The Benefits of Apricots

One of my favorite fruits is apricots. From snacking on dried apricots to eating them raw, I’ve been enjoying them for years. It wasn’t until recently I learned more about Apricots and how many health benefits they truly have. Apricots resemble a peach but tastes more like plum. There is a single pit and they are often slightly crunchy. Dried apricots are fruity and slightly gummy.

Since I’ve been enjoying them more lately, I decided to do some research and learn more about the benefits of apricots. It actually led me to the brand Apricot Power which I’m glad it did!

Apricots contain plenty of vitamins including:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Potassium

Plus there are other health benefits of eating apricot including a source of dietary fiber.

So which is better Fresh Apricots or Dried Apricots?

One thing to keep in mind (with any dried fruits) is they typically have extra sugar.

Dried Apricot Health Benefits:

• Longer shelf life
• More concentration of nutrients (sometimes it can decrease heat-sensitive nutrients such as Vitamin C).

Fresh and Raw Apricot Health Benefits: 

• Contains more water and less calories (usually about 85-90% of a fresh apricot is water)

Since dried apricots have a higher concentration of nutrients and are more energy-dense, they are my preference when hiking or out and about.  I prefer fresh apricots when I can eat

Here are a few Health Benefits of Apricots in General:

Eye Health
My eye vision is not good (thanks dad). I wear contacts but also have a chronic disease called blepharitis (basically my eyes produce a lot of extra crust).  Anyway, all of that to say taking care of my eyes is important. Apricots contain Beta-Carotene. What is Beta-Carotene?

Growing evidence suggests that Vitamins A and E, and Beta-Carotene may play an important role in preventing or mitigating age-related eye disorders.

Apricots also contain Carotenoids which may help reduce oxidative stress on the retinas and lenses of our eyes. This helps promote healthy eyes.

Improving Bone Mineral Density
As runners, we know the importance of bone health. If your bones aren’t healthy, you won’t be able to continue to run. Like many runners, I try and take care of my bones as much as possible. Female runners are most susceptible to poor bone health such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

So how do Apricots Help Bone Health? Dried apricots contain a natural mineral called Boron. Research studies have shown that Boron may play diverse and essential roles in the functional properties of bone health. Evidence displays that Boron may help with overall bone health, bone healing, and bone metabolism.

Therefore, Boron may have a profound effect on your bone health, and allow for support in the composition, structure, and overall strength of your bones. It may also prevent or mitigate bone disorders such as osteoporosis.

Skin Health:
The health benefits of apricots include skin health? Apricots contain carotenoids have been known to play a vital role in overall skin health and appearance.

More and more evidence is showing that proper nutrition is critical for skin health. Apricots contain beta-carotene for which your body converts into Vitamin A which helps your skin.

Anemia:
Female runners and anemia is a very hurtful combination. What is anemia? When your blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to transport sufficient oxygen to the body’s tissues.

Anemia often results from a deficiency of iron. There are a few steps to combating anemia including eating iron-rich food. One dried Apricot contains about 3.5 milligrams of iron.  While a cup of dried apricots won’t meet the daily requirement for iron, but it does contain vitamin C which helps the absorption.

Antioxidants: 
Apricots contain several antioxidants including beta carotene and flavonoids which have anti-inflammatory properties.

What are Flavonoids? Flavonoids help neutralize free radicals in our bodies. Free radicals are known to cause oxidative stress and damage our cells. In short, Flavonoids help lower inflammation.

A few other health benefits of Apricots include helping control blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, and often times aiding in weight loss.

In short, the health benefits of Apricots are high. I had no idea, until I did research that Apricots are packed with nutrients and have so many amazing benefits. I’ve been enjoying them because I liked the taste!  After  I was googling new Apricot products when I found Apricot Power.

So What is Apricot Power?

In doing research, I stumbled upon Apricot Power which is an Apricot Only Brand. Apricot Power harvests the “Apricot Seed” which is actually one of the most healthy parts of the fruit. You can all of the benefits of apricots without the work. Inside the pit of Apricots is a small seed that contains a substance called Amygdalin, known as B17. I didn’t know how helpful B17 is for supporting a healthy immune system. While several fruits including apples, peaches, and cherries are a good source of B17, Apricot seeds are one of the highest sources.

Apricot Power has been around since 1999. Since then, it has grown and sells more than 100 different products and Apricot supplements.  According to Apricot Power, their top seller are the apricot seeds, which makes sense.

Apricot Power Seeds:

Since Apricot Power Seeds are one of the top sellers, that is what I wanted to try. Apricot Power seeds are organic and not every seed “tastes the same”. Some are more bitter than others because nothing in nature is uniform. No flower is the same, and no seed is the same. Apricot Power harvests them and doesn’t add any extra ingredients to make them uniform.

Be warned, most are bitter. I like bitter foods and Apricots are no exception.  The bitterness in the apricot seed indicates the amount of B17 content it contains. Sweet seeds contain little to no B17 whereas bitter seeds contain the most. We recommend grinding the seeds to mix into smoothies, shakes, oatmeal, soups, salads and more.

I like the tastes of most fruit seeds and have enjoyed the benefits of apricot seeds while on the go. I’ve eaten them several times while just working, hiking, or just traveling. Now that I’m not traveling as much, apricot seeds have a place in my desk snack stash.

What if you don’t like the “Apricot Bitterness” but still want the nutrition?

Apricot Power also makes a B17 supplement that contains natural Vitamin B17 extracted from apricot seeds and made in the USA.  While I’m team Apricot Seed all of the way, this is a great option if you are looking for B17 and the benefits of apricots.

Apricot Power Bars:

If you know me, you know I’m always on the go and eating bars while in the car or whatever. Even though I’m not driving much right now, I always enjoy a good bar. Apricot Power makes several different bars including an apricot power bar and blueberry whole food bar. I tried each and I appreciate there is no sugar

After contacting Apricot Power, they sent a 20% off discount for readers using this link. Apricot Power is a product I use and like, especially for snacking while on the go. If you are looking for a fun, healthy new snack, I highly suggest it.

You Can See All Product Reviews Here. 

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Questions for you:

Do you like apricots? 

Have you tried Apricot Power?