It is difficult to find a person who would not like apricots. These fragrant fruits have many useful properties and are distinguished by their excellent taste. If fresh fruits can be eaten only in summer, then dried apricots are available. all year round. If desired, they can be prepared independently at home.
When drying apricots, up to 90% of the useful properties of the fruit are preserved. Moreover, after the removal of water, these fruits become even more useful, since the content of vitamins and microelements in 100 g of products increases three times. Fragrant fruits are rich chemical composition, are able to quickly satisfy hunger and have an excellent taste. In order to satisfy the need of an adult for potassium, iron and beta-carotene, it is necessary to eat only 100-150 g of dried fruits per day.
Regular use of dried apricots helps with heart failure, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, maintains vascular tone, improves immunity and endurance. Just a few fruits a day will help with chronic constipation and intestinal obstruction.
Due to the high content of iron, dried apricots are recommended for people suffering from anemia and thyroid diseases.
But diabetics should not use the product, since dried apricots contain a large number of Sahara. These dried fruits should not be eaten with protein foods.
Depending on the harvesting method, there are several types of dried apricot:
- apricot - small whole fruits, in which a stone is left;
- kaisa - a whole apricot, in which, before drying, the stone is removed through the hole at the stalk, minimally violating the integrity;
- dried apricots - dried apricot halves without pits. Some connoisseurs distinguish between cut and broken fruits.
All listed types of dried fruits have almost the same composition and are useful for humans. But according to experts, apricot is more healing, as it comes to readiness naturally- on the tree. In order for such fruits to turn into dried fruits, they are left hanging on branches until completely dehydrated. Apricot is used in the treatment of thrombosis, tumor formations, migraines and colds.
Shops and markets offer a wide range of dried fruits, but you can't be completely sure that the products are safe. Modern manufacturers In an effort to give dried fruits a marketable appearance and ensure long-term preservation, chemicals are used for processing. So that dried apricots do not lose their bright orange color during drying, they are treated with sulfur dioxide.
Although this method is allowed by technology, it is not entirely safe. When eaten, such a product can cause allergic reactions and cause nervous disorders. When choosing dried apricots, you should give preference not to bright shiny specimens, but to pale yellow, dark brown or grayish ones.
To get an environmentally friendly product, dried apricots can be harvested at home. This process is quite laborious, but at the same time safe and delicious dried fruits which can be safely given to children and the sick.
Choice is essential for a quality product. suitable variety apricots. For dried apricots, large, not too juicy fruits with dense pulp and an easily detachable stone are suitable. The variety should have a high sugar content. Typically, Central Asian varieties have such characteristics, but in the middle lane you can pick up the right ones. When dried, the weight of properly selected apricots is reduced by 5-6 times.
Harvested by hand, paying attention only to fully ripened intact fruits. Then the apricots are thoroughly washed in running water so that the finished dried fruits can be consumed unwashed. Excess moisture kills part useful substances.
The fruits are carefully divided into two halves and the stone is removed. To preserve the color, apricots are pre-treated: the prepared halves of the fruit are placed in a colander and dipped in boiling water for a few minutes, then they are laid out on a clean cloth or gauze so that the glass has excess moisture.
There is another way to preserve the brightness of dried apricot fruits. Washed specimens are placed for 15 minutes in a solution of citric acid, prepared at the rate of one teaspoon per liter of water.
The most natural and gentle option for preparing dried apricots is drying in vivo, sun and air. This is suitable for hostesses who have a private house or cottage. You should choose a well-ventilated, unshaded place, located far from the highway. The weather needs to be hot and dry.
Prepared slices of apricots are placed on the grill with cuts up so that individual specimens do not stick to each other. The fruits are kept in the hot sun for 3-4 days, bringing them into the house at night and in bad weather. When the blanks are reduced in size and dried up, they are laid closer to each other and kept in the shade until completely dry.
The disadvantage of this method is the availability of dried apricots for ants and flies. So that crawling insects do not damage the product, apricots are placed on a hill, for example, on a small table, the legs of which are immersed in water. From flies, the slices are covered with a layer of gauze.
This method is suitable for those who do not have a suitable place for drying outside. Cooking dried apricots in the oven is not affected by weather conditions, moreover, dried fruits are obtained much faster.
Preparation of apricots occurs in the same way as when drying on the street. The slices treated with steam or lemon solution are placed on a baking sheet with slices up, making sure that they do not touch.
Dried apricots reach readiness within eight hours at a temperature of about 70 degrees. door oven must be kept open. By the end of drying, the temperature is reduced to 40 degrees. Ready dried fruits are put in wooden boxes and stored for about a month in the dark at room temperature to stabilize humidity.
To help modern housewives, a lot of useful gadgets are offered. One of these devices is an electric dryer for fruits and vegetables. Such devices are equipped with a powerful heater, fan, thermostat, convenient trays. In just one day, you can get a large batch of excellent dried apricots.
Features of working with the device are indicated in the instructions. Apricots for drying are prepared in the same way as when dried in the sun or in the oven. Drying time ranges from 8 to 12 hours. At the beginning and at the end of the process, the temperature is set to 45-50 degrees, in the middle - brought to 60.
You can determine the readiness of dried pitted apricots by the following indicators:
Dried fruits should be stored in cloth bags suspended in a ventilated area. The air temperature should not exceed 10 degrees. Also used for storage glass jars or wooden boxes. In this case, the product must be ventilated periodically.
Dried apricots- this is a dried apricot that has dried right on the tree, which is why, unlike other dried apricot fruits - dried apricots and kaisa - it contains a stone inside.
Among all types of dried apricots, apricots are considered the most useful., since the process of ripening of the fruit and its shrinkage occurs directly on the branch, due to which all beneficial features are completely preserved, and the valuable components of the composition are concentrated.
The only drawback of apricot is its outwardly unsightly appearance, because, drying on a tree, the fruit shrinks, and its beautiful bright yellow (even orange) skin acquires an indistinct brown tint (see photo). And the presence of a bone inside a dried fruit does not please everyone. For this reason, those who have never encountered apricots before prefer the prettier-looking dried apricots. And in vain, because the percentage of nutrients in dried apricots is an order of magnitude higher. In addition, it does not contain chemicals harmful to human health (for example, sulfur dioxide), which are used when drying dried apricots, in order to preserve its beautiful color. In a word, apricot is the case when dried fruit, the uglier, the better.
Beneficial features
Useful properties of apricots are multifaceted and varied due to unique composition dried fruit.
Especially a lot of vitamin A in it (it is he who gives apricots a pleasant yellow-orange color) in the form of beta-carotene and retinol. Suffice it to say that 100 g of the product contains up to 70% daily allowance the first and up to 65% - the second. Beta-carotene inhibits the body's production of free radicals and is a natural immunomodulator. And retinol acts as a powerful antioxidant, slowing down the aging process. In this, he is supported by another vitamin of youth and beauty - E, which in 100 g of apricots is almost 37% of daily allowance. Together, vitamins A and E protect cells from active oxygen, normalize metabolic processes, increase the body's defenses, improve the condition of the skin, nails and hair, and sharpen vision. Apricots also contain a lot of B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), which have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
The mineral composition of apricots is in no way inferior to that of vitamins. There is especially a lot of potassium in this dried fruit (a little more than 71% of the daily requirement) - the main regulator of the spread of nerve impulses in the body. Potassium maintains normal contractility of the heart muscle, removes excess moisture from the body, and exhibits anti-sclerotic activity. In addition, apricots are rich in calcium (16.5% of the daily requirement), magnesium (27.3%), phosphorus (19%) and iron (18%). It also contains sodium small quantities (1,3%).
A vegetable fiber helps to improve the functioning of the digestive tract, removes from the body harmful products life and promote weight loss.
Use in cooking
Apricot is widely used in cooking, especially oriental, as a natural food coloring and a sweetener of dishes, which, thanks to its presence in the composition, become not only brighter and tastier, but also healthy.
V Central Asia Apricot is a popular ingredient in pilaf. It is also put in cereals and added to drinks. And we are talking not only about compotes, for which apricots are a natural component. Kvass is also made on its basis, alcohol tinctures, liquors. It is even put in tea instead of sugar. And what kind of jam is obtained from apricots! Sweet, tender, fragrant, with a pleasant aftertaste…
You can also make a wonderful filling for pies from apricots. To do this, dried fruits are first kept in warm water to soften them up. Then the bones are taken out, and the pulp is mixed with granulated sugar and set aside for 15 minutes to thicken. After that wonderful sweet filling from apricot is ready, and it can be filled with pies and pies.
The benefits of apricots and treatment
About the benefits of apricots for human body ancient healers knew and successfully used it in the treatment of many diseases. Modern medicine also does not refuse this unique storehouse of useful substances.
Due to the presence of iron apricots effectively fights anemia. It will also be useful for various circulatory disorders and for normalizing blood pressure.
Uryuk successfully removes excess moisture from the body along with its sodium accumulator, which means useful for swelling.
It sharpens eyesight, saves from migraines, calms nerves and normalizes cardiac activity.
With the help of apricot, you can enhance digestion and improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and at the same time remove toxins, poisons, toxins from the body and even lose weight.
Regular consumption of apricots in food strengthens the immune system and generally heals and rejuvenates the body.
Harm of apricots and contraindications
Sometimes apricots can harm the human body, but there are few contraindications for its use. And basically we are talking about individual intolerance to this product and allergies to the components of its composition. For example, apricot contraindicated in people allergic to beta-carotene.
In addition, this dried fruit is quite high in calories (242 kcal per 100 g of product) and is saturated with carbohydrates, which means that if abused, it can lead to extra pounds.
From him recommended for diabetics, although in fairness it must be said that the sugars contained in apricots are quickly and easily absorbed by the body, almost immediately turning into energy.
Many people know that it is obtained from an apricot during the drying process. But such dried fruits as apricots, kaisa, ashtak and whispers are almost unknown to our compatriots, and all the listed dried fruits are also obtained from apricots. Today we will try to clarify what apricot is, how it differs from other apricot products and how it can be used for health benefits.
What's this?
Apricot is a naturally dried apricot fruit that has not been pitted. The countries of Central Asia are the birthplace of dried fruit: Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan - in these parts, fresh apricot fruits, most suitable for drying in this way, are called “apricots”. At home, this fruit is very revered and considered a gift from God. 
How is apricot
Iyak, we figured out the name of a dried apricot with a stone. Apricots are obtained from apricots in the most natural, harmless way - in the process of natural drying on or special drying in the shade, while no special substances or devices for drying are used. Sometimes the fruits remain to the last and dry right on the branches, in which case they just need to be collected on time.
Did you know?The apricot tree has long been shrouded in numerous myths and legends. So, according to the biblical version, the apricot tree was the only one that survived after the Great Flood. According to another legend, apricot fruits are the children of the sun descended from the sky. There is also a beautiful myth that an apricot is a plum that the Firebird tasted.
You can also collect ripe, sweet, elastic fruits and dry them under the scorching sun or in the shade on special trays or grates. Usually, small varieties of apricots are suitable for the preparation of this dried fruit, in which the stone is poorly separated from the pulp. The main condition is a high level, which will make the final sweet. However, large sweet varieties can also be used.
Differences from dried apricots and kaisa
The difference between apricots and kaisa, ashtak, sears and dried apricots lies in the features of the drying technology:
- Dried apricots are obtained in the process of drying, while the fruits are cut into two halves and the stone is removed.
- When preparing kaisa, the stone is removed through a small hole in the apricot, leaving space inside.
- Sheptala is a dried apricot.
- Ashtak is getting ready in the following way: a stone is removed from a fresh fruit, it is dried, and at the end of the process the stone is returned back. It is believed that such a trick gives the dried fruit a unique piquant taste.
- To obtain apricots, fresh fruits, along with the bone, are dried naturally.
The differences between dried fruits do not end there. The final products also differ in color - the “unpresentable” dark brown color of apricots is significantly inferior to the bright orange, appetizing shade of dried apricots. But few people know that in order to give such a juicy color, the fruits are treated with a dangerous gas - sulfur dioxide, and drying is carried out in special ovens or using burners. Ultimately, dried apricots become more “artificial”, poor in quality, and sometimes even dangerous, in contrast to completely natural apricots. Moreover, complex technological process causes a higher price for dried apricots. In Europe, this type of dried apricots has not received recognition and wide distribution, unlike dried apricots. But apricots are highly valued in their homeland - they are little exported and are widely used in the national and traditional medicine as a remedy for many. Composition and calories
As mentioned earlier, this dried fruit, due to the peculiarities of preparation, does not lose nutrients at all, but on the contrary, it becomes their rich concentration. 
So, 100 g of apricot contains the following vitamins and nutrients:
- vitamins A, E;
- macro- and microelements:,;
- beta carotene;
- 17 g of dietary fiber;
- 18 g of water;
- as well as saturated fatty acid, organic acids, disaccharides and polysaccharides.
About the benefits of using
A rich set of useful substances is successfully used to maintain health and good condition in children, as well as in childhood.
For kids
By adding this dried fruit to the children's diet, it will be possible to insure against the following ailments:
- problems with, which is especially important during intensive study;
- th and infections;
- and digestive problems.
In cooking
The use of apricots in cooking is very diverse. 
So, dried fruit can serve as a spicy additive in the following dishes:
- meat and vegetable soups, side dishes; in Uzbekistan, dried apricot with a stone is an essential ingredient for cooking;
- as a filling, apricots are added to pastries: pies and pies, samsa, pancakes;
- jams and preserves are made from it;
- Uzvara and infusions are cooked on the basis of apricots.
Did you know?In the countries of Central Asia, apricot pits are by no means thrown away, but are used to make a popular delicacy called« shurdanak» . For this, the bones of the fetus are baked in ash with the addition of. From high temperature, they open, which indicates readiness for use.
Of course, dried fruit can be consumed without adding to dishes, but as an independent delicacy with herbal teas, and baking.
In cosmetology
Regularly using apricots, you can put in order the state,. However, dried fruit is also used topically in care products:
- So, apricots can be added to masks for moisturizing and toning. Dried fruit goes well with, oatmeal, egg yolk or cottage cheese. Before use, it can be steamed for a few minutes to soften.
- Also, dried fruit can be used in soap making at home. Ready at the same time will have a beautiful golden-pink hue and a pleasant smell.
- To prepare the scrub, you can use apricot seeds, crushed in a coffee grinder. However, remember that the scrub at the same time turns out to be rather rough and is only suitable for caring for and feet, but not for tender ones.
Using apricots at home, you will be completely confident in its natural and healthy composition. In medicine
One of the main macronutrients in apricots is potassium (K) - a conductor of nerve impulses at the cellular level, due to which dried fruit is used for such ailments:
- high blood pressure;
- arrhythmias;
- increased formation of edema;
- other disorders of work and blood vessels.
In dietetics
Despite the high calorie content, this product is successfully used in the diet for people who want to normalize their weight. Dried fruit has the ability to burn body fat. And since even a small handful of this dried fruit can saturate well, you won’t be able to overeat it and you can forget about the feeling for a long time. If you decide to give up white sugar, dried apricots can be a great healthy alternative. However, if you buy store-bought dried fruit mixes, check the composition - manufacturers often add sugar to them, which means you should not expect any benefit from this.
Choose a product when buying
As we understand, the benefits of apricots are enormous, but choosing the wrong dried fruit can cause damage and harm to your condition. When choosing a product, remember the following criteria:
- Color. This is the main criterion for choosing a quality product. The color should be dark brown, brown, with a slight coating, as natural as possible. Avoid bright, attractive dried fruits - they have been chemically processed. Remember what kind of autumn the apricots that remained hanging on the tree have - this is the color that a real apricot should have.
- Consistency. Naturally dried apricots are slightly hard and firm to the touch. Before use, it must be steamed. By the way, do not pour the water in which the dried fruit soaks into the sink - it can be used as an immunostimulating agent in the autumn-winter period. it is possible at a temperature of about 20 ° C - in this case it will be usable for up to 2 months. If, however, the temperature is reduced to 10 ° C (for example, by placing the workpiece in and eliminating any contraindications before feasting on dried fruit. family.
Today we will tell you about what dried fruits such as apricots and dried apricots are. The difference between these products will also be described in this article. In addition, from it you will learn how they are useful and how they are produced.
general information
Apricot is the fruit of a tree of the same name, which belongs to the plum genus and the rose family. This fruit is very juicy. It is a single-stone fruit, which has a yellowish-red color. The shape of the apricot is round, elliptical or obovate. In the middle it has a longitudinal groove.
The stone of this fruit is thick-walled, rough or smooth. The skin of the apricot is velvety-pubescent and has a yellowish-orange color. As a rule, on one side of this fruit there is almost always a one-sided reddish tan.
In cultivated varieties, the fruit pulp is very juicy and sweet. As for wild-growing apricots, they are more coarse-fibred and have a bitter taste. Most often, the fruits ripen in June-August. At this time of the year, the price of apricots is much lower than in other months.
What is made from apricots?
Dried apricots - all these products have a direct connection. After all, it is from apricot fruits that these dried fruits are made. In addition, juicy and fresh fruits are very often used for cooking. delicious jams, jam and jams. Also, apricot is well suited for preservation in syrup and making juice with pulp.
Apricot and dried apricots: the difference
Both apricots and dried apricots are dried apricots. They can be easily found in a store or market. As a rule, such ingredients are used for the preparation of compotes, pastries, apricot vodka, jam, as well as for ordinary consumption. But not everyone knows the difference between apricots and dried apricots. The difference lies in the way they dry. As we found out above, both presented dried fruits are made from fresh apricots. However, for the production of dried apricots, the fruits are used without stones, and for apricots - with stones.
How is dried apricots made?
Dried apricots are dried pitted apricots. To produce it, you need to take ripe ones and then wash them thoroughly. Next, in the middle of the apricot, you need to make a small incision and carefully remove the stone.
In order for the fruit to be preserved even after it has been dried, the processed fruit should be placed in water to which lemon acid. After a few minutes, the apricot needs to be removed and dried. It is recommended to do this in the oven or under the sun.
Of course, the production method of drying apricots is significantly different from the home method. That is why, after purchasing dried apricots in a store, it should be thoroughly washed, since entrepreneurs often add various chemicals to it to make it look beautiful.
How is the apricot made?
Now you know that dried pitted apricots are called dried apricots. It should be noted that this product is the most popular among consumers. As for apricots, most often they buy it only for making compotes. Due to the presence of a bone, such a product makes homemade drink especially tasty and rich. However, for the preparation of other desserts, it is practically not used. What is it connected with? The fact is that dried apricots have practically no pulp. In this regard, it is quite problematic to use it for the preparation of various desserts or ordinary consumption. However, such a product still has advantages. Its price is much lower than the cost of dried apricots.
How is the apricot made? For its preparation, small and not very fleshy apricots are used. They are thoroughly washed and then dried in special dryers, oven or in the sun. The cooking time of apricots is much higher than dried apricots. After all, a product with a bone dries much longer. By the way, in mass production, chemicals are much less often added to apricots. Therefore it appearance after drying leaves much to be desired. Although it is this fact that makes it more useful and nutritious.
The benefits of dried apricots
Are apricots and dried apricots, the difference between which we discussed above, useful for the body? Of course. Dried apricots are good food for the heart. After all, it contains a lot of potassium salts, which has a beneficial effect on work. of cardio-vascular system. Moreover, the presence of this element helps to increase the level of hemoglobin and regulate blood pressure.
It is desirable to use dried apricots for anemia, during pregnancy and anemia. It should also be noted that dried apricot is able to have a mild laxative effect, and normalize its peristalsis. It cannot be said that the carotene contained in dried apricots is extremely necessary for a person to maintain a good condition of the organs of vision.
The benefits of apricot
In case of circulatory disorders and anemia, apricots should be included in your diet. It contains magnesium salts, which makes it excellent tool from hypertension. It should also be noted that in those regions where this product is present in the diet all year round, fractures very rarely occur among residents. After all, apricot strengthens bone tissue, and also promotes hair growth and skin beauty.
Experts have proven that the use of this dried fruit prevents development. For this, it is enough for a person to consume only 100 g of apricots per day.
Like dried apricots, this product has a diuretic effect. A decoction of it quickly removes puffiness.
Summing up
Now you know the difference between apricots and dried apricots. The two named products are equally beneficial for the human body. It should be said that in Central Asia, local residents consider these dried fruits as gifts from Allah. Poems and fairy tales have even been written about their healing and benefits.
But in order for such products to really have a beneficial effect on the body, they should be chosen correctly. Experts do not recommend chasing glossy and beautiful dried fruits. The worse the product looks, the more likely it is that it does not contain chemicals.
Apricot is known and loved in its various forms. Fresh, boiled, and in the form of dried fruits, which is divided into several more types.
Uryuk - whole dried fruit apricot with a stone, retaining a very rich taste.
Dried apricots are halves of fruits dried in the sun, fumigated with sulfur dioxide so that they do not darken and various bugs do not start in them.
Kaisa - also dried pitted fruits, fumigated with sulfur dioxide.
Sheptala - slightly dried large fruits, pitted, Uzbek and Tajik varieties, with a sugar content of 80%.
Cultivated Armenian varieties of apricots are very good, which are distinguished by large juicy fruits.
The benefits and properties of apricots
Eating apricot fruits, both fresh, dried, and processed, has a beneficial effect on the general condition of a person. But it is especially recommended to pay attention to the apricot for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract and overweight.
Apricot fruits will help with hypo - and beriberi, and patients with anemia, as they affect the process of hematopoiesis. With intoxication with heavy metals, apricot is indispensable, it also supports the health of cancer patients. This beautiful appetizing fruit helps to increase the body's resistance to various diseases and restore the vital functions of the body.
In obesity, apricot should be taken as a dietary food.
Nutritionists around the world agreed, announcing the apricot as a very useful product for metabolism and digestion.
If you use every day only 100 grams of fruit pulp, you can ensure yourself a regular chair and get rid of gases in the intestines.
Thanks to high content iron, only one hundred grams of apricots affect the process of hematopoiesis in the same way as 250 grams of fresh liver. Apricots are very useful for anemia.
And for the active work of the brain, these fruits rich in magnesium and phosphorus are necessary. The high magnesium content also helps to quickly remove high blood pressure. If you suffer from hypertension, then eat as many apricots as possible during their ripening season.
The chemical composition of dried apricots
Apricots, picked at the height of the summer growing season and dried outside in the hot sun, look as if the golden rays of the sun have been captured into a sweet, tart fruit. A handful of dried apricots is a very easy way to give your body a rich scattering of nutrients; it snack that can take you back to being warm in summer even on the coldest winter day.
One piece of dried apricots contains approximately 11 calories, of which eight calories come from sugar. A serving of 10 has about 108 calories, of which 73 calories are sugar.
Carbohydrates
One piece of dried apricots contains about 4 grams of carbohydrates, including about 0.3 grams of dietary fiber, and 1.7 grams of sugar. Accordingly, a 10-cup serving contains 40 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of sugar—the equivalent of three teaspoons of refined sugar, almost a third of the recommended daily allowance, based on a 2,000-calorie requirement at the core.
vitamins
Dried apricots are rich in vitamin A, which helps boost skin health and support eyesight. Apricots are also good source vitamin C, which strengthens immune system. Ten pieces of dried apricots provide 9 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin A and 13 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
Minerals
One dried apricot provides almost 2 percent of the daily value for calcium, a mineral that helps keep bones strong and prevents osteoporosis. A handful of dried apricots (10) provides 20 percent of the recommended daily dose calcium.
Sulphur dioxide
According to fruit drying technologies, dried apricots are treated with sulfur dioxide at the beginning of the drying process. This preservative helps it retain its natural orange color. Although it is considered safe to use sulfur dioxide for food processing in the United States, for example, some dried apricot lovers want to reduce their exposure to sulfur dioxide. According to some reports, this substance can have negative health effects, especially if inhaled. Many dried apricot producers have responded to consumer concerns and have now switched to organic dried apricot production. These dried apricots do not have a bright orange color, their color is darker, with an orange-brown tint.
Types of dried apricots: dried apricots, apricots and kaisa
Dried apricots are divided into three types: dried apricots - dried halves of fruits; kaisa - whole dried apricots. In these species, the stone is removed before drying, and they are dried different ways including the use of chemicals.
And only the third type - apricots, contains a stone, because it is dried in natural conditions: the fruits are left on the tree until they completely lose water. It is clear that in this case they retain everything valuable and useful that is given to apricots by mother nature: vitamins, minerals, sugars, organic acids, etc.
Dried apricots and kaisa, unlike apricots, dry out, having no connection with the tree on which they grew, therefore, less useful substances are stored in them. The integrity of the fruit also matters: apricots are not cut, and its structure is not disturbed. Small apricots are usually dried for apricots, while large ones are used to prepare other types of dried fruits.
Useful properties of dried apricots
Useful properties of dried apricots are preserved in it after transformation from apricot. It is rich in potassium salts, sucrose, citric, nicotinic, salicylic and other organic acids, contains vitamins C, B1, B2, P, as well as trace elements - iron, copper, manganese, cobalt.
Nutritional value of dried apricots per 100g: calories 214.8 kcal, water 20.0 g, proteins 5.2 g, fats 0.3 g, carbohydrates 51.0 g; unsaturated fatty acids 0.1 g, mono- and disaccharides 48.0 g, starch 3.0 g; alimentary fiber 18.0 g, organic acids 1.5 g, ash 4.0 g, vitamin A 3.5 mg, vitamin B1 0.1 mg, vitamin B2 0.2 mg, vitamin C 4.0 mg, vitamin PP 0.3 mg, iron 3.2 mg, potassium 1717.0 mg, calcium 160.0 mg, magnesium 105.0 mg, sodium 17.0 mg, phosphorus 146.0 mg.
In dried form, apricot regulates the work of the gastrointestinal tract well, and most importantly, being, as mentioned above, an indispensable source of potassium, in winter time very useful in cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.
However, the use of dried apricots can not always go unpunished. Dried apricots, contraindicated in diabetes(in dried apricots up to 84% sugars). fresh fruits harmful in acute gastritis with high acidity of gastric juice.
They can also harm those who suffer from gastric and duodenal ulcers. It is advisable to refuse treatment with apricots for certain liver diseases, pancreatitis. It should be remembered that the provitamin A (carotene) contained in apricots is not absorbed with reduced thyroid function.
In such cases, it is advisable for patients to prescribe medicinal pure vitamin A. You can not eat apricots, and therefore dried apricots, on an empty stomach, especially on an empty stomach, and also after barbecue, pilaf or other indigestible food. Do not try to drink immediately after apricots cold water- open diarrhea.
Fans of nuts from seeds should not forget that among several thousand varieties of apricots, especially wild ones, there are those whose seeds can contain the strongest poison - hydrocyanic acid. A single dose of more than 20 g may cause poisoning.
Useful properties of apricots
Experts say that the properties of apricots will help with circulatory disorders and anemia, and it is also a delightful rejuvenating, restorative remedy and will help with poor eyesight.
Magnesium salts found in apricots reduce and gradually restore blood pressure, this is an excellent medicine for hypertensive patients.
In certain forms of anemia due to malnutrition and hypertension, special magnesium diets are carried out based on the use of apricots.
It is noted that in those regions in which apricots are often eaten, fractures and skin diseases very rarely occur among local residents. Apricot is the "fruit of beauty", it brings our hair, nails and skin into a magnificent healthy state and effectively strengthens bone tissue.
By using apricots, you prevent and carry out prophylaxis against cancer, for this a sufficient dose is 100 grams of apricots per day. Apricots have diuretic properties on the body, and its decoction eliminates edema.
