Health Benefits of Apricots

Apricots are not only colorful and tasty: they also contain several nutrients that promote good health.

Apricots are very high in beta-carotene and lycopene, two antioxidant compounds commonly found in orange-red fruits and vegetables, that promote heart health and prevent several types of cancers. Beta-carotene and lycopene also protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, reducing the risk of developing atherosclerosis and several cardiovascular diseases.

In a research involving 50,000 registered nurses found that woman who had the highest vitamin A intake had a 40% lower risk of developing cataracts: apricots are very high in vitamin A equivalents that protect from the degenerative effect of free radicals (oxidative stress) that tend to damage blood supply to the eyes and cause macular degeneration.

The role of vitamin A is explained by its quenching properties against free radicals derived from oxygen, protecting cells and tissues from their mutagenic effects.

Apricots are also a very good source of fiber, which has several health benefits especially related to the health of the digestive tract: it prevents constipation and cancer-promoting conditions such as diverticulosis.

It is worth noting that most american get less than 10 grams of fiber per day, while the recommended daily value is around 25 to 35 grams, meaning apricots are good addition to almost any diet and help us reach the recommended values with a healthy and tasty snack.

Protection from Macular Degeneration

A study published in the Archives of Ophtalmology involving 110,000 subjects of both sexes evaluated the effects of consuming fruits, vegetables, antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E and carotenoids on the risk of developing Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Apricots are rich in lycopene (depicted in this photo), a powerful antioxidant

Macular Degeneration is the primary cause of sight loss in adults, and the study found that by eating at least 1.5 servings of fruits daily, one can reduce the risk of developing the disease by 36%.

Risk reduction was not directly linked to consumption of vegetables, antioxidants and vitamins, but to the consumption of whole fruits: the optimal level, according to the study, is three servings a day, which can be easily reached by adding apricots in your morning cereal/yogurt or dressing up salads with canned apricots.

Green tea and Apricots

A case-control study, published by the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, involved 130 prostate cancer patients and 274 hospital controls.

These subjects were given different quantities of green tea and lycopene-rich foods, such as apricots, papayas and tomatoes.

The study concluded that men who drank the most green tea had an 86% reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer, compared to those drinking the least.

In a similar fashion, men who ate the highest quantity of lycopene-rich foods had an 82% reduction in the relative risk of prostate cancer.

Further research suggests the effects of combining these two foods are even greater than the sum of the single effects.