.
1- Protects Eyes: Apricot helps strengthen eye and eye and vision because of vitamin A and carotenoids. Any fruit that contain vitamin A is good for eyes. 3 or more servings of vitamin A containing fruits including Apricot have been found to prevent age-related eye diseases such as Macular Degeneration which causes loss of sight in elderly people.
It also strengthens the optical nerve which helps in avoiding another major eye disease called Neovascular ARMD
2- Helps Prevent Anemia: Apricot helps anemia patients as it contains iron. Iron deficiency causes anemia which affects the hemoglobin. Make it a habit of eating Apricot both fresh and dried if you suffer from anemia. Fresh apricots are available in summer but the dried apricots are available throughout the year.
Anemia causes dizziness, weakness, fatigue and nausea which doesn't allow you to do anything enthusiastically. If it is summer time then your best bet to increase hemoglobin levels is to have two to three servings of fresh Apricots.
in the other seasons, you will have to live with the dried apricots. Generally dried Apricots have a kind of Iron that doesn't get easily absorbed by the blood. Therefore, additional Vitamin C must be taken such as orange juice.
3- Assist in Weight Reduction: Apricot contains low calories and is a tasty and nutrient rich fruit. It helps reducing weight and then maintain healthy weight levels. You can replace some of your high fat and high calorie snacks with apricot to see immediate results within a week.
4- Improves Digestion: Another health benefit of apricot is better digestion. It contains fiber which helps in maintaining good metabolism and also helps reduce LDL from your blood.
5- Protection Against Cancer: Like any other beta carotene containing fruit Apricot is a good protection against cancer. Its high contents of anti-oxidant coupled with vitamin C are the real beneficial nutrients to fight against cancer.
6-:Strengthen Bones: Apricot contains Calcium and Potassium. This duel combination is very powerful way to strengthen bones. Calcium is required for growth and maintenance of the bones. Calcium alone can't be enough to take as a supplement as it doesn't get absorbed easily in the bloodstream. Therefore, Potassium and Vitamin C are required to help absorption. Apricot has all these elements as a result the calcium gets easily absorbed and reaches the bones effectively.
7- Improves Skin: Vitamin A and Vitamin C are beneficial to the skin. Apricot contains both and other antioxidants and nutrients that nourishes skin. Apricot kernel oil is also good for body massage.
Consume half a cup of dried apricot to remain healthy overall.