Dried apricots useful properties

Dried apricots are dried pitted apricots that retain in themselves all the biologically active substances necessary for man, moreover in concentrated form.

Apricot ordinary( Armeniaca vulgaris Lam.) is a large tree 8-15 meters tall with a grayish-brown bark of the Rosaceae family. In the axils of the leaf kidneys are sitting in groups. The flowers are pink or white, almost sessile. Begins to bear fruit from three to five years. Fruit is a rounded drupe from pale yellow to orange. The pulp is juicy, sweet, fragrant. The stone easily separates from the pulp.

Homeland of apricot common - China, in this country it was known for 3 thousand years before our era. In the wild it occurs in the mountains of the Tien Shan. Apricot is cultivated in Central Asia, in the south of Ukraine, in the Krasnodar Territory, in the Crimea, the Caucasus, and the Far East. In Greece and Rome, it was brought through Armenia, for which he received the name "Armenian apple".

In the flesh of apricot fruits contains up to 27% sucrose, organic acids, pectin, starch, mineral salts, tannins, vitamins C, PP, provitamins A, B, B, B, a large amount of potassium and iron. The kernels of apricot kernels contain about 28% protein, as well as 50% oil, they have a large amount of vitamin B, as well as glucoside amygdalin, in bitter sorts it is more than 8%, and amygdalin in the body decomposes and secures hydrocyanic acid.

Caloric value of

The nutritional value of dried fruit is determined in the following proportions: carbohydrates contain 60.7 g, proteins - 4.8 g, fats - 0.5 g per 100 g of product. The caloric content of dried apricots is 215-260 kcal. Glycemic index 30.
Nutritional value
Saturated fatty acids 0.1 g
Ash 4 g
Starch 3 g
Mono and disaccharides 48 g
Unsaturated fatty acids 0.1 g
Water 20 g
Organic acids 1.5 g
Dietary fiber 18 g
Vitamins
Vitamin PP( Niacin equivalent)( PP) 3.9 mg
Vitamin E( TE) 5.5 mg
Vitamin C( C) 4 mg
Vitamin B2( riboflavin)( B2) 0.2 mg
Vitamin B1( thiamine)( B1) 0.1 mg
Vitamin A( RE)( A( RE)) 583 μg
Beta-carotene 3.5 mg
Vitamin PP( PP) 3 mg
Mineral substances
Iron( Fe) 3.2 mg
Phosphorus( P) 146 mg
Potassium( K) 1717 mg
Sodium( Na) 17 mg
Magnesium( Mg) 105 mg
Calcium( Ca) 160 mg

Usefulness

The fruits of apricot have long been in different countriesof the world used for medical purposes. In ancient China, apricot seeds were used as a soothing agent. In medicine, fruits are used in fresh and dried form. The high content of potassium( in particular, dried apricots, contains up to 17 mg% of potassium) and iron makes apricot an indispensable product in the dietary intake of pregnant women and patients with anemia, as well as diseases of the cardiovascular system. However, in diabetes mellitus it is not recommended to use dried apricots, although in small amounts it is more useful than harm.

Magnesium in it so much that many experts recommend dried apricots for the treatment of anemia and hypertension - a common disease in our time.

Many in dried apricots of vitamin A, and also it has a mild diuretic effect, especially its thick infusion or decoction, which is often prescribed for kidney diseases and cardiovascular problems.
Dried apricots are also a part of many homeopathic preparations, and these natural preparations help to significantly reduce the need to take synthetic drugs for various chronic diseases.

The main thing - to choose the right dried apricots: it should be natural color and not too transparent;clean and large, moderately rigid and elastic. If dried apricots have too bright, attractive orange color, then this may be the result of the use of chemical preparations that improve the appearance of the product. It is better to buy matt dried apricots with a light gray tinge - this is what fruit becomes when a natural drying process.
Oil from the kernels of apricot has a low viscosity and it is used as a solvent for some medicinal substances. On the basis of this oil, some ointments and cosmetics are prepared.

It is very useful for skin, hair, nails. The pain in the ears is often alleviated and goes away, if 1-2 drops of heated oil are dripped into them. Beneficial effect on burns and cracks in the skin. Delays formation of wrinkles. Can serve as beach oil.

From the seeds of bitter apricot varieties, almond water is prepared, and activated charcoal as well as paint reminiscent of mascara from the shell of the bones.

Of the mashed apricot pulp make cosmetic masks with sunburn on the face.

For the treatment of propensity to constipation, dry in the sun and grind into the powder of the nucleoli of mature apricots. Daily dose 6-12 g.( Powder also removes toxins from the body, facilitates breathing with colds, helps to get rid of cough).

For weight loss

It is recommended once a week to arrange unloading days using crushed dried apricots:

300 g of fruit is divided into 4 divided doses and drunk with 0.5 l.apricot juice, better with pulp, half a glass to the reception and washed down with milk.

In the cooking of

Fresh fruits of apricot are eaten raw, from them they cook compotes, jam and jam. For long-term storage, fruits can be preserved, frozen or dried, and apricot juice is also made, in which vitamins are well preserved. Just one glass of juice a day satisfies the daily need of a person in vitamin A.

In the confectionery industry, apricots prepare candied fruit, candy, candy. Bone kernels go to food or are used for confectionery purposes instead of almonds, as well as for making soft drinks.

Apricot candies

1 kg of apricots without pits are dropped into boiling syrup( 1 kg of sugar and 2 cups of water) and removed from the fire to stand 10-12 hours. Then put again on the fire, give boil and boil for 5-7 minutes, remove from heat and stand for another 10-12 hours and repeat it 3-4 times. At the end of cooking add 3 g of citric acid. Wasted apricots are thrown into a colander, let the syrup drain, unfolded on a plate and dried in the air. Store in glass jars or boxes;for long-term storage, apricots are left in syrup.

Apricot cream

can be made from dried apricots with pits( apricots).0.5 kg of dried apricots washed twice in cold water. Then add the apricots with water, so that only she covers them, simmer for 10 minutes. After this, take the apricots out of the broth and boil it until there are 0.5 glasses left. Remove the apricots from the apricots and rub through a sieve. Add the juice remaining after boiling to the resulting puree. In apricot paste add 2-3 teaspoons of powdered gelatin, diluted in 4 tbsp.spoons of hot water, and whip it with a whisk, pouring 100 grams of sugar, and at the end - 1/4 liter of whipped cream. You can add a little lemon juice. Put the cream in a glass container and put it in the refrigerator, so that it stays frozen properly.

Rice with dried apricots

Preparation: 15 min. In one serving 470 kcal

375 grams of instant basmati rice, 1 pod of red sweet pepper, 1/2 bunch of green onions, 1 cucumber for salad, 100 g of dried apricots, juice and 1 1/2 lime peel, 4 tbsp.tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 tbsp.spoonful of vinegar, 3 teaspoons of honey, a little ground ginger, cayenne pepper and cumin, 2 tbsp.spoons of parsley leaves.

1. Boil the rice according to the instructions on the package and allow it to cool. A punch of pepper cut into thin strips, green onions - ringlets, cucumber - slices, dried apricots-small pieces.

2. Mix the lime juice and zest with oil, vinegar, honey and spices. Rice to mix with vegetables, dried apricots, pour with dressing and sprinkle with leaves of parsley.

And from fresh apricots make fruit salads, compote, jam.

Fruit salad "Sunny"

200 g of apricots, 200 g of plums, 200 g of cherry, 100 g of currant, 200 g of mayonnaise, 100 g of condensed milk.

Remove apatite from apricots, plums and sweet cherries. Sliced ​​apricots and plums. Mix mayonnaise with condensed milk, season salad and mix.

Compote

The first way. Ripe apricots are cut into halves, stacked in enameled dishes, layerwise poured with sugar( 300-400 g per 1 kg of fruit).The next day they are shifted together with the juice in the jars and put in a pan with cold water for heating. At 85 ° C, liter cans are pasteurized for 20 minutes or sterilized in boiling water for 8 minutes.

The second way. Apricots, with or without bones( whole pieces are punctured in several places, without pits cut along the groove into halves), placed in cans and poured with boiling syrup( 1 liter of water, 250-400 g of sugar), cover with lids and after 3 minutes drain the syrup, againbring it to a boil and again pour the fruit for 3 minutes and so on up to 3 times, after the last jar alternately pour over the edge with the addition of acid and immediate lid closure.

The third way. Half of the fruits are placed in two rows in the jars, then a row of cherries are peeled, apricots are again on top( if they are preserved with bones, the cherries are also laid with pits), poured with syrup( 400 g sugar per liter of water) and at 85 °With pasteurized;liter cans - 15 min, two-liter - 25, three-liter 30 min.

A compote made of apricots with bones can be stored for no more than three years.

Natural apricots

The fruits cut into halves are placed in liter jars, poured with boiling water and heated at 85 ° C for 15 minutes. Prepared in this way, apricots are used to make compotes, jam, jam or for filling pies.

Jam

For jam select the mature, dense, without any damage fruits( from overripe and crumpled jam), cut through the groove into halves, remove the bones, dip into hot syrup( 1 kg of fruit, 1-1.2 kg of sugar and onea glass of water), shake until immersed, remove from heat and leave until cooled. Then cook in three meals with a stand for 5-6 hours. At the end of cooking add 3 g of citric acid. The readyness of the jam is determined by the density of the syrup or by the temperature of 105 ° C.

Small fruits are cooked( as indicated above) whole( chipped).

Harm

You need to use dried apricots with caution, since it is very nutritious. A large amount of dried apricots can cause stomach upset, exacerbation of pancreatitis.

Allergic reactions are possible. Beautiful glossy fruits with intense yellow or orange color, most often, were treated with sulfur dioxide( SO2), which is the strongest disinfectant. With its help, bacteria and larvae of insects are destroyed. This dried apricot is well kept and has an attractive appearance. However, one should know that in water the sulfur dioxide forms sulfuric acid H2SO3, which can cause a burn of the gastrointestinal tract and allergic reactions. Before use, such dried apricots must be previously soaked for 10-20 minutes in hot water, then rinse well.

It is not recommended to eat dried apricots for people who have low blood pressure, as this product contains a lot of magnesium. But it is useful to people with hypertension and anemia.

Dried apricots in breastfeeding: lactating women should use this product with caution, since it is capable of causing allergy and gas formation in the baby. The most optimal option: dried apricots in compote - so it will be better absorbed when breastfeeding. In general, in the first months of breastfeeding( up to 3 months), you better refrain from using it, and then you can eat it in any form, including as a component of desserts, salads, meat and hot dishes.