Apricots: benefits and harms to the body

The history of the appearance of apricots in nutrition

Apricot is a fruit tree from the Rosaceae family.

It is quite difficult to accurately establish the homeland of a plant. One version: apricots spread thanks to merchants with goods from Armenia. Such a theory is based on the fact that apricots in ancient Greece and Rome were called the “Armenian apple”. Just a thousand years ago, this fruit was also called by Arab scientists.

Until now, in Armenia, apricot is considered a symbol of the nation. Even the film festival taking place in this country is called the Golden Apricot.

However, most scientists are inclined to believe that China was the source from which apricots spread.

The name of the fruit in was borrowed from Dutch in the 18th century. The original source from Latin was translated as “early”, because these fruits ripen really quickly. For some time, apricots and peaches were even called so: “early ripening” and “late ripening”.

Now the main supplier of apricots is Turkey, the province of Malatya. It produces about 80% of all dried apricots – dried apricots, as well as fresh fruits.

The benefits of apricots

Apricot has such a bright red color due to the abundance of carotenoids. They improve the condition of the skin, vision, and also protect cells from aging.

Apricots contain a lot of potassium. Only 100 grams of dried fruits cover 70% of the daily requirement for this trace element.

Both the pulp and the pit of the apricot have a powerful antioxidant effect. Eating this fruit will help reduce the damaging effects of aggressive free radicals on cells.

Japanese scientists have even discovered the ability of apricot extract to inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors. Experiments were carried out both on individual cells and on organisms. The extract was found to suppress skin metastases in melanoma. Cells were sensitive in pancreatic and breast cancer. At the same time, healthy cells did not react in any way to the apricot extract.

Another group of Japanese scientists have identified the ability of apricot to inhibit the growth of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. It is the main cause of gastritis. Thanks to the apricot, the manifestations of the disease were less pronounced. Most of the research is now being done with apricot kernel oil and fruit extract.

Composition and calorie content of apricots

Harm of apricots

Apricots are best bought in season so that they are not treated with chemicals that speed up ripening.

“Apricot should be consumed in moderation, as it contains amygdalin, and its abundant amount can lead to poisoning. These fruits contain a lot of sugar, they should not be consumed in diabetes and peptic ulcer.

They are also strong allergens, they should be used with caution, especially for pregnant women and children,” warns gastroenterologist Olga Arisheva.

The use of apricots in medicine

In the treatment, seed oil, a decoction of dried apricots (dried apricots) are used. Apricot oil is especially important in medicine. It serves as a solvent for fat-soluble drugs. In cosmetology, oil is widely used as a means for moisturizing and nourishing the skin and hair.

Dried apricots, as well as its decoction, are used to combat edema as a diuretic. This is important for kidney diseases, hypertension.

Apricot extract and pit extract sold separately. The so-called vitamin B17 is widely known as the prevention and treatment of oncology. However, its effectiveness has not been proven, rather the drug is harmful due to the content of cyanide.

Also, gum is obtained from apricot trees – streaks of juice on the bark. Gum powder replaces gum arabic in medicine – acacia resin. It is used as an emulsifier for mixtures so that they do not separate into components during storage. Sometimes apricot gum is used as an enveloping agent for the stomach.

The use of apricots in cooking

Apricots are very fragrant fruits. Perfect for jams, pies, liqueurs.

Apricots are also dried. Dried without a stone is called dried apricots, with a stone – apricots. The kernels are also eaten, so sometimes an apricot kernel is put back into dried apricots – it turns out ashtak-pashtak.

Curd pie with apricots

Fragrant and hearty cake. Allow the pie to cool before serving so that it holds its shape when sliced.

For the dough:

For the filling:

Cooking dough. Leave the butter at room temperature until softened. Beat with sugar, add eggs, mix.

Introduce flour, baking powder, you can add a pinch of salt. Knead the dough and lay it in a mold with a diameter of 25-28 cm so that the sides are formed.

Let’s do the stuffing. Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the pit. Lay cut side down on the dough.

Cottage cheese punch in a blender with eggs, sugar and sour cream. Pour the mixture over the apricots.

Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for about 50-60 minutes.

Chicken stewed with apricots

Apricots can be used not only in sweet dishes. For spicy chicken, both a whole carcass cut into pieces, and separate legs are suitable

Wash the chicken and cut into portions. Sprinkle with a mixture of seasonings, salt and pepper.

In a deep saucepan, heat the oil, fry the chicken for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to flip.

At this time, fry chopped onion in oil in a pan, add tomato paste, white wine. Heat for a couple of minutes and pour the sauce over the chicken. If you want a thicker sauce, you can additionally separately fry the flour in oil until golden. Mix it with water (5 tablespoons) and add to the chicken.

Cut the apricots in half, remove the pit. Add to the chicken with sauce and simmer everything over low heat under the lid for 20 minutes. At the end, add chopped greens.

How to choose and store apricots

When choosing, pay attention to the aroma of the fruit – ripe apricots smell quite strongly. The rind should be intact, the flesh supple, but still quite elastic. The color is orange without a green tint.

Ripe apricots are stored for a very short time, just a few days in the refrigerator. Slightly unripe, they keep well for several weeks in the refrigerator. They can be brought to a ripe state by holding in a paper bag in the room for a couple of days. True, it will not be possible to make completely green apricots ripe in this way.

You can also freeze fruit by cutting it in half. This will increase the shelf life up to a year.

If desired, it is easy to dry dried apricots at home. Dense apricots should be divided into halves, remove the stone and dry in the sun for a week. You can do the same in the oven at a minimum temperature of about 12 hours. Turn the apricot slices over several times. Dried apricots are stored in a glass sealed container in a dark place for up to six months.