Dried apricots - benefits and harms to the he alth of the body, calorie content and features

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Dried apricots are one of the favorite delicacies of many gourmets. All over the world, this oriental sweetness is widely used in cooking. It can be found in a wide variety of serving options: both as a separate dessert dish and as an additive in the preparation of various pastries, cereals, delicious desserts or drinks. Dried apricots are used even in the preparation of many meat dishes, salads and marinades. Undoubtedly, the amazing sweet taste and aroma should be attributed to the obvious advantages of such fruits. In addition, this type of dried fruit perfectly satisfies hunger. However, the undeniable benefit of dried apricots is that it has a unique mineral and vitamin composition. Therefore, in many therapeutic and unloading diets, it is recommended as an alternative to sweets.

Benefits of dried fruits

Despite the fact that dried apricots contain a relatively small amount of vitamins, they are considered clear leaders among many other dried fruits in terms of mineral and fiber content.

The benefits of dried apricots for the body is thatit is able to compensate for the lack of many vital trace elements. In addition, the organic acids and pectins included in its composition contribute to the removal of heavy metals and radionuclides from the body.

What does the dried fruit contain?

Delicate pulp of dried apricots not only has an amazing taste, but also has an excellent chemical composition, due to which it is widely used in various diets and traditional medicine. The main micro and macro elements that make up this amazing product and determine the undeniable benefits of dried apricots are:

• Vitamin A - contributes to the normalization of the human reproductive system and has a beneficial effect on the condition of nails, hair and skin.
• B vitamins - essential for optimizing metabolism in the body, significantly improve brain activity.
• Vitamin C - is the most powerful source of the body's defenses, strengthens blood vessels and takes part in the production of collagen.
• Vitamin E - has a rejuvenating effect on the entire body as a whole, contributes to the normal functioning of the reproductive organs.
• Vitamin PP - stabilizes the level of cholesterol in the blood and normalizes the protein balance in the body;
• Iron - necessary for anemia, has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous and circulatory systems.
• Potassium - necessary for the full functioning of the heart and the stabilization of many vital processes in the body.
• Calcium is an essential element that is essential for the skeletal and muscular system.
• Phosphorus –positively affects the functioning of the brain and maintains the vitality of the body.
• Copper - promotes the absorption of iron and affects the turgor of the skin.

It is surprising that it is in dried apricots that the benefits and harms are more pronounced than the effects on the body of fresh apricots. This is due to the fact that in the process of drying in the fruits, they fully ripen and evaporate excess moisture. Such chemical processes cause a multiple concentration of useful substances contained in fruits.

Properties of dried apricots

This variety of dried fruit has excellent general he alth-improving properties. Dried apricots can prevent and alleviate the symptoms of anemia, some heart diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is recommended for diabetes and as a means to improve the functioning of the organs of vision. If dried apricots are regularly included in your diet, then the vessels will remain elastic, and cholesterol plaques will not form on their walls.

Dried apricots are an excellent way to preserve the beauty and youthfulness of the skin. Since they are a source of essential micro and macro elements, their use not only contributes to the overall he alth of the body, but also makes hair and nails stronger. Therefore, the benefits of dried apricots become obvious.

Harm and unwanted consequences

However, there are opinions that dried apricots can harm the body. Excessive consumption of dried apricot fruits can provoke disordersdigestive system. Ideally, their consumption should not exceed 4-6 pieces per day.

In addition, if only these dried fruits are present in the diet, then the body may be deficient in other essential substances. Therefore, to ensure the normal functioning of all organs and systems, it is advisable to regularly eat (in addition to dried apricots) raisins, nuts, honey, lemons. The benefits of these products, as well as the beneficial qualities of dried apricots, have been known to mankind since time immemorial.

Another limitation for eating dried apricots is their intolerance. Some people are allergic to this product in various ways.

Do not forget that any dried fruit is a food with a high glucose content. So, people with diabetes should take them with caution. Therefore, the benefits and harms of dried apricots for the body for many people are relative concepts. In such cases, dried apricots will only really be useful when consumed in very small quantities.

The calorie content of dried apricots is approximately 240 kcal (per 100 g of dried fruit).

Secrets of choice

In order for dried fruits to bring the expected healing effect, they must be chosen correctly. But how to do that? After all, there are so many different dried fruits on the shelves: from nondescript and small to bright, fatty and juicy.

Oddly enough, it is the beautiful, bright orange and fleshy dried apricots that can be absolutely unhe althy and even dangerous for the body. Usually excellent presentation fruitacquired through chemical processing.

The "correct" dried apricots, the benefits of which are so obvious, usually have a completely nondescript appearance. The color of the dried fruit, which has not been subjected to any processing, is close to natural, and is completely opaque. During the natural drying process, a slight grayish tint appears on the surface of dried apricots, and the flesh becomes moderately hard and elastic.

Using dried apricots in cooking

Dried apricots are used everywhere in cooking. Various jelly, compotes and fruit drinks are prepared from them. Dried apricots (benefit and harm to the body in this case are not taken into account) are widely used in the preparation of a wide variety of sweets, desserts and confectionery.

In Eastern countries, this dried fruit is crushed and added to various seasonings, spicy mixtures. Such "cocktails" are used in the preparation of dishes from meat, poultry and fish, which makes the dishes more aromatic and acquire a specific sweet and sour taste.

Dried apricots are added to fermented milk dishes and desserts, fruit salads and various cereals. Dietary soups are even cooked from it. Often you can find cooking recipes, according to which these oriental dried fruits are recommended to be baked, stewed or boiled. They are wonderfully combined with other berries, fruits and nuts, so dried apricots are of inexhaustible interest for culinary experts.

Dried fruits in the diet

Eastern countries have long appreciated not only the useful qualities of dried fruits, but alsotheir ability to satisfy hunger. Therefore, merchants and seafarers, going on long journeys, always took fragrant dried apricots with them. This allowed you to replenish your diet with useful elements and save supplies. Today, these qualities have not lost their relevance, so dried apricots are widely used in various diet methods.

Followers of a he althy lifestyle and adherents of all kinds of diets have long appreciated the benefits of raisins, prunes, dried apricots. No wonder such mixtures are an integral part of medical and dietary nutrition.

In tandem with raisins

If we consider dried fruits separately, then each of them will differ in its own set of essential substances and affect the body in different ways. So, for example, the uniqueness of raisins is that it has good laxative qualities, so it is often recommended for constipation. In addition, white and black dried grapes have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, increase hemoglobin and are useful for gastric ailments. Therefore, in combination with raisins and dried apricots, the benefits of the healing mixture become even more pronounced. When added to a culinary dish, dried fruits complement each other in taste and useful properties.

Prunes and dried apricots

An excellent combination of prunes and dried apricots gives an equally effective result. Dried fruits of plum trees of certain varieties contribute to the normalization of blood pressure, have a beneficial effect on the composition of the blood and the condition of the skin. They are recommended asmeans for the prevention of oncological neoplasms. Since dried plums, in addition to some laxative effect, also have a diuretic effect, it is believed that with the regular presence of a mixture of dried apricots and prunes in the diet, people who are prone to edema will benefit.

Summarize

The regular presence of various dried fruits in the diet has a beneficial effect on the whole organism. However, when choosing the “right” dried fruits, you should pay attention to the appearance of the fruit: the brighter and more beautiful the color, the more likely it is to buy a product treated with chemicals. Such dried fruits should not be consumed. To experience the full benefits of dried apricots, purchase only a natural product. Eat right and stay he althy!