Apricots are small, round, orange fruits that have velvety skins. Technically, apricots are classified as a "drupe," which means a fleshy, one-seeded fruit that has a seed inside of a pit. Almonds, cherries, peaches, and plums are also in this family. Apricots, when not eaten raw, are usually dried, cooked into a pastry, or made into a jam. The oils from the apricot pits are sold as bitter almond oil. Apricot trees are thought to have originally been from China, and then Alexander the Great is thought to have brought apricots from China to Greece and eventually from there to the West. Apricots do well in California's climate, and therefore, California is currently the largest supplier of apricots in the United States.
For a fruit, apricots are a good source of carotenes such as lycopene and lutein; scientists have discovered at least 600 different carotenoids, and apricots have some of the most powerful ones that we know of. This high carotenoid content is what provides most of the health benefits you receive from eating apricots. Carotenoids give apricots their orange color and they are particularly good for helping to prevent macular degeneration, maintain strong vision, and prevent against heart disease and cancer.
As was mentioned above, apricots have been used in China for centuries. At one time, Chinese brides would eat apricots to increase fertility. More recently, science has backed this up by finding that apricots are high in the minerals that are important for the production of sex hormones. While people today aren't likely to turn to apricots to help with their fertility, the compounds that apricots have can also help to fight infections, blindness, and heart disease.
Not only do apricots have the carotenoid beta carotene, they also have lycopene. These two compounds work together to help prevent the process of oxidation where low-density lipoproteins, a dangerous form of cholesterol, turn rancid in the blood and begin to stick to the walls of the arteries. Lycopene also is a very strong antioxidant. These two factors are the strongest reasons apricots have been linked to a decreased risk of heart disease.
No Bake (Yes, that means Raw) Apricot Bars
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of macadamias.
- 1 cup of dried apricots.
- 1 and a half cups of shredded coconut, plus two tablespoons.
- Two tablespoons of lemon juice.
- One teaspoon of lemon zest.
- Two tablespoons of water.