Updated on November 11th, 2022
Apricots have been around for ages, and their tangy flavor is as delicious as their name suggests. Fresh apricots are incredibly delicate and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. However, dried apricots can be more tart than their fresh cousins, which can cause a tummy ache. Let’s take a closer look at what apricots taste like.
Apricots, unlike other stone fruits, are typically highly tart. While they are sweet, their tartness can be overbearing for some, while others regard it as a bonus in some baked dishes.
Apricots are often richer and fuller in flavor than peaches and nectarines, which are lighter and more flowery, so they can stand up to other rich components in recipes.
What are Apricots?
The apricot is a fruit tree belonging to the rose family (Rosaceae) planted across the temperate world, particularly in the Mediterranean. Peaches, almonds, plums, and cherries are all connected to apricots. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and they can be canned or dried for storage. The fruit is often used to make jam and frequently flavor liqueurs. Apricots are high in natural sugar, and a vital vitamin A. Dried apricots have high iron content.
What Do Apricots Taste Like?
Upon the first bite, apricots are sour and bitter. Apricots have a firm but soft flesh. They’re less tart than peaches and apples, but their texture is very similar. They’re denser than most fruits and stand up well against other rich ingredients in recipes. Apricots are one of the five fruits that you should eat daily. If you’re unsure which fruit is best for you, try some apricots. While apricots may have a sweet flavor, they are actually tart. Their flavor varies from person to person, but they’re generally sweet and tart.
When ripe, apricots are firm and spongy. They don’t have a crisp texture like apples and are easy to bite. But when they’re not, they’re slightly bitter. The flavor of apricots varies from one type to another. While apricots are slightly sweeter than peaches, they’re not similar. While apricots are similar in size, they are very different in taste. Both stone fruits are sweet and slightly tart. While they are similar in appearance, apricots are more bitter than peaches.
How Do Apricots Look Like?
When they are ripe, apricots are orange. However, there are cultivars of apricots. These are named after the type of fruit, and the varieties may differ depending on where they are grown. While most apricots are a uniform shade of orange, several other varieties have different colors. Apricots with a soft fuzz or smooth skin will be sweeter than those covered in a thin layer of skin.
When ripe, apricots are soft and firm but not as soft and tart as peaches. When eating an apricot, make sure it is bright orange and slightly on the loft. They’re best eaten within a few days after being picked. If you’ve never tried apricots before, you should try them out for a delicious treat. You’ll love them!
Nutrients In Apricots
During the growing season, apricots are available in many colors and sizes. Apricots are modest in size, but they pack a punch in flavor and nutrition. These vitamin and mineral-rich yellow-orange fruits have a flavor that varies from sweet to sweet-tart, depending on the type. They are a great source of vitamin A and C.
- 34 calories
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- 1 gram protein
- 0.27-gram fat
- 1.5 grams of fiber
- 8% of the Daily Value for Vitamin A (DV)
- Vitamin C: 8% of the daily value
- Vitamin E: 4% of the daily value
- Potassium: 4% of the daily value
Apricots are high in the following nutrients
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A, commonly known as retinol by scientists, is critical for eye health.
Vitamin A, in particular, aids the body’s production of the pigments required for the retina’s healthy functioning. People are at risk of acquiring night blindness if they don’t have it.
According to specific research, vitamin A plays a vital role in the immune system by anti-inflammatory agents.
2. Vitamin C
It is a powerful antioxidant.
Apricots also contain vitamin C, one of the few vitamins the human body cannot make. This means that people must consume adequate amounts of vitamin C in their diets.
Vitamin C serves a variety of purposes. It’s an antioxidant, for example, that helps protect the body’s cells from free radical damage. The body also requires it to produce collagen, which is used to heal wounds.
Vitamin C is essential for the immune system, as it aids the body’s natural defense mechanisms in fighting bacteria and viruses.
3. Fiber
Raw apricots provide 0.7 g of nutritional fiber per 35 gram Trusted Source. According to some research, people in the United States only obtain about 16 g of the 25–38 g of fiber they need each day.
Fiber is abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables, including apricots.
Fiber is vital since it aids in the body’s blood sugar regulation. It also improves digestion, which aids in preventing constipation and the overall health of the gastrointestinal tract.
Furthermore, several studies have found that those who consume enough fiber have a lower risk of developing a variety of health problems, including:
- Diabetes type 2 heart disease inflamed.
- PotasDiverticular illness, often known as intestine inflammation, is when the intestines become inflamed.
- Apricots are one of the best potassium suppliers. In fact, a single serving of apricot might meet about a fourth of a person’s daily requirements.
4. Potassium
It is an electrolyte that is required for nerve activity and muscle contraction. The body also requires potassium to transport nutrients into cells and eliminate cellular waste.
It also contributes to heart health by maintaining a steady heartbeat.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Apricots?
1. Get Rid of Constipation
Apricots are high in fiber and hence promote regular bowel movements. Because of their laxative effects, they are frequently given to individuals who suffer from constipation regularly. Fiber is a dietary supplement that helps bulk up the stool, and it becomes easier to transfer via the bowels and eventually expulsed from the body in this manner. Fiber encourages the production of gastric and digestive fluids, which aid in the absorption of nutrients and the breakdown of food for more straightforward digestion.
2. Bone Strengthening
Apricots contain considerable to moderate calcium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, and copper, essential for bone formation. As a result, eating apricots can help your bones grow and usually develop, as well as protect you from age-related diseases like osteoporosis.
3. Enhance your cardiovascular health
Apricots are a great way to keep your heart healthy and prevent problems like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. Vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber, all high in vitamin C, contribute to healthy cardiovascular health. Vitamin C protects the heart from free radicals, potassium lowers blood pressure by relaxing the tension in blood vessels and arteries, and dietary fiber scrapes excess cholesterol from the lining of vessels and arteries, cleaning them and reducing heart strain. Overall, apricots include qualities that make them suitable for improving heart health.
4. Boost your metabolism
Potassium and sodium are the essential minerals that control fluid levels throughout the body. The high potassium content of apricots has been related to keeping the body’s fluid balance and ensuring that energy is transferred correctly to the proper organs and muscles. You can have more energy, reduce cramps, and keep blood and valuable energy flowing through your body as needed by maintaining a proper electrolyte balance.
5. Take care of earaches
Although the specific process is still being researched, apricot oil is beneficial for earaches. A few drops dripped into the afflicted ear canal should provide quick relief. Scientists believe that the antioxidant properties of apricot essential oil are responsible for earache relief.
6. Get Rid of Fever
Apricot juice is commonly administered to fever sufferers because it feeds the body with essential vitamins, minerals, calories, and water while cleansing numerous organs. Steamed apricot is also used to treat fevers by certain people. Its anti-inflammatory and calming properties might also affect the body’s general temperature when unwell. It can also lower inflammation in other body parts, which is beneficial for arthritis or gout.
7. Apricot skin advantages
Apricot oil is beneficial to the skin. It absorbs swiftly into the skin and does not leave it oily after use. Apricots can help with eczema, itching, scabies, and a variety of other irritating skin issues. Because of the antioxidant chemicals found in apricots, this is the case. Apricots include antioxidants that protect the skin from the impacts of free radicals, which can cause skin degeneration and premature aging. They also contain a good quantity of vitamin A (60 percent of your daily need per serving), long linked to healthier skin. Heals Damaged Skin, Reduces Wrinkles, Maintains Skin Elasticity, Removes Blackheads, Treatment of Skin Disorders, Removes Blemishes, and Skin Moisturizer are just a few of the many apricot skin benefits.
8. Take care of anemia
Apricots aid in synthesizing hemoglobin when consumed since they contain iron and copper. This characteristic aids in the treatment of anemia. Anemia is an iron shortage that causes weakness, weariness, lightheadedness, digestive problems, and metabolic malfunction. The body can’t reoxygenate itself adequately without red blood cells, and organ systems start to fail. Copper, like iron, is essential for red blood cell production. Apricots include these minerals, making them an excellent tool for boosting metabolism and keeping the body in good working order.
9. Cancer Prevention
Apricot seeds are thought to aid in the treatment of cancer. It’s no surprise that apricots threaten free radicals because of their carotenoids and other antioxidant components. Free radicals are harmful byproducts of cellular metabolism that can cause healthy cells to develop malignant mutations in their DNA. Antioxidants protect the body from diseases like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and aged skin by neutralizing these toxic molecules. Apricots have been directly related to lower cancer risk.
10. Anti-asthmatic
Apricot oil is also thought to have anti-asthmatic properties, assisting in treating asthma and associated symptoms. Because of its essential oils, it possesses expectorant and stimulating properties. One of these can assist reduce pressure and stress on the lungs and respiratory system, preventing asthma attacks from starting in the first place.
How To Store Apricots?
When they’re overripe, apricots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If they’ve been frozen, apricots can be stored for up to a year or frozen for more extended storage. To store apricots, they must be thawed and a slice of fruit. They can be kept in the refrigerator for 6 months if completely dry.
After 2-3 days, the fruits become soft and ripe. They can be kept for up to five days outside the refrigerator and up to a week inside. Apricots fit perfectly in the fruit tray, and fruits should be folded rather than just poured into an airtight container.
Ensure the ripe apricots before putting them in the fridge, as the fruit does not ripen at low temperatures.
When apricots are stored poorly, they quickly lose moisture and become less juicy. Fruits left out too long lose their flavor become loose and dry.
Apricots darken, stiffen, and lose their flavor and nutritional value when left at room temperature, and they can only be kept for a month in a sealed bag.
If you’re unsure whether an apricot is ripe, pinch it and check that the fingermarks on its juicy skin flesh don’t drip. Even if they’re watery, apricots are still a good choice.
Conclusion
The flavor of apricots varies, but the fruit is sweet and tangy. Its fuzzy and orange skin makes it a favorite fruit for people of all ages, and its soft, fuzzy skin is what makes it so scrumptious. The flesh of apricot is a cross between a peach and a plum, and it’s hard to find a better combination.
Apricots are small, round, and orange fruits that belong to the Prunus family. They mature when they are soft and juicy. They’re a favorite of cooks and are often used in jams. They can also be dried for their tartness, but they are not like fresh apricots. They’re not as tart as plums, but they’re sweeter than both.
