Dried apricots: uses and nutritional benefits

The apricot is, as its name indicates, the fruit of the apricot tree. This small tree of the hot regions provides us with a fruit synonymous with summer which is full of sun. Its orange color, its fluffy texture and its sweet taste are very appreciated in France: the consumption is estimated at 2,4 kg per household and per year. Beyond its sensory and gustatory qualities, this small fruit is a concentrate of nutrients, even more so when dried. Indeed, drying concentrates the nutrients that the fresh apricot has. Generous in fiber, minerals and vitamins, dried apricot provides many benefits: antioxidant, skin beauty, eye health or blood sugar regulation... This superfruit is not to be neglected, as its services are varied. Latin name : Prunus armeniaca L. Botanical family : Rosaceae. Part used : Fruit.

Recommended consumption

The dried apricot is a dry fruit. It therefore contains more sugar than a fresh apricot, the recommendations for daily consumption are defined. In classic cure or for pleasure, a portion of dried apricots is estimated between 20 and 30 g per day, which represents three dried apricots per day.

In what form?

To make the most of their benefits, you can use them :

  • Whole
  • In pieces
At what time of day?

We advise you to use them during the following meal(s) to take full advantage of their benefits:

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Dinner
What modes of use?

You can incorporate them into the following preparations to make them easier to take:

  • Dessert
  • Yoghurt, dairy
  • Dish
  • Only
  • Mixed with other dried fruits
  • Muesli

Health Nutrition Benefits

25g of dried Apricots contain a significant portion of the Population Nutritional Reference (PNR) for the following nutrients: Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Copper and Potassium. They also contain, to a lesser extent, Selenium and Vitamin B6.

As such, Dried Apricots can complement your healthy and varied diet.

Metabolism

Overall, dried Apricot contributes to our good health. The vitamin B6 acts as an anti-inflammatory by participating in the homocysteine cycle (a pro-inflammatory amino acid). It also helps reduce oxidative stress, through its antioxidant micronutrients (copper and selenium). Regarding blood sugar, dried Apricot has a medium glycemic index, thanks to its high concentration of fibers. It thus helps to reduce the rise in blood sugar following meals by reducing the glycemic load of the latter. In addition, fiber has a cholesterol-lowering effect.

Ocular system

Its orange color tells us: dried Apricot is rich in beta-carotene. This provitamin A is essential for vision. Dried Apricot is therefore a choice ally for a healthy eye.

Cardiac system

Dried Apricots promote good heart health, since they are naturally low in sodium. Sodium is a major factor in the development of high blood pressure. High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of heart disease. In contrast, they are rich in potassium, a mineral essential for heart function. Potassium regulates the heart rhythm, participating in the transmission of the nerve signal.

Body, face and hair care

To help keep our skin, hair and nails healthy, certain nutrients are essential, such as copper, selenium and vitamin A. Each of these micronutrients is present in high doses in dried Apricots.

Immune system

Many micronutrients influence the body's immune response. This is the case for selenium, vitamin A or even vitamin B6. The nutrients in dried Apricots reinforce the benefits of a varied and balanced diet.

Nutritional properties

Main properties

  • Appetite regulator (protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber): dried Apricot has a medium to low glycemic index. It reduces the glycemic load of foods with a high glycemic index. This function allows to moderate the variations of the glycemia, and thus to regulate the appetite.
  • Control of blood sugar (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fiber): the dried Apricot has a low glycemic index. Therefore, it helps to lower the glycemic load of a meal or a snack. It fights against the sudden rise in blood sugar, which causes the secretion of insulin. This hormone has the role of reducing glycemia, by promoting the storage of fats.
  • Contributing to energy metabolism (vitamin B6, copper, iron, carbohydrates): the dried Apricot is the ideal companion to provide us with energy. In fact, it is composed of 59% carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the first macronutrients used by our body to supply itself with energy. In addition, dried apricot is a vector of many micronutrients involved in energy metabolism.
  • Antioxidant (vitamin B6, vitamin E, copper, selenium): dried Apricot is rich in antioxidant micronutrients.

Secondary properties

  • Cardiovascular protector (saturated fatty acid, sodium, potassium, copper): dried Apricot fights against the onset and unfavorable evolution of cardiovascular disorders, by limiting the absorption of cholesterol and the oxidation of cholesterol (at the origin of the appearance of atheromatous plaques).
  • Protector of the osteoarticular system (copper): dried Apricot contributes to the normal formation of connective tissue, the supporting tissue of our body.
  • Nervous system regulator (copper, potassium): dried Apricot is a carrier of micronutrients necessary for the proper functioning of the nervous system.
  • Skin Protector (copper, vitamin A): for the skin, dried Apricot is not to be denied. It provides micronutrients that help fight against ultraviolet radiation.
  • Cellular Water Balancer (potassium): dried Apricot carries potassium. This mineral is essential for ensuring water exchange across cell membranes.
  • Immunomodulating (vitamin B6, vitamin A, copper): dried Apricot is naturally endowed with micronutrients known as "immunomodulants", since they participate in the production of immune cells and chemical mediators (molecules that contribute to the proper conduct of inflammatory reactions).
  • Contributing to normal vision (vitamin A): a portion of dried Apricot (20 g) provides not far from half the daily recommendations in vitamin A. It is part of the superfruits of reference concerning this vitamin. Because of its richness in vitamin A, dried Apricot contributes to the good health of vision: adaptation to night vision, differentiation of colors and shapes, renewal of ocular and retinal tissue.
  • Cellular regenerator (vitamin A): dried Apricot is known for its richness in vitamin A. Vitamin A is involved in DNA replication, which is responsible for cell regeneration and growth.
  • Hair growth (selenium, copper): dried Apricot acts on the hair bulbs by influencing their pigmentation and hair growth.

Nutritional values

*Recommended Daily Allowance

Learn more about the plant : Apricot tree

The apricot tree is a shrub of the Rosaceae family. It would be native of Central Asia. It is Alexander the Great who would be at the origin of its propagation. After having followed the famous Silk Road, the apricot tree has acclimatized to the West and more widely to the five continents. It appreciates more the dry climate, which explains its strong implantation on the Mediterranean basin. It is in the Mediterranean basin that more than 50% of the world's apricot production takes place.

The beautiful white flowers of the apricot tree show the tip of their petals in the spring, to give way to the fruit that is harvested in the summer. There are more than twenty varieties of apricots. All offering multiple variations: a redder apricot for some or a more acidic apricot for others... The apricot tree is a fragile tree and its production depends strongly on climatic hazards. In spite of this, nothing is lost with the apricot tree: it offers us fruits eaten raw or dried and pits used in vegetable oil. In short, a tree with multiple assets.

Organic apricots (soft, sweet,... rich in potassium

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