benefits of apricots

The rich levels of antioxidants in apricots is helpful in lowering your risk of developing cancer. How does this happen? Antioxidants in the body are proven to keep the body free from free radicals. Free radicals in the body are harmful. They are produced in the body due to environmental pollution, ultra violet rays of the sun and the smoke. Free radicals inhabit the natural course of cell growth. Thus, antioxidants are beneficial in the helping to increase the process of cell growth. It thus saves the body from many different types of cancers, including cancers of the lungs, oesophagus and the larynx.

The high level of antioxidants that are present in apricots are beneficial not only in avoiding cancer and aiding the process of cell growth, but it is also highly valuable for maintaining skin health. The antioxidants in apricots reduce the risk of ageing and help to make the skin appear taut and shining. The good level of Vitamin A content also ensures that the skin is free from acne and other such problems.

The high amount of dietary fibre that the apricot fruit is gifted with is useful for those people who are looking forward to lose a few kilos. The high fibre content improves the digestive and excretory systems in the body and helps improve the rate of metabolism. Not only this, the fruit contains extremely low amount of calories. So one can easily consume a good quantity of apricots without the fear of putting on weight.

The antioxidants lower the amount of impurities that the system can take in. The harmful free radicals are suppressed and thus any form of pollution from the environment is taken care of by consuming apricots. Asthma is a disorder of the lungs which is marked by weak lungs and the inability to breathe well.

Apricots are rich in calcium content. Calcium is required by the body in bone formation and bone development. Lack of calcium leads to a disorder of the bones called Osteoporosis. The high calcium content is thus beneficial in the keeping of bone health and saves you from brittle bones.

Proper functioning of the cells requires a good maintenance of the electrolyte levels in the body. Electrolyte is required for transporting ions from every cell to every other cell in the body. It also maintains a stable fluid level which is necessary for proper expansion and contraction of the muscles. Apricots contain a great level of potassium and sodium. These are required by the body and help in the carrying out of all the above mentioned functions.

Apricots are available mostly in summer. In the winter, they are imported from other countries. When you are at the supermarket, buying apricots, make sure that you look for fruits that have a rich, orange colouring. Avoid the ones that look pale or look like they are not going to ripe. Do not buy ones that are too hard or too soft. If they are too hard, it means that they have not been ripened naturally, but have been ripened using fertilizers.

Orange or yellow is the natural shade of the apricot fruit. If you come across fruits in the market that have an additional reddish tinge, be careful before buying. The reddening of the apricot fruit is due to the presence of sulphur di oxide which is a preserving agent. It is inorganic and is harmful to the human body upon consumption. Brown is also an acceptable colour. People who suffer from allergies must bear caution before buying such fruits. The best way to consume apricots is in its dry form as it is most natural and safe this way.

Apricots contain a number of potent antioxidants. We rank the apricot as a good source of both vitamin A (from beta carotene) and vitamin C. The health benefits associated with each are multiple and well documented.

Apricots are rich in the carotenoids and xanthophylls, nutrients that researchers believe may help protect eyesight from aging related damage To give an example of how this works, one of these nutrients (lutein) appears to be able to protect the retina