Apricot- health benefits of apricot-nutrients present in apricot-recipe-serving size of apricot

Apricot is what you need for healthy life..!

Living your life with the best of health is the preference of everyone. We all usually are suffering with weight problems. Many of us are prone to weight loss. 

Mostly people around the world like almost 70% of people in united states are having health problems, cardiovascular diseases and much more due to excessive weight of fats deposited that our body just cant endure. according to NEW YORK TIMES:

More than 7 percent of cancer cases in the United States are attributable to excess body weight, a new study reports.

This is all because of the fast food and the emotional binge eating practiced by people all around the world.why we opt for fast food? junk food? or packaged and processed stuffs that are full of flavors and preservatives which more than the required fat content.

 Fruits and vegetables are the best exchange that should be consumed in large amounts according to world health organization. 

Do you know that a single burger contain as much fat as you need for the whole day that means its fat content can replace all the fat your body needs that lead to excess fat deposition in the body.

So coming towards our main issue that is lack of healthy and low caloric foods that can help us satisfy yourself for a long time with less effort and easy to make.

We will be going through its 

1. HealthBenefits

2.Nutrient composition

3.Daily requirement of nutrients in peach

4.Serving size 

5.Meals that we can prepare from peach

apricot benefits 

1. Health Benefits

Apricot is full of various benefits that make it our first priority to consume whenever it becomes available in market. It act as a preventive factor in various diseases.

1. Promotes eye sight and heart diseases

It contains vitamin a that help to boost eye sight of humans.It helps in maintaining goood health of heart in turn decrease high blood pressure that mainly cause heart diseases.

2. Immunity booster

It contains vitamin C other phytohemicals and phenolic compounds that increase immunity against pathogens.

3.Functional Food

    Apricot acting as functional food plays a vital role in preventing oxidative damage to living cells through ROS. Functional food is any food that  leaves a positive impact on person's health and attenuate any cause that will disturb the normal functioning of body or can cause any risk to person's health. Apricot containing phenolic compounds play this role very well as they act as anti-inflammatory compound via their anti-oxidant capacity.

4. Role in digestive system

It acts as a laxative and hence aids in digestion and smooth bowel movements of food. It is good for health of gastrointestinal health.it relieves constipation as it contains fiber too.

5. Anti-oxidant Capacity

  Oxidation of living cells occur when there are free radicals such free oxygen specie that can oxidize body tissues and cause irreversible injuries which can further cause diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases etc. Apricot rich in oxidative capacity works as prevention of diseases and ensure healthy tissues

6.Hydration and electrolyte balance

It is mostly a summer fruit as it is hydrating and also contains various electrolytes such as sodium, chloride , potassium etc that balance our body's electrolyte levels.

7.Anti-microbial

According to researches apricot also acts as anti-microbial agent in human body.

8. Apricot in folk medicines

It was used in folk medicines in China and Himalayas in history where it was used to cure asthma, pain, respiratory diseases vertigo and nausea. It was used as a laxative and cure to skin diseases.

9. Weight Loss

It contains very few calories around 40-50 calories that make it a good choice as a snack in weight losing diets. It contains copper that plays vital role in several metabolic reactions so in turn it increases metabolism and help in losing weight..

10. Liver Health

 Hepatic steatosis like Disease that causing fatty liver disease occurring due to excessive alcoholic usage and in some people non-alcoholic hepatitis is observed a decrease in liver injury by apricot consumption in animal models.

2.Nutrient Composition 

It is rich in minerals and vitamins that are essential for body along with fibers that are good for your gut health.

Ingredients Concentrations(g/100g FW)
Water 83.00
Carbohydrate 11.00-13.00
Protein 1.40
Fat 0.40
Crude Fiber 1.50-2.40
Ash 0.74

FW= data present on fresh weight basis Sources: Chauhan et al., 2001; Haciseferogullariet al.,
2007; Akin et al., 2007; Gurrieri et al., 2001

Minerals	Concentrations (mg/100g FW)
Calcium	14.00
Potassium	296.00
Chloride	3.00
Copper	0.09
Iron	0.54
Magnesium	8.00
Manganese	0.06
Phosphorous	19.00
Selenium	0.40
Sodium	1.00
Zinc	0.26
Vitamins	Concentrations (mg/100g FW)
Vit A	1.56
Vit B1	0.02
Vit B2	0.02
Vit B3	0.86
Vit B5	0.23
Vit B6	0.06
Vit B9	8.60
Vit C	5.00-10.0
Vit E	0.88
Vit K	3.28
organic acids
citric acid	38.11
malic acid	952.00

FW= Data presented on fresh weight basis
Sources: Ali et al., 2011; Chauhan et al., 2001;Haciseferogullariet al., 2007;et al., 2007;
Munzoruglu et al., 2003; Gurrieri et al., 2001

3.Daily requirement of nutrients

 present in apricot

NUTRIENT	RDA
Vitamin   A	700-900 microgram
Vitamin   E	15 mg
Vitamin   K	122-138 microgram
Vitamin   B1	1.1-1.2 mg
Vitamin   B2	1.1-1.3 mg
Vitamin   B3	14-16 mg
Vitamin   B5	4-7 mg
Vitamin   B6	1.2-1.3 mg
Vitamin   B9	400 microgram
Vitamin   C	60 mg
Calcium	1000 mg
Potassium	3.5 g
Iron	16-18 mg
Magnesium	400 mg
Phosphorus	700 mg
Selenium	55 microgram
Sodium	>2300mg
Zinc	15mg
Copper	900 microgram

 

4. Serving Size For Daily Consumption 

Canned Fruit = half cup

Dried fruit= 8 halves

Fresh= 4 whole(5  1/2 oz)  

5. Simple recipes from Apricot

 1. Apricot Iced Tea

Apricot tends to be a summer fruit so utilize it in cold recipie

Ingredients:

water, tea bag of your choice, lemon, honey, apricot pulp or juice

(as you like)

Method:    Boil water in  a container and add tea bags in it. After 5 

mins add remaining ingredients and leave it as such for 5 minutes at

 low flame. Then  refrigerate for 3-4 hours 

or use ice cubes if want to serve instantly.

2. Apricot Jam          

Ingredients: 

1 bowl apricots, 1 tea spoon lemon juice and half cup sugar

Method:     Grind  fresh apricot with lemon and sugar. Take a 

saucepan and convert this mixture in it. Heat it on stove for 10-15 minutes 

on low flame. Continuously observe and stir to avoid any burn.

Thicken it according to your choice you can also add some more

 sugar if you want to increase its flavor.