Apricots are a Superfood as they are stuffed full of antioxidants and carotene and they also contain nutrients like carotenoids and xanthophylls that improve vision and night vision and stop age related eyesight issues.
Apricots also contain potent anti inflammatory agents called catechins which also make them a superfood.
Apricots are better than bananas as they contain more potassium than bananas and are low in sugar and packed with vitamins and minerals.
Dried apricots are good for your liver as the high level of antioxidants that apricots contain can help prevent liver damage and also helps prevent oxidative stress, lower liver enzymes and by default liver inflammation.
You should soak dried apricots before eating as soaking the dried apricots helps get rid of the sulfite that is naturally present in the surface of the apricots.
Soaking the dried apricots also helps release the natural sugars which makes the dried apricots healthier.
Dried apricots are good for your brain and contain B vitamins which can protect your brain from memory loss, age related mental problems and dementia and Alzheimer's.
Dried apricots can help lower your blood sugar as they are a good source of fat, fiber, minerals and vitamins and low on the GI.
However just be aware that eating too many dried apricots could spike your blood sugar.
Since dried apricots calories have a low glycemic index, they do not affect the blood sugar but can cause a spike in case of excessive consumption.
Dried apricots do help constipation as they are a great source of dietary fiber which helps with constipation relief.
Other dried fruits such as raisins, prunes, figs and dates are also good for relieving constipation.
The two types of dried apricots are Turkish dried apricots and California dried apricots which are grown in different places but there are other color differences, preparation and flavor.
Yellowish-orange Mediterranean (also known as Turkish) apricots are dried whole and then pitted.
Their flesh is also thicker and plumper than that of the California variety—not surprising since fruit dried whole will retain more moisture than halved fruit.
You should refrigerate dried apricots as it helps maintain the dried apricots freshness longer.
When refrigerated the dried apricots will last up to 6 months.
The reason you soak dried apricots is to keep the dried apricots plump and moist and to prevent the dried apricots from absorbing excess liquid from your recipe.
The best substitute for dried apricots is nectarines and peaches which work well in most recipes that call for apricots.
Apricots resemble peaches and nectarines, but tend to be smaller in size.
Their flavor is tart, but their texture is rich and creamy.
Coughing when you eat dried apricots is because of sulphur dioxide and other sulphite preservatives that are used in order to preserve dried apricots which can result in and cause respiratory and other adverse reactions including coughing.
Also a compound called amygdalin is present in apricot kernels.
This compound converts into cyanide after consumption.
Cyanide poisoning can lead to nausea, headaches, thirst, lethargy, nervousness, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, and reduced blood pressure.
Compounds in peaches, apricots, and plums can cause allergic reactions in some people soon after they eat them.
Usually the resulting allergic symptoms are limited to the gastrointestinal tract, but in some cases include systemic symptoms, which can affect other organs and tissues of the body.
Dried tree fruit such as apricots, peaches, apples and pears are usually heavily sulphited unless from specialty stores.
Apricots are a recommended health food. Obviously dried apricots count as one of your five a day.
The recommended portion is 30gms (3 or 4 apricots).
Too much dried fruit can cause an upset stomach in some people.
"Due to the high fiber content and certain natural sugar alcohols, some dried fruits can cause GI distress from bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
While dried fruits are packed with nutrients, they are also high in histamine.
Symptoms of sulfite intolerance include flushing, fast heartbeat, wheezing, hives, dizziness, stomach upset and diarrhoea, collapse, tingling or difficulty swallowing.
Dried apricots are a type of traditional dried fruit. When treated with sulfur dioxide, the color is vivid orange.
Organic fruit not treated with sulfur vapor is darker in color and has a coarser texture. Generally, the lighter the color, the higher the SO₂ content.
Dried apricots also contain plenty of essential nutrients, like vitamin C, vitamin A, phosphorus, calcium and potassium.
The dried apricots also include a fair amount of fiber.