Fruit - Apricot

Apricot

Principle	Nutrient Value(100g)	Percentage of RDA
Vitamins
Folates	9 µg	2%
Niacin	0.600 mg	4%
Pantothenic acid	0.240 mg	5%
Pyridoxine	0.054 mg	5%
Riboflavin	0.040 mg	3%
Thiamin	0.030 mg	2.5%
Vitamin A	1926 IU	64%
Vitamin C	10 mg	16%
Vitamin E	0 mg	0%
Vitamin K	3.3 µg	3%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	259 mg	5.5%
Minerals
Calcium	13 mg	1.3%
Copper
Iron	0.39 mg	5%
Magnesium	10 mg	2.5%
Manganese	0.077 mg	3%
Phosphorus	23 mg	3%
Zinc	0.2 mg	2%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-α	19 µg	--
Carotene--ß	1094 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	104 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	89 µg	--
Nutrition Facts
Energy	50 Kcal	2.5%
Carbohydrates	11 g	8.5%
Protein	1.4 g	2.5%
Total Fat	0.4 g	1%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	2 g	5%

1. Fever:Dried apricots help to reduce fever. Prepare a liquid or you can dilute with some honey using water. This can also give you relief from thirst.
2. Pregnancy:Dried apricot has been used as herbal medicine since long in pregnancy. This can cure infertility, hemorrhage and spasms. The paste of this dried fruit can cure vaginal infections. This must be consumed moderately by pregnant and lactating mothers. During pregnancy, dried apricot fruits serve as excellent snacks instead of eating sweets and other snacks.
3. Improves Haemoglobin:Dried apricots can be used for production of haemoglobin that can treat anaemia. This is because dried apricots contain minerals like iron and copper which produces haemoglobin.
4. Lung and oral cavity cancers:Apricots are excellent sources of vitamin-A, and carotenes. 100 g fresh fruits have 1926 IU or 64% of daily-required levels of vitamin A. Both compounds are known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin-A is also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in carotenes helps protect the body from lung and oral cavity cancers.
5. Relief from Asthma:ried apricots’ health benefits also include the ability to cure the symptoms of tuberculosis, asthma and bronchitis.
6. Controls Blood Pressure:Dried apricots contain three times more potassium than bananas and contain only a trace of salt that helps to keep down blood pressure. Potassium has water-retaining properties than sodium, which lowers blood volume pressure.
7. Saves your eyesight:Further, zea-xanthin, a carotenoid selectively absorbed into the retinal "macula lutea" in the eyes where it is thought to provide anti-oxidant and protective light-filtering functions. Thus, consumption of fruits like apricots rich in zea-xanthin helps eyes protect from age-related macular disease (AMRD), especially in the elderly people.
   Dried apricots contain nutrients like Vitamin A which is required for good vision. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant that helps to remove free radicals and maintain the health of cells and tissues. Free radical damage can cause injury to the human eye lenses which can lead to cataracts or damage the eyes. Dried apricot intake reduces the risk of developing cataracts.
8. Blood Clotting:Dried apricots contain Vitamin K that is required for blood clotting in case of injuries and to prevent excessive bleeding. Consume a cup of dried apricots daily to get 4 mcg of Vitamin K.
9. Shields against Alzeimer's:
10. Heart Disease:Dried apricots provide a very good source of potassium. Potassium is a mineral and electrolyte which is useful to regulate proper fluid balance. This helps in proper muscle function and regulates the heartbeat. Potassium in dried apricots also protects against heart disease.
    Fresh fruits are low in calories, composing just 50 calories per 100 g weight. Nonetheless, they are rich source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The fruits are enriched with numerous health promoting phyto-chemicals; that helps prevent heart disease, reduce LDL, ("bad cholesterol") levels and offer protection against cancers.
11. Improves Immune System:Fresh fruits contain vitamin-C, another natural anti-oxidant. Vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
12. Contipation and Digestion:Dried apricots have pectin. They also contain cellulose that is a mild laxative and treats constipation. Cellulose acts as an insoluble fiber and pectin maintains water levels in the body during constipation.
    Dried apricots are consumed before a meal to stimulate digestion. This contains the alkali that neutralizes acids.
    Dried apricots help to treat the digestive tract by acting as a mild laxative to flush out the unwanted wastes. This is useful to react with the body’s digestive juices and produces more of an alkaline environment to clean the digestive tract.
13. Arthritis:Arthritis which has become a common problem for the old age people affects joints and makes them inflammed. Apricot seeds helps to control the symptoms associated by arthritis. It works as an anti-inflammatory and gives relief from the pain.
14. Relieves stress and pain:Using a good massaging oil like apricot seed oil will helps to relieve pain and stress which is another benefit of it. It penetrates into the skin quickly which is known as the nature of a massaging oil.

1. Skin:
   1. Skin Problems:Dried apricots juice can be used to treat itching due to sunburn, eczema and scabies. This also helps to clear acne and many other skin problems. Apricot scrub is often used to exfoliate the skin.
   2. Skin Glow:Dried apricot oil is very useful for skin care. This can make your skin glowing and smooth. This is also a good remedy to cure sore ears.
   3. Moisturizer:The nature of apricot seed oil is non greasy and gentle. So with out no doubts one can apply it directly on their skin to make it moisturizer and rehydrated, it is also suggested for the oil skin and combination skin beauties. Use it particularly in the dry skin areas such as feet, hands, knees and elbows to get that extra smoothing effect. As it is very light you can also use it as a serum to the face.
   4. Scrub with seeds:For the instant smooth and glowing skin apricot seed oil helps you very well. Just mix a tablespoon of apricot seed oil with half a tablespoon of sugar and massage it on your face similar to your general scrub. It will takes away the dead skin cells and gives you refreshing radiant skin. Make sure to do it gently rather than making it in a harsh manner.
2. Hair:
   1. Healty Hair:Due to the heavy usage of bleaching and chemical products one could notice the loss of shine in their hair to treat such conditions apricot seed oil is one of the best remedies you can work with. Combine apricot seed oil with some other oils like olive oil, amla oil or general coconut oil and massage it on your head for few minutes. This is also a working treatment to cure flaky and dry scalp.
3. Slows aging process:

1. Mouth and Throat Reaction:birch-apple syndrome with symptoms generally appearing within 5-15 min after consuming raw apple and comprising local reactions in the mouth and throat with itching and inflammation. People who react to this allergen can tolerate cooked apple and juices.
2. #:

1. Selection:Buy fresh, well ripe fruits that feature uniform golden-orange color and rich aroma. Avoid those with pale yellow color as they were picked too soon. Ripened apricots are delicate and should be handled with care.
2. Storing:Store them in the refrigerator in an egg tray set at high relative humidity. Use them as early as possible.
3. Serving:Wash fresh fruits gently in cold water and pat dry in soft cloth. Ripe ones can be eaten as a whole including skin to get the maximum benefits.
4. Safety:Dried apricots are often treated with sulfites to extend their shelf life by preventing oxidation and bleaching of colors, as in the case of other dried fruits like figs. Sulfite treated bright orange-colored fruits can cause acute bronchospasm in sensitized people who are suffering from asthma episodes. Therefore, sulfite sensitive persons can instead safely use unsulfured dried fruits that have brown color.