Apricot pits

Apricot seeds are a very controversial food product. Some people throw away the seeds without even thinking about the taste, while others make jam, juices and even flour from them. What is the ingredient really and what will be of interest to the modern consumer?

General product characteristics

Apricot is a fruit tree of the plum genus. Apricot is also called the fruit of the tree itself. Translated from Latin, the term means “early”. The ancient Roman writer Pliny the Elder in his work “Natural History” first used the term “praecoqua” (in relation to the fruit), denoting the difference between an apricot and a peach. The Latin specific name was formed only in 1737 by Linnaeus.

Botanical description

A tree reaches an average of 5-8 meters. Young shoots are naked, shiny, painted a reddish-brown hue, dotted with many small lentils.

The leaves are regular, developing in the form of a rounded egg. The apex is slightly extended, dotted with small teeth. Flowers are formed single, sessile on short pedicels. Five-dimensional flower, reaches 30 millimeters in diameter. It blooms before the direct formation of leaves. Flowering period: from March to April.

The fruit is a juicy one-stone, which is painted in a yellowish-orange hue. The shape of the seed is round, elliptical or egg-like. Regardless of the shape, a longitudinal groove is formed on each seed. The stone is hidden in several layers of the pericarp and skin. The surface of the fruit is smooth, sometimes it can be rough. The skin is velvety, the shade can vary from light yellow to rich orange.

Cultivated plants produce sweet and juicy flesh. In wild-growing pulp, it has a bitter aftertaste and a dryish structure. The weight of the fruit of a wild plant is from 3 to 18 grams, cultural – from 5 to 80 grams.

In a warm climate, a tree can grow up to 100 years. Fruits after 3-5 and lasts up to 30-40 years. Most apricot varieties are resistant to sudden changes in temperature and frost. Due to the deep penetration of the roots, the plant withstands heat and can develop with minimal rainfall.

Economic value and product use

Apricot seeds were authorized by the government of the Soviet Union as an alternative to bitter almonds. The bones contain up to 0,17% amygdalin glucoside and up to 0,11% hydrocyanic acid. Especially valuable are varieties with low-suction pericarp.

Sweet apricot kernels are eaten like any other nuts. A specific sweet vegetable milk is squeezed out of them, which can completely replace the cow in both taste and structure. Each seed contains from 35 to 60% (depending on grade) of fat apricot oil. Its composition is very similar to peach oil, so the state pharmacopoeia allowed its use for medicinal purposes. Apricot oil has the qualities of a solvent in a number of medications. For example, oil perfectly dissolves camphor. The liquid component is used for the preparation of injection solutions, gels and ointments for the skin.

Apricot oil contains 899 kcal, 99 grams of fatty acids and 85 milligrams of tocopherol (vitamin E).

The seeds and pulp of apricot are used in the cosmetology industry. The ingredient is especially popular in the range for dry and aging skin. Apricot kernels are added to:

• plant scrubs;
• nourishing / moisturizing face creams;
• anti-age cosmetics;
• hair rulers;
• hand gels, nail plate care and oil to strengthen the cuticle;
• mascara (created on the basis of burnt apricot seed).

The component is included in the international classification INCI, which regulates the safety and quality of industrial cosmetic products.

Almond water is prepared from the seeds of bitter plant varieties. The composition includes several varieties of nuts, apricot pits, but the predominant ingredient is almonds. The liquid has a sweet tart aftertaste, quickly quenches thirst and minimizes cravings for harmful carbonated drinks.

Since ancient times, Chinese national medicine has used apricot kernels. Locals believe that the seeds have a calming effect, help with hiccups and coughs. The component is combined with medications and is used for therapy:

• whooping cough;
• laryngitis;
• jade;
• bronchitis;
• tracheitis.

The chemical composition of apricot seeds

Features of composition

In seeds, from 35 to 60% of non-drying fatty oil is concentrated. Its chemical composition is very similar to peach oil. The composition is dominated by oleic and linolenic fatty acids. The substance contains low acidity and a minimum degree of viscosity. Also in the bones contains:

• amygdalin glucoside;
• emulsin;
• lactase;
• hydrocyanic acid.

Useful properties of the product

The product has an antiseptic effect. Enzymes that are found in the bones can cleanse the body even of some varieties of worms. The product has a beneficial effect on the functionality of the heart and blood vessels. Daily use of seeds will protect the cardiovascular system and help reduce the risk of developing diseases to a minimum.

Useful properties are concentrated both in raw and soaked or heat-treated seeds. The daily norm for an adult is 20-50 grams.

The component will help to gain the missing weight due to the high content of vegetable oil. It is perfectly absorbed by the human body, contributes to prolonged saturation, the formation of energy potential and the collection of both fat and muscle mass.

Since ancient times, fruit kernels have been used in medicine. In ancient China, they treated skin and joint pathologies. The cost of the product was equal to the price of jewelry. The process of squeezing the oil took a tremendous amount of time and effort, since resources were limited. Procedures using apricot kernels and oil from them were available only to members of the imperial family and close to the emperor.

Today, the product is used in the food industry, added to creams / serums and other care products for the face, body, hair and nails. Abrasive scrubs and mascara are made from crushed apricot kernels, and massages and body wraps are made using oil.

Possible harm to apricot kernels

The daily norm of apricot kernels for an adult is 20-50 grams, for children – 2 times less. What dictated this recommendation and can seeds really harm the human body?

High levels of cyanide are concentrated in the nuclei. In a small amount, cyanide kills cancer cells and eliminates the formation of new ones. But large accumulations of matter affect healthy, normally functioning cells. Cyanide suppresses their vital functions, as a result of which the whole organism suffers.

Nutritionists recommend giving up the use of bitter apricot seeds. Amygdalin, an active source of hydrocyanic acid, is responsible for bitterness. In sweet varieties, the component is not contained, but in bitter varieties it is in an abnormal concentration. Why is hydrocyanic acid dangerous?

The substance creates a deficit in energy potential, blocks the full access of air to the tissue and impairs the functioning of the central nervous system. In case of poisoning with hydrocyanic acid, the most severe blow falls on the brain. There is a gradual change in the structure of nerve cells, oxygen starvation and a decrease in the functionality of all body systems.

Pitted Apricot Jam Recipe

For 1 serving of jam we need:

• fresh apricots – 300 grams;
• sugar – 250 grams (can be replaced with your favorite sweetener);
• apricot kernels – 100 grams;
• lemon / orange zest to taste;
• vegetable sweet spices to taste;
• nutmeg – 1 pinch.

Preparation

Rinse the apricots thoroughly, dry, cut into 2 equal parts. Pour the apricot halves into a deep bowl, mix with sugar and mix gently (it will be enough just to shake the bowl with sugar contents).

Wait until the apricot juice melts the white granules, then send the resulting mixture to the fire. Set the heat to minimum and be prepared to constantly monitor the cooking process. If the fruits are juicy, then the syrup will begin to stand out immediately after exposure to high temperatures. If the apricots are dense and elastic, then you have to wait a bit. Along with the release of juice, foam will begin to form – collect it with a spoon and discard, then turn off the heat and let the jam “brew”. Jam can be infused from 1 to 10 hours. The longer the jam sits, the richer and sweeter the taste will be.

Pour boiling water over apricot seeds and leave at room temperature for 2-3 hours. After several hours in water, the skin can be easily separated from the kernel – just squeeze the stone with your fingers on both sides and pull off the peel.

The present jam must be placed again on a minimum fire and mixed thoroughly until bubbles form. The contents will begin to gradually thicken, acquire an amber hue and a honey aroma. Collect the foam that has formed on the surface again, pour apricot pits, zest, nutmeg and your favorite spices into a container. Mix the ingredients and evaluate the taste of the jam. If the taste suits you, turn off the stove. Pour the jam into a convenient container, wait for it to cool completely and serve.