Guide : Benefits of Eating Apricot

Apricot is a juicy peach-like fruit that comes with a lot of health benefits than we give credit for. It is very versatile, delicious, nutritious, and can be eaten either raw, dried, or cooked. It is more popular in its dried form than any other form. Countries like Russia, Spain, Greece, and the USA (to mention a few) are considered to be the leading producers of apricot.

A lot of times, people think that eating healthy means eating less food at a time in order to avoid adding some pounds. That is far from the truth. The truth is, eating the right types of food and just as many calories as you need per day is what eating healthy is all about. Anything more or less than that may cause some health issues. Food is obviously like fuel to the body. Without it, you will suffer stress.

Instead of eating less food, you can eat more foods like apricot in great quantities to keep you filled in between meals. If you are into unhealthy snacks, apricot can help you cut down on that. To put it in a nutshell, eating apricot is one of the ways you can eat healthily without stressing yourself or your pocket.

What are the Top 10 Benefits of Eating Apricots?

Why is apricot so popular around the world? Why do countries like Iran, the US, Greece, and Turkey produce apricot in large quantities for internal consumption and exportation? Well, here are 10 reasons why apricot is loved globally.

1. Apricots are Good for Bone Health

When it comes to bone health, apricot is like a capsule of all the nutrients needed to care for the bone. For the bones the grow and develop properly, you have to eat foods that are rich in calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, and manganese. If you want to make sure you’re getting all of these nutrients in healthy quantities, then eat a lot of apricots and you’ll be covered.

Eating apricot on a regular basis also pays off on the long run. It prevents diminishing bone density that often comes with old age.

2. Apricots are Good for Treating Ear Pains

Apricot has been used for ages in treating earaches. This is owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. All you have to do is drip a few drops of apricot oil into your ear canal. Give it some time, and that’s it.

3. Apricots are Great for Treating Constipation

There is a lot of dietary fiber in apricot and they are very effective in smoothening out the bowel movement. Apricots have laxative properties and are usually recommended to patients who suffer from constipation.

4. Apricots are Good for the Eyes

For the eye to be in good working condition, the body has to receive a regular supply of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin C. These help to reduce the risk of eye problems and complications with the help of their antioxidant properties.

The free radicals in the body have degenerative impacts in the eyes which may result in cataract. These radicals also have the ability to restrict the flow of blood to the eyes, leading to macular degeneration. These compounds, as found in apricots, help to protect the eye from all of these harmful effects.

5. Eating a lot of Apricots can Improve the Quality of Your Blood

Do you have anemia or do you know someone who does? Apricot can help you treat it. Anemia is a health condition classified by iron deficiency in the blood. This leads to a decrease in red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. This can lead to respiratory restrictions in most cases.

Apricot helps in the formation of hemoglobin in the body owing to the presence of iron and copper in it.

6. The Risk of Developing Heart Problems can be Reduced by Eating Apricots

Heart diseases are on the increase these days. Could it be that many of us are actually ignorant of the amazing effects of natural foods around us? Eating apricots, for instance, on a regular basis is a verified way of keeping heart-related diseases at bay. It is a great way to shield your heart from stroke, heart attacks, atherosclerosis, and other heart issues.

Apricots are particularly good for heart health because they have a high content of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants.

7. Helps with Healthy Skin

Apricot is a fruit, and fruits are generally good for the skin. However, there is something about apricot oil that makes it a special skin shield. Applying apricot oil to the skin makes it smooth, shiny, and immune to a number of skin diseases. The oil can also be used in the treatment of skin disorders as well. Eczema, scabies, and itching are some of the skin disorders that can be corrected with the use of apricot oil.

Aside from using the oil on your skin, eating a lot of apricots can also have an amazing effect on your skin from the inside out.

8. Apricots can Reduce Fever

Do you know that taking apricot juice when you have a fever can help to reduce the fever? The juice contains vitamins, minerals, calories, and water. Providing these compounds to the body detoxifies various organs and helps to reduce the temperature of the body when it’s too high.

9. Apricots can Improve Metabolism

The human body is made of about 70% fluid. And these fluid levels are dependent on two nutrients, namely; potassium and sodium. These minerals maintain the fluid balance in the body which contribute a whole deal to the health of an individual.

Apricots have a high amount of potassium in them. Consuming them regularly can help to ensure fluid balance in the body. This also ensures that energy is properly distributed to the organs and muscles of the body.

10. Apricots are Rich in Antioxidants

There are many healthy and natural ways of getting rid of free toxic radicals in the body. Eating apricot is one of them. Apricots contain a healthy dose of antioxidants in them which help to eradicate these radicals and other toxins in the body. Naturally, we tend to collect a lot of toxins in our bodies over time. We need to take antioxidants to clear these toxins or it may result in health complications.

In as much as apricot have all these benefits, some people are allergic to it. There is really no inherent dangers of eating it except for these allergies. It has been discovered that most of these allergic reactions to apricot are linked to the dried apricot. This makes you wonder if they were dried under healthy conditions.

Experts discovered that a lot of dried foods contain sulfate. People that are allergic to sulfate can react adversely if they come in contact with such dried foods. Asthma patients are also advised to consume fresh apricot rather than the dried version. This is because sulfate can seriously impact asthma and even induce asthmatic attacks in some cases.