Why include dried apricots in your daily menu?

If dried apricots have not yet found their way into your menu, it is worth making a correction and introducing them there as soon as possible. They contain many valuable ingredients for health, moreover, they are distinguished by an original, intriguing taste. What properties have dried apricots and how to use them in the kitchen?

Dried apricots – calories and nutrients

Although they have a lot of carbohydrates, you can safely introduce them into your weight-loss diet, of course not in astronomical quantities. With a few dried apricots you will provide the body with about 100-150 kcal, and with them a lot of dietary fiber, whose benefits will appreciate every slimming person. Apricot also hides a lot of vitamin A, vitamin C, E, B vitamins and a long list of valuable bioelements: potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, iron, boron). Apricot fruit is also a whole storehouse of valuable antioxidants and a source of organic acids, phytosterols and pectin.

Dried apricots – properties

ApricotsDriedapricotsaccelerate the rate of metabolism and improve intestinal work, at the same time showing a slight laxative effect, so they are a good choice for people suffering from constipation and aiming to lose weight.

Due to the high content of potassium, they should also be eaten by people fighting high blood pressure and heart diseases. The presence of phytosterols in dried apricots helps lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

Thanks to a large dose of iron, dried apricots help prevent anemia. Since apricots are alkaline, they help maintain the acid-base balance in the body. They also prevent eye diseases, support kidney function and have a positive effect on bones, muscles and joints. To the list of advantages of apricots, it is worth adding the beneficial effect on skin, thin, weak hair and nails, which is associated with a high level of vitamin A and the content of vitamins C, E and B. The abundance of antioxidants in apricots helps protect the body against cancer and aging.

How to eat dried apricots?

apricotsThey have a lot of sugars, so they should not be eaten in the evening and in large quantities, especially by people wishing to reduce body weight. About a handful of dried apricots per day is enough.

You can cut them up and add them to oatmeal, yogurt with muesli, sweet rice or cheese, but since they are very tasty, you can also snack on them without any additives.

Unlike sweets, sticks and crisps, dried apricots will work perfectly as a healthy snack. They fight the feeling of hunger and allow to “survive” until the main meal, and additionally provide the body with a number of important elements. It is also a good idea to consume a portion of dried apricots after strength training, which will allow us to replenish carbohydrates and minerals.