Fruits occupy a special, almost honorable place in our diet, because they are the most important source of nutrients for the body. Each fruit has its own characteristics and composition, different sets of minerals and vitamins - and in order to lead a healthy lifestyle, you need to understand this.

For example, apricots - they have a wonderful taste and contain many useful substances and vitamins. They are used not only as food, they have also found application in cosmetology - masks and scrubs are made from apricots.

What is an apricot made of?

Apricot is a low-calorie fruit. Only 40 kilocalories per 100 grams. So it is ideal for dieting.

Apricot composition:

• water- 86.2 grams,
• carbohydrates- 9 grams,
• alimentary fiber- 2.1 grams,
• protein- 0.9 grams,
• fats- 0.1 grams.

Apricots also contain a rich set of vitamins: A, B5, C, E, PP and beta-carotene.

Mineral elements of apricot:

• calcium- strengthens bones and teeth,
• magnesium- affects the nervous system,
• iron- helps with anemia,
• silicon- maintains the elasticity of connective tissues,
• cobalt- accelerates blood recovery,
• vanadium- promotes metabolism.

The beneficial properties of apricot are contained not only in its pulp, but also in the pit and peel.

How to eat apricots?

Apricot pulp

Apricot pulp in its fresh form is a storehouse of vitamin C, which helps strengthen the immune system. With regular consumption of apricot, the mineral elements it contains stabilize blood pressure and the functioning of the digestive system. And the potassium contained in apricots is also useful for diseases of the cardiovascular system.

Is it possible to eat apricot pits?

Apricot kernels themselves contain hydrocyanic acid and in large doses can be harmful to the body, but in small doses they are good for the heart and increase brain activity. In addition, they are rich in protein, which is so important for the healthy development of muscle tissue.

Urbech from apricot kernels

Urbech is a mass obtained by grinding nucleoli without any processing. Possibly with honey. It can pass for both a small tasty and satisfying snack and a medicine - thanks to the high content of vitamin B in apricot kernels, urbech is used as a prophylactic for cancer.

Apricot kernel oil

Produced by squeezing apricot kernels. This oil contains a large number of substances beneficial to the body. It is used to treat colds (laryngitis, bronchitis). Also used for cosmetic purposes as a moisturizer for skin and hair.

Apricot pulp jam

Even after undergoing heat treatment, apricot pulp retains most of its beneficial elements: calcium for bones, vanadium for metabolism, and so on.

Apricot juice

Can you eat green apricots?

You should not eat unripe green apricots in any form. There are simply no useful substances in them. In addition, there is a risk of damage to digestion.

What are the benefits of apricot?

Fruits should always be present in any person’s diet to maintain the balance of vitamins in the body.

The effects of apricots can be completely different - it depends on in what form and who eats them.

The benefits of apricots for women

For women, apricot is a real source of useful substances for improving the appearance of skin and hair, and they also strengthen the nervous system. Moreover, they are low-calorie, and you can eat them for pleasure without worrying about your figure. The abundance of vitamin A promotes good vision and smooth heart function.

The benefits of apricots for men

It will be useful for a man to know that apricots stimulate the growth of muscle tissue well, and at the same time slow down the aging process and have a positive effect on male potency. Constant consumption of this fruit is a good and correct prevention of vascular and heart diseases.

The benefits of apricots for children

There is no doubt that apricots are very, very important and beneficial for the growing body, because they contain carotene, which stimulates growth, as well as potassium for the heart, phosphorus for the brain, and all other important and useful elements.

Even during the development of the fetus during a woman’s pregnancy, already during this period, the minerals contained in apricot stimulate the healthy ripening of the fetus and the well-being of the expectant mother.

Apricots in cosmetology

Apricots are also widely used in cosmetology - the pulp, seeds, and juice are used to prepare various ointments and oils. They cleanse the skin, nourish it and help restore it. Masks are made by mixing the pulp with various bases, such as milk, cottage cheese, egg white, honey, cream, olive oil.

Seed oil can be used as an independent cosmetic product or as a basis for ointments and scrubs.

What harm can apricots cause?

How many apricots can you eat per day?

Knowing about the many beneficial properties of apricot, we must not forget that overeating this fruit can harm the body. The daily dose of apricot is 300 grams, and for pregnant women - 100 grams per day, no more. The most harmful thing about an apricot is its pit, which contains hydrocyanic acid.

Who shouldn't eat apricots?

In addition, apricots have a high sugar content, so people with diabetes should not eat them. Women should not eat it during lactation to avoid indigestion and abdominal pain.

Contraindications for eating apricot:

• thyroid dysfunction,
• stomach diseases,
• ulcers,
• disturbances in the process of carotene absorption,
• diabetes.

Carbohydrates

Jam made from delicious apricots will not leave anyone indifferent. Fragrant, tasty, with a beautiful color, with an extraordinary taste, it is also very healthy. How nice it is to open a jar of this delicious delicacy in cold weather.

Calorie content of apricot jam

The calorie content of apricot jam is 236 kcal per 100 grams of product.

Composition and beneficial properties of apricot jam

What are the benefits of apricot fruits? They are very good for people suffering from cardiovascular ailments and gastrointestinal diseases. Useful for vitamin deficiency and anemia, as they have a very beneficial effect on hematopoiesis. They are also useful for heavy metal intoxication and help maintain the health of cancer patients. Apricot helps the human body increase resistance to disease.

Has a positive effect on digestion and metabolism. If you eat apricot jam daily, you will have normal, regular bowel movements. Apricot fruits contain a lot of iron, so it is very useful for people suffering from anemia and anemia.

Apricot contains a lot of magnesium, so it is useful to eat for those who suffer from high blood pressure. It is also rich in calcium, which is necessary for teeth growth and strengthening our bones, so it is advisable to include it in your diet for pregnant women, children, and the elderly.

All these properties are not lost when exposed to high temperatures, so apricot jam is very useful, but you should not get carried away and eat more than 100 grams of delicacy at a time, otherwise problems with weight and dental health will be added to the benefits.

Many people like to eat apricot jam just like that, with tea, or use it as a filling for homemade pies, various pastries, pancakes, and layer cakes. In addition, jam can be added to.

Apricot jam, the benefits and harms of which largely depend on personal taste preferences, retains all its beneficial properties after heat treatment. Another advantage of jam is that it does not spread like others when spread on bread or cake. So it’s a pleasure to have a snack with it before work, as well as to put it on the table for guests for tea.

What are the benefits of apricot jam?

The rich taste of apricot jam is due to the ingredients.

Product contains:

• sugar;
• fruit pectin;
• citric acid;
• apricots.

Apricot jam – benefit or harm?

The benefits of apricot jam for the body lie in its composition. The jam contains the whole range of useful vitamins (A, B, C, E, P, PP), nutrients and microelements. It contains a lot of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and iodine. Apricot jam helps digestion, especially if a person suffers from constipation. A sweet delicacy made from sunny apricots is recommended for those who want to cleanse the intestines of toxins. In addition, the benefits of apricot jam or jam are that it stabilizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, helps strengthen the immune system, relieves arrhythmia and helps in the fight against asthma. Also, thanks to apricot jam, you can cope with colds, reduce your temperature with tea with jam, and get rid of cough. In folk medicine, herbal teas with the addition of apricot jam are prescribed for anemia, to improve blood composition and to prevent atherosclerosis.

Is apricot jam good for everyone?

No. Apricot jam also has several disadvantages. The product does not pose any particular harm, but individual intolerance must be taken into account. Eating jam in jars at a time is, of course, not recommended. This will lead to the development of diabetes. It must be remembered that jam is a source of fast carbohydrates, so an excessive amount of the product affects the figure. Jam can also affect the condition of your teeth. For those who have already been diagnosed with obesity or diabetes, it is better to avoid apricot jam altogether. Sometimes eating apricot jam can cause an allergic reaction. This may be due to a reaction to the composition of the fruit itself. Apricot jam should not be eaten if you have an upset stomach or diarrhea. Jam will only enhance the “effect”.

In general, apricot jam has many more beneficial properties.

What is an apricot, what microelements does it contain, the health benefits and harms of apricots - all these questions concern every person who monitors their diet.

Of course, leading a healthy lifestyle implies, first of all, awareness of the benefits and harms of certain products. Knowing the qualitative characteristics of apricots will help you decide on the main question: is it worth consuming this berry, widely known in domestic latitudes, or not? We will examine this question further in our article.

Description of the apricot tree

Each of us has seen a tree on which an apricot grows. A grayish-brown trunk with many cracks and roughness, many branches with oval leaves, blooming snow-white or slightly pinkish flowers in the warm season - beauty! In place of the flowers, green and then ripe orange oval berries appear, consisting of two parts. Inside the apricot is a seed from which new trees can grow.

Let's talk a little about the history of this berry. Of course, in our country, apricot has been very popular for many years and is used in cooking and especially in the preservation of compotes, jams, and so on. However, the birthplace of the berry is China - in those parts, yellow berries were important components of medicines even two to three thousand years BC.

In the oldest documents of the Ming Dynasty, this fruit is described as a laxative, which additionally suppresses the urge to cough. Skilled doctors of ancient Egypt crushed the seeds of the fruit, and the resulting mixture was given to patients with laryngitis (a disease characterized by loss of voice).

In Ancient Egypt, this fruit was in great demand not only in medicine, but also in cooking and creating cosmetics. Even in those days, the health benefits and harms of apricots were determined by modern doctors, chefs and cosmetics makers. Egyptian cooking masters created recipes for more than six hundred dishes that included apricot. Sweet desserts were often created using this ripe berry.

Egyptian women, who paid great attention to their appearance, probably wanting to get at least a little closer to the immortal beauty of Cleopatra, used apricot milk, which is still in demand among the fair sex.

Armenia became a country that contributed to the spread of this fruit in the Roman and Greek empires. That is why the apricot tree began to be called the “Armenian apple tree”. Further, after the berry spread throughout the Roman and Greek empires, it gained popularity in European latitudes.

The benefits and harms of apricots for the human body

In addition to its pleasant taste, the fruit contains many important compounds and vitamins that are beneficial to the human body. The soft part of the berry contains from five to twenty-seven percent sugar. The fruit is very rich in group B compounds, namely B1, B2, B15, B17, PP and P, as well as keratin (provitamin A).

In addition to vitamins, the berry includes many microelements, such as potassium, phosphorus, nickel, magnesium and many other substances. The content of microelements is invaluable: these substances help strengthen the immune system and improve metabolism and other vital processes. Microelements help the body function properly.

Apricots have an unusual sweetish taste, which is formed due to compounds such as malic, tartaric, citric acids and types of sugar. These acids, together with tannins and pectin, have the most important quality: removing toxic substances and compounds containing harmful cholesterol from the body, the excess of which leads to poor health.

Despite the fact that the composition and main aspects of the health benefits and harms of apricots have been well studied by modern scientists, this berry never ceases to amaze. Thus, the mystery of the influence of some varieties of dried apricots (for example,), which have the property of stopping seizures in children, remains unsolved.

Many experiments were conducted in Canada to determine this. As a result of research, scientists have determined the following: special substances included in the juice of this fruit affect convulsive conditions in children due to the regulation of complex brain structures.

The composition of apricots continues to delight lovers of healthy eating and people on health-improving diets. Along with the high amount of fiber, one orange berry does not contain many calories.

In addition, the berry serves as a haven for provitamin A. By the way, this substance is known for its ability to prevent the occurrence of cancer and diseases of the cardiovascular system.

For iron deficiency anemia, apricot is especially valuable due to the inclusion of iron. The presence of potassium helps improve the functioning of the heart and intestines. The berries are used to improve stool, with a wet cough, to reduce fever and normalize the function of the genitourinary system while taking medications that increase the volume of urine.

It is especially important for children to include these berries in their diet, as they accelerate body growth and strengthen overall immunity.

People suffering from improper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract are often recommended to eat apricots, as they regulate the secretion of the gastric glands, thereby improving the function of the intestines, stomach, pancreas and gall bladder.

Pyelonephritis is also an indication for consuming berries; in addition, they are able to cleanse the body of toxins and harmful compounds. The high content of provitamin A protects a person from the occurrence of cancer of the throat, stomach and other organs.

Who shouldn't eat apricots?

Despite the abundance of healing effects and vitamins that apricot contains, it also has its contraindications. First of all, people suffering from chronic gastritis and gastrointestinal ulcers should limit themselves from eating apricots.

Hypothyroidism and hepatitis are also conditions for which this product should not be consumed. If they are present, keratin is not absorbed by the body, so doctors recommend giving preference to pure compounds, for example, in the form of tablets. The abundance of sugar varieties present a barrier for people suffering from diabetes.

The bone of a berry often takes part in cooking in exactly the same way as the fruit itself, but eating bitter bones can have serious consequences.

The glycoside amygdalin, which gives the bone an unpleasant taste, disintegrates in the intestines and later forms hydrocyanic acid, which has a toxic effect on the body and thereby causes severe poisoning.

Bones with a pleasant taste can be eaten, but not more than 20 g per day.

Recipes with apricot: canning for the winter

Delicious apricot compote

First you need to thoroughly wash the berries and remove the seeds. After this, you need to carefully cut the fruits and place them in clean, cool water before placing them in a jar.

Place the apricot halves firmly in a container using a wooden spoon and pour the sweet syrup at a temperature of up to ninety degrees over them. Create a mixture specifically for pouring with the following calculation: per liter of water, one and a half thousand grams of sugar. There should be enough syrup for about seven jars. Next, you need to start sterilizing the jars (about 17 minutes after the start of boiling), and then cool them.

Apricot jam: recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of fresh fruits;
• 1 kg granulated sugar;
• 250 ml of clean water;
• 5 g pectin;
• 1 tsp tartaric acid.

Wash the berries, peel them, cut them and place them in a solution with the specified acid so that the berries do not lose their attractive appearance (no more than 30 minutes).

Boil the jam for about fifteen minutes and add the rest of the granulated sugar. Boil until a jelly-like mass is obtained, then add a little more acid and, once cooled, pour the jam into containers.

Apricot jelly

Ingredients:

• 2.5 kg of fruits;
• granulated sugar;
• pectin - 6 grams;
• tartaric acid - 1 tsp.

It is necessary to wash, peel and cut the apricots. Then place the berries in an aluminum bowl and completely fill them with water.

Boil the apricots until soft, but avoid overcooking, otherwise the resulting juice will be unappealing. Now you need to strain the juice and leave it for a day. Next, cook it until the liquid is reduced by about half. Add half a kilogram of sugar per liter of juice.

Next, dissolve the pectin and add to the juice. After this, add acid a few minutes before turning off. Pour the resulting mixture onto a plate. If it has acquired the desired consistency, the jelly is ready. Pour the hot liquid into containers; when cool, you can cover them with lids.

Benefits of apricots for older people

It is especially useful for older people to eat berries with seeds, such as plums, apricots, etc. Eating dried berries, for example, apricots (dried fruit with a seed), is very important, since the berry is characterized by an abundance of potassium.

This trace element is important for the prevention of heart disease, kidney disease, swelling of the limbs and cough. Angina pectoris, arrhythmia and post-infarction state are indications for the use of this product, which has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system.

Berries, especially dried representatives, are storehouses of alpha and beta keratin, which have antioxidant effects. As a result of the functioning of alpha and beta kerotene, cell security increases. Apricots have phosphorus, iron and vitamins such as B1, B2, PP, C.

However, older people with diabetes need to limit their consumption of apricots due to their high sucrose content - we will tell you more about contraindications later in our article.

Apricot kernels - benefits and harms

Orange berries have seeds inside, which do not differ in particular taste. However, the oil content allows the fruit to be used as a medicine.

The roasted internal components of the seeds are distinguished by their taste and satiety. Some types of apricots contain large kernels, so they are often used as a substitute for almonds. Other types have a sweetish taste.

The oil obtained from the inside of the seed includes vitamins C, A and many acids and phospholipids. Bones are able to fight the occurrence of malignant neoplasms. In cooking, yoghurts, ice cream, icing and other desserts are prepared from the seeds.

The kernels of the seeds can fight helminthiasis, and brewed tea helps prevent diseases of the cardiovascular system. A person should consume no more than 20 kernels per day. Eating more than forty parts is fraught with consequences such as food poisoning.

Research by scientists who examined the issue of the benefits and harms of apricot kernels led to the following most important conclusions: the sweetish-tasting kernels can be eaten without any doubt in moderation, but the bitter components are dangerous to health.

Bitter kernels contain special poisons that cause severe poisoning during decay in the intestines. Thus, the acid that is formed as a result of decay has a toxic property.

Diseases that can be treated with apricots

Even one hundred grams of orange fruits can significantly improve the process of creating blood, along with 250 grams of pig liver, in this regard, iron deficiency anemia is a reason to eat the berries. Dried apricots are also used to prevent heart disease; in addition, it is useful for pregnant women. Dried apricots, unlike fresh apricots, have a high calorie content, many vitamins and organic acids.

The dried fruit has proven itself to be an excellent remedy in the fight against stool disorders, which is why eating dried apricots in its pure form or creating various porridges, decoctions and other mixtures is actively used for stool problems.

It is thanks to this property that dried apricots are often an important element in the diet of older people, whose specific age often leads to disruption of the normal excretory function of the intestines.

Consequently, pregnancy, anemia, diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal diseases - all this is a reason to add this wonderful fruit to your diet.

Recipes for better health

Here are some types of recipes for preparing dried apricots and fresh fruits:

• Dried apricots for vascular atherosclerosis. Porridge recipe. Grind one hundred and fifty grams of dried apricot in a meat grinder and mix with honey. Eat the mixture twice a day for a month (20 g).
• Dried apricot porridge to cleanse the body. Using a meat grinder, grind the dried apricot and plum; you can sprinkle walnuts on top and add a little honey. Place the mixture in the refrigerator and use it twice a day for thirty days.
• A decoction to improve intestinal function. Boil two hundred grams of fruits, then strain the resulting mixture. Drink 150 milliliters in the morning, lunch and evening.
• Recipe for tincture for bruises. Cut 2 kg of fruits and mix the pieces with prepared cloves, cinnamon and pour the mixture with vodka. Let it brew for a month, strain, and apply the resulting liquid to painful areas.
• Hypertension and irregular bowel movements. You need to place two hundred grams of dried apricots on a baking sheet and pour a liter of boiling water on top. Leave the wrapped mixture for ten hours, and then start filtering. Drink the mixture three times a day.
• Infusion for heart disease. Let us again touch upon the issue of the benefits and harms of apricot kernels. Pour 15 grams of bones with water brought to a boil and leave the mixture for two hours. Take one hundred milliliters three times a day.
• Apricot juice to reduce stomach acidity. Fifty milliliters of fruit juice should be taken in the morning and at lunch to increase gastric secretion.

Characteristics of the apricot diet

Apricot allows you to lose weight without difficulties and unnecessary restrictions. Since this berry is not only pleasant to taste, healthy for the body and at the same time low in calories, it allows you to lose up to 4 kg of excess weight in just 4 days.

That is why this berry is a godsend not only for those “losing weight,” but also for people suffering from various dysfunctions of the stomach and intestines, for example, frequent constipation. By the way, a mixture of dried plums and apricots has an excellent effect on the excretory function of the intestines.

The apricot diet can last up to five days. Its essence is very simple: per day there should be more apricots in the food list than other products. Apricot smoothies, juice, purees, salads - all this can be included in the list of permitted dishes. Meals should be frequent, but not too heavy.

It is better to drink water some time before meals or 1.5 hours after. Suitable drinks include juice, compotes, and mineral water. Compote made from this berry should not contain sugar - otherwise the effectiveness of the diet will be significantly reduced. There is a simpler diet that involves eating mainly dried apricots, which have a lot of useful substances.

The presence of iron and potassium makes dried apricots especially valuable not only for people suffering from diseases of the heart muscle, but also for people who are losing weight, seeking to normalize not only their diet, but also their health. But we must not forget about preventing the occurrence of diseases.

Description of the apricot diet

Prepare one and a half kilograms of apricots. This amount must be divided into specific portions and consumed throughout the day. You should not increase the total portion, as the intestines may react negatively to excessive amounts of berries. In addition, consuming too many berries is also unlikely to reduce calories, so your weight will remain the same. You should not think that you need to eat apricots unchanged: preparing any dishes is quite acceptable, and it will also add variety to your diet.

In addition to effective weight loss, this diet guarantees cleansing of the human body from toxins and normalization of the functioning of internal organs. In this regard, cleaning can be carried out no more than once every 30 days. However, you should not increase your diet - then the body will get tired, and if there are contraindications typical for eating apricots (which are listed above in the article), this diet may not have a positive effect on health, but, on the contrary, cause harm to it.

Thus, contraindications include gastritis, including with increased secretion of gastric acid, and gastrointestinal ulcers. Intestinal obstruction is also a contraindication for eating berries.

The presence of diabetes mellitus in the anamnesis is a limitation, since the fetus is characterized by a high content of sucrose, which is contraindicated in these patients. Therefore, the issue of inclusion in the specified diet regime should be discussed in consultation with a doctor to avoid negative consequences for your body.

Vitamins

Vitamins	Quantity	Norm
Vitamin A	267 mcg	900 mcg
beta carotene	1.6 mg	5 mg
Vitamin B1	0.03 mg	1.5 mg
Vitamin B2	0.06 mg	1.8 mg
Vitamin B4	2.8 mg	500 mg
Vitamin B5	0.3 mg	5 mg
Vitamin B6	0.05 mg	2 mg
Vitamin B9	3 mcg	400 mcg
Vitamin C	10 mg	90 mg
Vitamin E	1.1 mg	15 mg
Vitamin H	0.27 mcg	50 mcg

At the end of August and beginning of September, a sunny fruit - apricot - appears on the shelves. Tender, juicy, aromatic - few people will be indifferent to it. In addition to its excellent taste, apricot is rich in vitamins and microelements, pectin and fiber.

Is this a fruit or a berry?

Apricot belongs to the Plum genus of the Rosaceae family. Moreover, this name hides the name of the tree and the fruit it produces. The homeland of the apricot has not been precisely established; China (more precisely, the Tien Shan region) and Armenia claim this title. From there it came to Europe, and from Europe at the end of the 17th century to Russia.

Recently, scientists are inclined to believe that the apricot originally appeared in China. However, Armenia gave the name that exists today to the fruit. “Apricot” is translated as “Armenian apple”. Today, apricots grow in warm and temperate climates in many countries around the world.

The apricot tree is a true long-liver and can live for a century. This is largely due to the fact that the fairly compact tree tolerates drought well (it has powerful and long roots to extract moisture from deep layers of soil) and frost down to -30 degrees.

Fruits are formed on the tree, covered with a delicate, slightly rough skin, with juicy pulp and a drupe inside. The fruits are eaten; they can be eaten fresh or used to prepare various dishes. Drupes and leaves in some cases can also become the basis of food or drinks, oils.

Based on the fact that apricot has a pit and is relatively small in size, it is sometimes called a berry. However, this is not true. If you delve deeper into the botanical terminology, it turns out that apricots are fruits belonging to the monodrupe type.

Varieties

Despite the variety of varieties, they are all divided into 2 large groups - wild and cultivated. The latter are grown by gardeners and sold in markets and stores. However, the fruits of wild apricots are in no way inferior to their cultivated counterparts in taste and benefits; they are also suitable for eating fresh or for use in cooking, the only thing is that they are not easy to find. The habitat is the mountains of Northern Asia, China, Kazakhstan and the Caucasus.

Depending on the variety, the taste and external characteristics of the fruit and its sugar content differ. In Russia, 54 species of cultivated apricots are known and included in the State Register. If we talk about imported products, they use their own variety names.

Among the most famous are “Iceberg” - a universal variety characterized by great sweetness and juiciness of the fruit. You can prepare various dishes from them, but jellies, jams, and jams are especially successful due to the increased amount of pectin in the composition.

If you taste the “Akademik” variety, you should be prepared for the fact that its pulp will crunch a little. Moreover, this is not a sign of immaturity. The fruits are large and taste sweet and sour.

The Alyosha apricot has similar taste characteristics. However, unlike the previous variety, its fruits are not large, but the seed is quite large.

Fans of sweet and sour apricots can also recommend the varieties “Aquarius” (it is not intended for storage), “Gritikaz” (if you grow it yourself, you should be prepared for the vagaries of caring for this variety), and “Zhemchuzhina Zhiguli”.

Sweet and juicy fruits are “East Siberian” (an early-ripening variety that ripens by mid-July), “Countess” (differing in the difficulty of growing and depending on weather conditions). Juicy apricots are ideal for canning them in their own juice, making nectars and compotes.

However, for these purposes there are also special varieties - “Kompotny” (sweet and sour apricots). The sweet and sour, very juicy variety with a pronounced aroma “Red-cheeked” is also recommended for these purposes.

To prepare dried apricots or candied fruits, it is better to use the “Mountain Abakan” variety. The fruits have medium juiciness and a sweet and sour taste, and are quite large. The “Musa” variety with a pronounced sour taste and mealy, fibrous pulp is also suitable for this. Another variety for harvesting dried fruits is “Khonobach”. The fruits cannot boast of great visual appeal, but they break records for their vitamin C content.

If you want to surprise guests and household members with unusual-looking apricots, choose “Kuban Black”. The fruits have dark purple skin (some resemble plums) and the familiar orange flesh. The variety demonstrates juicy sweet and sour pulp and versatility of use.

“Black Velvet” has a similar appearance, and apricots emit a dizzying sweetish aroma and they also taste sweet. The variety is considered universal, but it is better to serve the fruits as a dessert.

For fresh consumption, we can recommend Lel apricots, which are considered to have the best taste. Their taste demonstrates an amazing harmony of sweetness and light sourness, juiciness, and tenderness of the pulp. Along with this variety, “Favorit” is usually distinguished, which is also characterized by good keeping quality.

Apricots “Tamasha” and “Surprise” are distinguished by their high transportability. The former are medium-sized sweet and sour fruits, while the latter are large apricots weighing about 40 g/1 piece.

It is not always possible to find out the variety of apricots from the seller; in this case, you should be guided by their appearance. If you are going to eat the fruits fresh, choose large and medium ones, elongated in shape and rich yellow in color. Sweet and sour varieties with pink, peach, and red spots on the sides of the fruit are suitable for preservation.

Small yellow apricots usually have a bitter taste and are good to combine with meat in the form of side dishes and sauces.

Calorie content and composition

Apricot has a nutritional value of 48 kcal per 100 g of product. The ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates looks like 11/3/86 (%).

It contains a lot of acids (malic, tartaric, citric), insulin, involved in hematopoiesis, as well as sugars and starch. Tannins, dietary fiber and pectin are also present. Iodine, silver, magnesium, phosphorus, iron - all this can also be found in apricot. Vitamins include ascorbic acid, A, E, H, P, as well as B vitamins (mainly B6).

The bright orange hue of the skin and pulp indicates a high content of beta-carotene. This provitamin is also found in carrots, but in apricots it is present in much larger quantities.

Apricot can also be called a champion in terms of potassium content. There is 3 times more of it in this fruit than in grapes. Armenian varieties have a high iodine content, which means their regular consumption can prevent thyroid diseases.

Beneficial features

Apricot is characterized by decongestant and antitoxic (removes salts of heavy metals), as well as a delicate diuretic and laxative effect.

It is able to activate the brain and improve memory, and is characterized by a restorative effect. In this regard, apricot is recommended during intellectual stress and is included in the diet of cancer patients. Experts recommend including this fruit in your child’s menu, as it is an immunostimulant that also improves brain function and increases concentration.

Rich in vitamins, primarily ascorbic acid, apricot strengthens the immune system and increases its resistance to viral and colds. During the period of seasonal acute respiratory viral infections and spring vitamin deficiency, it is recommended to regularly eat fresh or frozen fruits and drink tea based on apricot tree leaves.

If a cold is accompanied by a dry cough, you can also eat apricots or drink decoctions based on them, since the fruit helps remove mucus from the bronchi.

If you have hypertension, you can normalize your blood pressure by eating dried fruits. A decoction of apricot leaves removes toxins and poisons from the body, therefore it is recommended for those who work in hazardous industries or deal with lubricants and paints. In addition, it has a diuretic effect, relieves intestinal disorders and helminthiasis.

Apricot, rich in iron and potassium, is beneficial for anemia. It helps increase hemoglobin, which, in turn, allows the blood to better saturate tissues and organs with oxygen. Not only fresh fruit is useful, but also dried dried apricots.

The bark of the apricot tree also has benefits, the effect of which is similar to that of the medicine Piracetam. A decoction of the bark calms the nervous system, heart muscle, and relieves headaches. The bark has the ability to improve the functioning of blood vessels and increase their elasticity.

Apricot juice has the same properties as the whole fruit, but is better absorbed because it contains less fiber. It perfectly quenches thirst and gives a feeling of fullness. Rich in iron and ascorbic acid, carotene, it is recommended for children and pregnancy. Apricot juice helps to cope with swelling, as it removes excess fluid from the body. Finally, the drink will relieve the feeling of bloating, heartburn, and colitis.

You can eat the seed kernels, but little by little. This is due to the presence of amygdalin in them. Once in the digestive organs, it turns into hydrocyanic acid. In large quantities it can cause poisoning, but in small doses it is considered a natural and safe anti-cancer agent. The nucleoli are also an anthelmintic. The permissible dosage for an adult is no more than 15 per day.

It is better to start using them with a couple of kernels per day, gradually increasing the dosage provided there is no negative reaction from the body.

The fruit, rich in vitamins and microelements, is beneficial for pregnant women. In addition, it has a mild laxative effect, which is important in the early stages of pregnancy, when constipation often appears.

You can eat apricots while breastfeeding, but only if it does not have negative consequences for the baby's health. If your baby suffers from constipation, apricot will be useful and will help empty the intestines. However, the fruit can cause colic, and due to the high sugar content, diathesis.

Contraindications

First of all, you should avoid consuming apricots if you are allergic to it or have an individual intolerance. As a rule, this is manifested by stomach pain, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. Sometimes there is a skin rash and irritation.

Despite their relatively low calorie content, apricots cannot be called a dietary product. Obese people and those suffering from diabetes should use them with caution due to the high sugar content.

As already mentioned, apricots have a beneficial effect on the intestines, but they should not be eaten during gastritis, in the presence of ulcers and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the urinary system. Fruits contain a large amount of acids that irritate already inflamed tissues.

Due to their ability to lower blood pressure, people suffering from severe hypotension and slow heartbeat should not eat ripe fruits in large quantities.

Due to their high acid content, apricots and their juice are not recommended to be consumed on an empty stomach. Otherwise, you can provoke spasms. It is important to eat ripe fruits as green ones can cause diarrhea. Excessive consumption of both fruits and kernels will also cause harm. It is enough for an adult to eat 20-30 fruits daily, for children - 10-15.

Cooking methods

Apricots are widely used in cooking. You can make jams and compotes from them, and thanks to the high content of pectins, the fruit produces delicious jams and jams that do not require additional thickeners in the composition.

You can pickle whole apricots, halves or slices, using sweet syrups or the fruit's own juice. The latter, by the way, turns out to be very thick and rich. It can also be canned or served immediately after preparation. Apricots are preserved for the winter by preparing compotes, jams, pastes and preserves.

Fruits are added to salads, not only fruit, but also vegetable and meat. In combination with honey and lemon juice, apricot in salads makes the taste of the latter more piquant and emphasizes the tenderness of the meat. It goes well with tomatoes, sweet peppers, and walnuts.

If we talk about fruit salads, then in addition to apricots, you can put bananas, cherries, apples, oranges, and strawberries in them.

Apricots can become one of the components of sauces for meat. For example, the author’s recipe for the famous Georgian tkemali sauce involves replacing part of the plums needed for its preparation with apricots.

Frozen, fresh or canned apricot can be baked with meat dishes, added to baked goods, dumplings. The fruit combines harmoniously with almost all types of dough - curd, yeast, shortbread, puff pastry.

The fruit, as well as its leaves, serve as the basis for many drinks - tea, juices, nectars, compotes, smoothies, cocktails, jelly. They are collected and dried in a dry, well-ventilated place, after which they are stored in a fabric bag or paper bag for no more than a year.

Jam

Despite the fact that many nutritional components are lost when cooking jam, with the right approach, apricot jam will contain vitamins A and C, iron, potassium, and magnesium. The main thing is to choose recipes without excessive sugar content and not to subject the fruit to prolonged cooking.

Seedless

This recipe can be called classic (based on it, adding other ingredients and spices, you can get all new types of jam) and very simple. All you need is fresh apricots and granulated sugar, taken in equal proportions.

For jam, select ripe, undamaged and rotten fruits and wash them. Next, the fruit is divided into halves, the pit is removed, and the remaining part is laid out in a single layer in a basin. Sugar is poured on top of the apricots, followed by another layer of fruit and sugar, etc.

Fruits with sugar should be left for 5-8 hours (overnight is possible) to form juice. This jam is prepared according to the “five-minute” principle. The basin must be put on the fire, brought to a boil and held for another 5 minutes, then removed from the heat. Let stand for 24 hours.

There should be 3 such “five minutes”, that is, it will take 3 days to make the jam.

After the last “five minutes”, the jam is poured hot into prepared sterile jars and rolled up with lids.

With bones

A special feature of the dish is its ability to be stored for several years. For 1 kg of fruit you will need 600 g of granulated sugar and 300-400 ml of water.

Apricots need to be sorted, washed and dried a little. Make a syrup from sugar and water and pour it over the apricots, then simmer for a quarter of an hour. After removing the future jam from the heat, you need to cool it for a couple of hours, and then return it to the heat and simmer until it thickens. Pour into sterile jars.

From oranges and currants

Apricot jam with the addition of oranges and currants will become not only an unusual dessert, but also a real “killer” remedy against colds, since each of its components contains a large amount of vitamin C.

To prepare it you need:

• 1.5 kg of fresh apricots;
• 2 oranges;
• 250 g red currants;
• gelatin packaging;
• 2 kg sugar.

Prepare the apricots (sort, wash, remove the drupes, cut into halves), put the zest and peeled slices of 1 orange in a basin and cover with sugar. Let it cook for 1 hour, and then add gelatin diluted according to the instructions. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes. After the specified time, you need to put the currants, peeled from stalks and branches, into the jam and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully, so as not to damage the integrity of the fruit, transfer to sterile jars.

With peanuts

Adding nuts makes the taste of apricot jam even more authentic and piquant. At the same time, its preparation does not require much time and effort. Compound:

• 2 kg apricots;
• 5-6 glasses of sugar;
• 150 g peeled peanuts;
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice.

Prepare apricots as described in the previous recipe. If the peanuts have skins, they need to be removed. It is easier to do this by pouring boiling water over the nuts and leaving them in the water for a quarter of an hour. After this, drain the water and peel the peel.

Add apricots, lemon juice and peanuts, add sugar and leave for 3 hours. Then bring to a boil and simmer for another half hour, skimming off the foam. Pour into jars.

Due to the high sugar content in fruits, apricots can be cooked without adding granulated sugar. The resulting dish will be less caloric. Prepared apricots need to be placed in a basin and filled with a small amount of water so that they do not burn (about half a glass of water is required for 1 kg of apricots). You need to cook the fruits for about 20-30 minutes until they acquire a uniform consistency of puree with pieces. After this, remove the foam and pour into jars.

Compote

You need to prepare compote from ripe apricots that have retained their density. Their skin should not have cracks or damage. If you use damaged or overripe fruits, the compote will turn out cloudy.

The simplest recipe, according to which even an inexperienced housewife will get a delicious drink, is the following. To prepare it you will need 800 g of apricots, 200 g of sugar and 2.5 liters of water.

Prepare the apricots by washing and dividing into pitted halves, placing in pre-sterilized jars and adding boiled water. After 15 minutes, pour the water from the cans into a saucepan and, adding sugar there, prepare the syrup. Pour this hot syrup over the fruits again and seal the jars with lids.

Apricot compote with rum

Ingredients:

• 3 kg of dense apricots;
• 1 kg sugar;
• 1.5 liters of water
• rum or cognac to taste (usually a tablespoon per liter of drink is enough).

Dip the washed fruits into boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then immediately pour over ice. This type of blanching allows you to remove the skin, which is what needs to be done. Then the apricots are cut into halves, and the pit is separated from the pulp.

Place the resulting pulp in sterile jars and fill with syrup, pre-cooked from water and sugar. The syrup should be hot, almost boiling. Lastly, just before seaming, add alcohol and seal the containers with compote.

Jam

Apricot jam fully preserves the taste and aroma of the fruit, although, of course, some of the beneficial components are destroyed during heat treatment. The finished jam can be served as an independent dessert, or added to cottage cheese and pancakes in baked goods.

To make jam you will need 2 kg of apricots, 1.5 kg of granulated sugar and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. For jam, you should take only ripe and even slightly overripe fruits. They need to be peeled, the seeds removed and cut into halves, then covered with sugar and left in this form for 5 hours.

After the specified time, stir the mixture, add lemon juice and put on fire for a quarter of an hour. During this time, the fruits will become soft; they will need to be pureed using a blender.

After this, you need to cook the jam, stirring it constantly for an hour and a half until it thickens. You can check readiness by dropping jam onto a plate. When cooling, it should not spread. Place the finished jam into sterilized jars and close with a lid.

Apricot jam can also be prepared in a slow cooker by taking equal amounts of fruit and sugar. The washed fruits are cut in half, the seeds are removed and placed in a multicooker bowl and covered with sugar. They should be left in this form for 3-4 hours until the apricots release their juice.

As soon as there is enough of this liquid, you need to start the “Baking” mode by setting the timer for 60 minutes. It is better not to close the lid or open it periodically to stir the brew and remove the foam.

At the end of the program, cool the jam completely, then repeat the procedure (boil for an hour, cool). Finally, make a third hour-long “run,” then transfer the hot jam into prepared jars.

If you like a more homogeneous consistency, then after the first cooking you need to punch the mixture with a blender or grind through a sieve.

Urbech

Urbech is a pasta that is a national Dagestan dish. The raw materials for its preparation can be peanuts, pumpkin seeds, as well as walnuts and poppy seeds. You can prepare it from ground apricot kernels. The result is a nutritious paste that can quickly restore strength. The high content of oils, iron, and calcium makes urbech a useful product for vegetarians, who cannot always obtain these substances in the required quantities from foods of plant origin.

Urbech helps improve digestion, relieves constipation, and normalizes metabolism. In addition, taking the paste is a prevention of helminthiasis. The product has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Since urbech is prepared using ground kernels and honey, it is quite high in calories. People suffering from obesity and anyone watching their figure should reduce the dosage of the paste. You should not eat Urbech if you are allergic to bee products and honey.

Finally, uncontrolled eating of pasta can cause diarrhea and attacks of nausea. Daily dosage – 2 tablespoons for adults, 1 – for children.

The paste can be spread on toast, added to cereals and baked goods, and salads.

Not the whole bone is used, but the nucleolus extracted from it. It's easier to buy them ready-made. In Dagestan, these kernels are ground with special millstones. At home, you will have to grind them with a pestle until an oily paste appears. This process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. You can also find ready-made ground apricot kernels on sale, usually called “urbech”. An important point is that the composition should not contain other additives.

Based on ground apricot kernels, you can prepare a delicate creamy paste. It consists of the mentioned ground product, honey and butter. All ingredients are taken in equal quantities and mixed thoroughly. Then put on low heat and bring to a boil, but do not boil. Mix again and cool. Urbech is ready to eat, it has a silky texture and a soft, slightly sweet taste with a creamy aftertaste.

Juice

Apricot juice can be prepared for future use by storing it in jars. This will require 1 kg of fruit and 270 g of sugar. Wash the fruits, remove the seeds, pour a glass of water into the resulting halves and put on fire. You need to simmer the apricots until they turn into puree. After this, the mixture must be strained and squeezed through 3-4 layers of gauze.

At this time, take a couple of kernels and dip them in hot water for a minute. Remove, add to the resulting apricot nectar, add sugar and cook over low heat until boiling.

After this, extract the kernels and pour the juice into jars. Place them in tall saucepans and pour hot water into them and put them on the fire. Sterilize in this form for 20 minutes, then roll up the lids.

Juice should be prepared from juicy ripe and slightly overripe fruits. Green ones, of course, can also be boiled to a puree, but they will not be as juicy. In addition, they will take longer to cook, which means that all the vitamins will be irreversibly destroyed.

If you do not intend to store the juice, you can prepare fresh apricot juice. To do this, the fruit halves should be crushed in a blender. Set aside 1-2 tablespoons of this mixture in a separate bowl, and pass the rest through a juicer or squeeze through gauze folded in several layers.

Add the reserved apricot puree to the resulting juice and stir. You can also add orange juice and a couple of drops of lemon juice. An interesting drink is obtained if you add a few crushed bananas and strawberries to an apricot drink.

If the juice seems too thick or concentrated, you can add boiled water to taste.

How to select and store?

You can select ripe fruits by evaluating them according to the following criteria.

Color

A ripe apricot has an orange-yellow hue, while an unripe one has green colors and inclusions. A tasty and ripe fruit should not be wrinkled or have black spots or spots.

Peel

Pleasant to the touch, slightly rough skin is one of the signs of fruit ripeness. If it is hard and dense, the apricot is not ripe. The skin should not have cracks or damage. Too thin skin indicates that the fruits were picked half-green, and they ripened during transportation. The pulp of such apricots will be dry.

Aroma

Even from a distance you can feel the pronounced sweet aroma of apricots, while most unripe fruits have no smell or emit an unnaturally cloying odor.

Pulp

The sweet fruit has tender pulp in which fibers are not felt. If you try an unripe one, the fibers will be felt, the flesh will be hard, and sometimes even crunchy. The ripe fruit is easy to divide into two halves, and the seed easily separates from the pulp.

Taste

Regardless of the variety, an apricot that has reached technical maturity will be juicy and sweet. If it has a bitter taste, the fruits have not reached maturity.

As a rule, apricots reach technical ripeness by the second half of July-early August. At the same time they have maximum benefit.

Usually, apricots are picked from the branches slightly unripe, and they finally ripen on store shelves or in customers’ homes. In this regard, some rules for storing the fruit should be observed:

• When storing them, you do not need to wash the apricots. Water will wash away the protective pollen, which will cause the fruit to rot. You cannot store spoiled fruit with the rest, as the latter will also begin to rot quickly.
• Apricots should be stored in one row. If there is not enough space, then you can stack several rows on top of each other, but then each layer should be lined with paper.
• Apricots can be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for up to 10 days. However, under these conditions, maturation occurs more slowly.

You can also store fruits in a dry kitchen cabinet; here they will ripen faster, but the shelf life will also be reduced to 5-7 days.

If longer storage is necessary, you can freeze the apricots by first cutting them in half and removing the pit. The halves then need to be laid out on a tray or board in one row and placed in the freezer for 30-40 minutes. After hardening, the halves are put into bags, the air is released from them and tied. You can then freeze the next batch by placing it again on the tray. Such preparations can be stored for up to 9 months.

You can dry apricots, turning them into dried apricots, or make marshmallows or candied fruits from them. If you remove only the seed from a whole fruit before drying, the result of drying will be kaisa. If you divide it in half, remove the pit and dry it - dried apricots. Leaving the pit and drying the apricot will give you an apricot. And having slightly withered large southern fruits - sheptal with a high sugar content.

To obtain high-quality dried fruits, it is better to take fruits of medium juiciness, somewhat overripe (but without black spots). It is recommended to dry at a temperature of 50-70 degrees with the oven door slightly open, gradually increasing the temperature.

It is better to first dry the fruits in the shade, then in the sun, and only then put them in the oven. Evidence of the readiness of dried fruits is that when pressed they do not release juice.

Liqueurs and wines are also prepared from the fruits, and the seeds are used to make alcoholic tinctures. The inner kernel contains nutritious oil, and if you crush it and mix it with honey, you get urbech.

If you bought unripe apricots, pack them in a paper bag so as to limit the air ingress. Leave the bag of fruit indoors, away from moisture and direct sunlight. In just 2-3 days you will be able to enjoy ripe fruits.

To learn about the benefits and harm apricot can bring, watch the following video.