Dried

Apricot halves are called dried apricots, dried without a stone. The apricot owes its origin to China, where it began to be cultivated 4 millennia ago. From China, apricots, or rather, their dried fruits, came to Armenia, and then to the Mediterranean coast of Europe. In continental Europe, they got acquainted with the dried fruits of the apricot tree only in the 16th century.

So that perishable fruits could be brought from distant countries, they began to be harvested in the most accessible way at that time – to dry. This is how apricot (dried apricot with a stone), kaisa (dried apricot, from which the stone is removed through the place of attachment of the stalk) and dried apricots appeared.

How and where grows

Apricot is one of the members of the plum family. This tree is cultivated in China, Central Asia, Mediterranean countries and southern regions of Europe. The tree can reach a height of 7-10 m, and its crown diameter is 3 m. Apricots prefer sunny warm days during the fruiting period, but they are frost-resistant in winter.

Trees love soil with a moderate content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. With their lack, the plant sheds flowers and ovaries, and its leaves turn yellow and fall off. With a lack of moisture in the soil, the apricot stops its growth.

Depending on the type of tree, the beginning of flowering occurs in April-May. Apricot flowers are white or pinkish, a fruit is formed from the ovary – a juicy drupe. The fruits ripen in June-July.

Chemical composition

Apricots lose moisture during drying, so the substances contained in the pulp are concentrated in its residue. Thus, in terms of 100 g of dry pulp, the concentration of nutrients, minerals and vitamins significantly exceeds that of fresh fruits.

Dried apricots have a rich chemical composition. It contains (per 100 g of pulp) ^[1]:

• carbohydrates (simple sugars, fiber, pectin, starch) – 50-55 g;
• proteins – 3 g;
• fats, including unsaturated fatty acids, phytosterols – 0,5 g;
• minerals (macro- and microelements);
• vitamins.

More than 80% of dried apricot carbohydrates consist of easily digestible carbohydrates (mono- and disaccharides). It is they who determine the high energy value of these fruits. The glycemic index of dried apricots is 30 units, so they are not recommended for those suffering from diabetes.

There are few proteins in dried apricots (only 3 g per 100 g of product), but they contain all the essential (essential) amino acids necessary for a person, without which the synthesis of a complete protein is impossible.

Among the main protein substances, dried apricots contain a large amount of purine bases (up to 25% of the daily requirement in 100 g of dried apricots), so the use of this dried fruit is dangerous for gout and urolithiasis.

There are few fats in dried apricots (up to 0,5 g per 100 g of pulp), but they are useful, because 3/4 are represented by unsaturated fatty acids. Dried apricots also contain special fats – phytosterols, which in moderation have an anti-cholesterolemic and antitumor effect. Their amount in 100 g of dried apricots is more than 50% of the daily human norm.

Nutrient and energetically important compounds in dried apricots are harmoniously supplemented with vitamins and minerals.

According to the concentration of potassium in the pulp, dried apricots is the leader among plant products. This dried fruit is also a source of many other macro and micronutrients. At the same time, some of them are contained in dried apricots in the daily amount necessary for the human body, for example, silicon, boron, chromium.

The vegetable fiber of apricot fruits is capable of accumulating strontium radionuclide, therefore, apricots growing in radiation-prone regions are strictly prohibited for consumption and harvesting, including in the form of dried apricots.

The calorie content of dried fruits is high and amounts to 220-240 kcal per 100 g of the product (depending on the variety of apricots used). Such a high calorie content is provided mainly by carbohydrates, since their amount in 100 g of dried apricots is 55 g.

Benefits for the human body

Dried apricots, with its regular use, exhibit many beneficial properties for the human body:

• improves the passage of nerve impulses through the conduction system of the heart, which has an antiarrhythmic effect;
• reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood, as a result of which it reduces the likelihood of the formation of cholesterol plaques on the vascular walls;
• increases the elasticity of blood vessels;
• promotes blood formation;
• normalizes blood viscosity;
• reduces the need for cells in oxygen;
• normalizes tissue respiration;
• stimulates intestinal peristalsis;
• normalizes the work of the liver and pancreas;
• promotes the removal of toxins and toxic substances from the body;
• improves brain function;
• restores vision;
• has a diuretic effect, which helps to reduce swelling;
• increases the body’s immunity and resistance to infections;
• improves metabolism, including fats;
• participates in the synthesis of steroid hormones;
• stimulates the thyroid gland;
• participates in the processes of tissue repair;
• activates the production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, which prevents skin aging;
• has an antioxidant effect, thereby strengthening cell membranes;
• exhibits antitumor activity;
• enriches the body with vitamins and minerals;
• contributes to the maintenance of acid-base and water-electrolyte balance in the body ^[4].

Such a variety of positive functions makes dried apricots one of the favorite delicacies, which is recommended to be included in the therapeutic diet for many diseases of the human body.

Application in folk medicine

Both folk and official medicine recognize the healing properties of dried apricots and recommend enriching your diet with it for both sick and healthy people.

Dried apricots are useful to eat when:

• atherosclerosis;
• arrhythmias;
• arterial hypertension;
• ischemic heart disease;
• tendency to thrombosis;
• cardiac and renal edema;
• diseases of the liver and pancreas in a compensated form;
• constipation;
• anemia;
• pathologies of the thyroid gland;
• sexual dysfunction;
• hypovitaminosis;
• cerebrovascular accident;
• ophthalmopathy, myopia.

As a preventive measure, dried apricots are recommended for:

• increase immunity before the season of infectious viral diseases;
• normalization of stool during a diet;
• preventing the appearance of signs of skin aging;
• people working in hazardous working conditions or having bad habits;
• after serious illnesses and operations.

It is useful to include these dried fruits in the diet of cancer patients, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Possible harm

Despite all the healing properties of dried apricots, its use should be limited to people who suffer from:

• gout and urolithiasis (contains a lot of purine bases);
• diabetes mellitus (increases the level of glucose in the blood);
• diseases of the pancreas and liver in a decompensated form (may provoke an exacerbation);
• peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum (increases acidity);
• severe obesity (high carbohydrate load);
• food allergies ^[5].

To avoid unpleasant consequences, with such pathologies, dried apricots should be consumed rarely and in very small quantities (up to 10 pieces per week). And this applies only to natural dried apricots dried in a natural way.

The possible harm from eating dried apricots can be great if you use a “shop” dried fruit. Beautiful dried apricots, which can be purchased at almost any store, do not have the beneficial properties of homemade dried apricots. It’s all about the way it’s prepared.

The harm of “shop” dried apricots

Harm to human health can bring fruits that are dried in an industrial way. In the mass production of this dried fruit, apricots are dried in special ovens using sulfur dioxide (sulphurous anhydride). This process is called sulfurization and it consists in the fact that apricot halves are doused with vapors of burning sulfur in furnaces for 8-12 hours. If unripe fruits were chosen for drying, the sulfurization process can take up to 20 hours. As a result of such processing, dried apricots will look attractive and have a long shelf life. Some growers soak apricots in solutions of potassium or sodium sulfite salts instead of steaming, which provides the same effect.

Sulfur dioxide is a food additive permitted in our country (E220) and its maximum content in dried apricots should not exceed 0,2%. Unscrupulous manufacturers, seeking to improve the appearance of the product, often exceed these standards. The output is dried apricots with a sulfur dioxide concentration of more than 0,3%, which is dangerous to health, especially in childhood and old age, after serious illnesses. ^[6].

With a significant excess of the permissible levels of sulfur dioxide in dried apricots or when a large number of such dried fruits are consumed, signs of food poisoning and intoxication may appear.

How to choose “shop” dried apricots

When buying dried apricots in a store, first of all, you need to carefully read the label on the package. Often on the shelves you can find dried apricots, packaged by the trading network on their own. Do not purchase a product that does not have the original manufacturer’s label.

The absence of an industrial label excludes the possibility of obtaining reliable information about the manufacturer, processing method, quality indicators and shelf life of such a product. For the same reason, you do not need to buy dried apricots piled on the counter.

When buying imported dried apricots in original packaging with a branded label, the second step will be to inspect the integrity of the packaging and the appearance of the product. The packaging must be clean, undamaged, and the product in it must be of a uniform color, without dark spots and traces of pests.

No need to give preference to bright orange dried apricots with a glossy finish: such a product is clearly oversaturated with preservatives. The paler the dried apricots look, the more likely it is to have minimal chemical treatment. ^[7].

homemade dried apricots

Home-dried dried apricots are a truly healthy product. To choose a quality dried fruit, you need to pay attention to:

1. Appearance. The color of a naturally dried apricot is orange-brown or brown. On the surface of dried apricots there should be no traces of mold.
2. Smell: must be pronounced apricot, without foreign impurities or mustiness.
3. consistency. Dried apricots should not be very soft or very dry.
4. Surface. The surface of dried fruits should not be sticky to the touch.

It is better to buy dried apricots for storage during the harvesting season (June-August). In this case, you do not need to worry about the conditions in which it was stored.

The best option for harvesting dried apricots is drying at home. This can be done in several ways:

• on a flat surface in direct sunlight;
• in limbo (possible in partial shade);
• in the dryer.

With such drying, it is important that the apricot halves lose the maximum amount of moisture, otherwise they will quickly become moldy during storage. During drying, apricots lose up to 80% of their weight: for 1 kg of dried apricots, about 4 kg of fresh apricots are needed.

Terms and conditions of storage

So that dried apricots do not lose their useful properties and taste during the entire storage period, it must be stored at room temperature in a clean, dry glass jar with a closed lid. Plastic bags and fabric bags are not suitable for these purposes: dried apricots will quickly lose the rest of the moisture, become moldy or “pull” other odors. Freezing is another reliable long-term storage option for this dried fruit.

The shelf life of dried apricots is 12 months (until the next harvest), and when frozen – 18 months (provided there is no intermediate defrosting).

Conclusion

Dried apricots, pitted dried apricots, are a very popular dried fruit. It is used in dried form, added to dishes (cereals, pilaf, cottage cheese casseroles, desserts) and bakery products, infusions, decoctions, compotes are prepared from it. ^[8].

It has many beneficial properties for adults and children. Doctors recommend including it in the therapeutic diet for various diseases, after serious illnesses and surgical interventions. A large amount of vitamins and minerals in these dried fruits is successfully used to make up for seasonal deficiency and to prevent viral infections.

However, you should not get too carried away with the use of industrially made dried apricots, as this is dangerous with food poisoning.

In order for dried apricots to be useful and not harm, it must be able to harvest (or choose the right one when buying), as well as store in proper conditions. Then all year round you can enjoy a tasty and healing delicacy without risk to health.

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