Dried apricots – useful properties, recipes, treatment

Dried apricots are one of the most useful and valuable dried fruits. It is made from large varieties of apricots.

Dried apricots – what is it?

Курага — это сушёный абрикос, из которого перед заготовкой убираются косточки. Продукт может быть светло- или тёмно-коричневым, либо оранжевым.

On sale you can find dried apricots of 4 varieties:

• Extra.

• Higher.

• First.

• Dining room.

Depending on the variety, the taste differs. Dried apricots “extra” are considered the best. To have the right to be so called, all fruits must be clean, hard, resilient, large and bright.

Apricot and dried apricots – what’s the difference?

Apricots are dried on a tree. It is torn off only after it dries. Due to this, it retains more minerals and vitamins. Apricot has a bone, but dried apricots do not. In addition, apricots are brown, and dried apricots are orange.

Where is more useful?

Apricots are considered more useful, since processing is minimized. It, unlike dried apricots, is not removed from the tree until full maturity, the stone is not removed from it, it is not cut into pieces and is not treated with chemicals. Accordingly, the less the product has undergone external influences, the better.

However, if we compare apricots, dried apricots and apricots, then the benefits are greater in the original fruits. A fresh natural product is always better than a dried one.

Composition and calorie content

It is impossible to evaluate the benefits of the product without understanding which vitamins are contained in dried apricots and which are not.

Dried apricot fruits are rich in fiber, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the digestive system. Thanks to their regular intake into the body, it will be possible to avoid constipation, cleanse itself of toxins and toxins, and improve liver function.

Rules for the selection and storage of dried apricots

Our ancestors harvested dried apricots very simply. They selected healthy fruits and dried them in the sun. It took 7 days to get the original product. Dried apricots are prepared in a similar way today.

Dried and dried dried apricots

If dried apricots look appetizing, very soft, clean and juicy, then there is no doubt that they have been treated with sulfur dioxide and other chemicals.

Without exception, all dried apricots are also exposed to chemicals. Without them, it simply cannot be stored, as it will dry out.

Sugar

The amount of sugar in dried apricots is different. And the sweet product is not always the most useful. For example, sour dried fruits have a healing effect, in particular, they can reduce migraines.

If the package with dried fruits says “sugar dried apricots”, this does not mean that the product itself is very sweet. The manufacturer simply impregnated the dried apricot with glucose syrup or sprinkled it with powdered sugar. Of course, any child will eat such a dessert with pleasure, but the benefits from it will be much less than from ordinary dried apricots.

Chocolate

Chocolate dried apricots are called the Turkish variety of dried apricots, but they have nothing in common with chocolate, except for the color. According to the manufacturer, it is prepared without the use of any preservatives.

Features of choice

Natural dried apricots may vary in color. There are yellow and dark brown varieties, as well as all shades in between. The taste of such a product is sweet and sour, but not cloying. In many ways, it is determined by what kind of apricot was used for drying. The production technology of dried apricots is important.

Asian is sweeter than products from the northern regions. It is bright with rich taste. However, the best and most useful is the one made from southern apricots.

To buy a really useful product, you need to adhere to the following rules:

• No need to buy large dried apricots. Too bright color of dried fruits should alert. If it is orange or bright red, then the manufacturer did not stint on its treatment with chemicals.

• Shiny dried apricots are not the best choice. The most harmless thing that the seller could do was to coat dried fruits with vegetable oil. It is worse if the fruits have been treated with paraffin or other substances foreign to the human body.

• You should not buy fruits that emit a sweet or winey smell. They are either spoiled or have been chemically treated. The “correct” dried apricots smell like apricots.

• It is not recommended to buy dried apricots cut into 2 parts. Most likely, it was made from spoiled fruits.

• You should not stock up on dried apricots in large quantities. Dried fruits keep better.

If dried apricots of a rich orange or yellow color were bought, you do not need to throw them away. To get rid of dried fruits from sulfur compounds, it is enough to keep them in a preheated oven for about a minute.

The benefits of dried apricots

Due to the benefits that dried apricots have on the human body, they are included in diets designed to normalize metabolism, as well as cover the lack of vitamins and minerals.

In oriental medicine, dried apricots have been used for a long time in the treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, as it helps to cope with arrhythmia.

Health benefits of dried apricots:

• Increased mental activity, reducing the negative impact of stress on the central nervous system. This is possible due to the fact that the composition contains B vitamins, vitamin K, magnesium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the normal functioning of the nervous system and brain.

• Help in the treatment of the cardiovascular system. To cover the body’s daily need for magnesium by 26%, and potassium by 60%, you need to eat 100 g of dried apricots. It must be included in your diet by people with a high risk of developing coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis and other pathologies associated with disorders in the myocardium. Dried apricots are introduced into the menu of patients with already diagnosed cardiovascular diseases.

• Prevention of visual impairment, normalization of visual function in people with existing eye diseases. Vitamin A deficiency often leads to such problems. Dried apricot pulp is its direct source (about 100% of the daily requirement per 64 g of the product).

• Нормализация работы кишечника, избавление от запоров. Курага – это источник клетчатки и пектина, которые выступают в качестве естественных сорбентов и своеобразной щётки для ЖКТ. В толстой кишке пищевые волокна вбирают в себя все токсины и продукты распада, не давая им всасываться в кровь. Поэтому курагу рекомендуют включать в меню людям, страдающим атоническими запорами.

• Prevention of cancerous tumors, slowing down the aging process. Dried apricots are not just a food product, but a source of antioxidants, one of which is alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). In a clinical trial, including dried apricots on your menu has been shown to reduce your risk of developing colon cancer by 15%. Scientists also noted a decrease in the effect of oxidative stress on cells, which leads to a slowdown in their aging.

• Weight loss. Excess weight goes away, as the processes of digestion of food are normalized, the contents of the intestine are evacuated in a timely manner, constipation ceases to haunt a person. However, people with obesity should consume this product in moderation, as it is a source of sugar.

• Increase in vitality. Dried apricots act as a natural energy booster. Its regular use in food energizes, makes it easier to endure physical activity. These effects are provided by the content of vitamin C, B vitamins, vitamin K, magnesium and potassium in it. This product should be added to the diet not only for athletes, but also for ordinary people who want to stay active and energetic.

• Decreased blood pressure. Its stabilization occurs due to the replenishment of the lack of magnesium and potassium. Therefore, dried apricots are one of the most important foods for hypertensive patients.

• Removal of intoxication from the body. Dried apricots remove heavy metals and radionuclides.

• An increase in the level of iron in the blood. This trace element is necessary for the normal production of hemoglobin. With regular use of dried apricots in food, you can prevent the development of anemia, as well as cope with an existing disease.

• Prevention of bone tissue destruction, development of osteoporosis. It is useful to eat dried apricots for women over 45 years old, for children in the period of active growth, for people recovering from a bone injury.

Despite all the useful properties of dried apricots, you need to use it in moderation.

Benefits for men

The main indicator of male sexual health is a normal sexual desire. Vitamins and trace elements included in dried apricots normalize blood circulation in the body. The organs of the genitourinary system are no exception. Therefore, dried apricot is included in the diet in families in which replenishment is planned. It is known that dried fruits are considered a natural aphrodisiac that enhances libido, so the benefits of dried apricots for men are obvious.

Women’s health benefits

Dried apricots are a natural substitute for vitamin and mineral complexes. Therefore, it must be consumed by women planning a pregnancy. Being a source of fiber and pectins, dried fruits help to cope with constipation, which often becomes a real problem when carrying a child. Another argument in favor of dried apricots for women is its ability to prevent the development of anemia.

Dried apricots for pregnant and lactating women

Reasons why dried apricots should be included in the diet of lactating and pregnant women:

• Dried apricots prevent a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood.

• In winter, it acts as a valuable source of vitamins.

• Dried apricot fruits prevent constipation.

• Dried apricots facilitate the course of toxicosis.

• Dried fruits prevent the formation of edema.

Dried apricots in baby food

Dried apricots for children is a valuable source of energy. With its help, you can replenish the reserves of vitamins, which are consumed very quickly in the children’s body.

Potassium, contained in dried apricot fruits, is necessary for children for normal growth and development of bones and muscles. 10-15 g of apricot per day is enough for the child to learn better and get less tired.

Dried apricots can be introduced into the diet from the age of six months.

Dried apricots help to lose weight

An overweight person should include dried apricots in his menu. Perhaps someone is confused by the fact that it contains a lot of sugar. But, despite the fact that the fruits are high in calories, they quickly satisfy hunger and normalize digestion.

Dried apricots are a source of energy, there are no unhealthy fats in it. Its inclusion in the diet allows you to remove excess water. Therefore, dried apricots can be safely used as an alternative to desserts, but you need to use it in moderation.

[Video] Why dried apricots should be consumed every day: