Health Benefits of Apricot

Apricots are a delicious fruit that are incredibly juicy and soft. Few pieces of fruit will quench your thirst in the same way, and yet many of us forget them on our weekly shop instead picking up the usual apples and bananas every time. How clichéd…

This is also a shame though when you consider the number of impressive health benefits that come with apricots which is a great addition to any diet. Here we will look at some of the ways that adding apricots to your regular eating habits can help to improve your health…

• They are low in carbs, and actually more so even than many other comparable fruits with only around 50 calories per apricot compared to around 55 in an apple, or 96 in a banana. They also contain no fat at all making this a great snack you don’t need to feel guilty about after eating…

• If you eat them with the skin – which is much softer than the skin on many other fruits – then they are also a particularly great source of fibre helping to encourage regular bowl movements and reduce blood pressure.

• They are highly rich in vitamins and minerals. In particular they are very high in vitamin C which helps to boost your immune system and thus protect you against colds and other problems, and in vitamin A – which can help prevent the formation of cataracts and avoid general macular degeneration – providing you with around 25-40% of your daily requirement for the latter. They are also high in potassium which can help to prevent cramping as well as iron which helps ensure the body can easily transport oxygen around your system.

• Apricots can help to combat cancer through the inclusion of antioxidants. Vitamins A and C are antioxidants for instance to begin with, as is lycopene which is also found in apricots. This means that by consuming apricots you are able to prevent damage caused to your cells by ‘free radicals’ and in turn ensure the DNA is less likely to be damaged.

• Apricots are also high in beta carotene, which helps to prevent LDL cholesterol oxidation which is believed to help prevent heart disease and which is even more effective when combined with the high fibre content.

So there you have it, the apricot is packed with goodness and is as healthy as it is sweet tasting. If you are interested in adding to your five a day, then you can do a lot worse…

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