Apricot: useful properties and contraindications for humans
Sweet fruits contain a lot of nutrients necessary to support the work of all organs and systems. They are recommended for adults and children. But, despite the useful properties of apricots, and they have contraindications. They need to be known in order to avoid harming the body.
Use of Apricots
The positive effect of fruits on health status is determined by their rich composition. They contain:
- vitamins( B, A, C, H, E, PP);
- minerals( potassium, iron, magnesium, iodine, phosphorus, sodium);
- acid( wine, apple, lemon).
A total of 2-3 fetuses a day will provide the body with vital nutrients and improve health.
The list of useful properties of apricots is impressive:
- Supports the work of the cardiovascular system. A large amount of magnesium in the fruit normalizes its activity: it helps with arrhythmia and angina, reduces high blood pressure, improves the condition after a previous myocardial infarction.
- Have a diuretic effect. People who have problems with the kidneys, the use of fruit is shown as often as possible.
- Intensify brain activity and normalize the work of the nervous system. Apricots improve concentration of attention, memory, increase the speed of thought processes.
- Helps to eliminate constipation. Beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract as a whole: improve the condition with inflammation of the gastric mucosa, help with various diseases. As for the effect on the digestive system, it is important to take into account both the useful properties of apricots and contraindications. Not for all pathologies is their use for good.
- Improve the condition of the skin and strengthen the visual system due to the large content of vitamin A.
- Relieve the condition of people suffering from varicose veins, increasing the tone of the walls of blood vessels.
- Help to cleanse the body of harmful substances, reduce the "bad" cholesterol in the blood, thereby inhibiting the development of atherosclerosis.
- They serve as an excellent prophylaxis for colds, they help to cope with the already existing disease. The curative effect of apricots is due to their antimicrobial, antibacterial and fortifying properties. In addition, they contribute to the effective sputum discharge from the respiratory tract.
- Normalize the endocrine system, preventing the development of thyroid diseases.
- Regular consumption of fruit reduces the likelihood of malignant tumors.
Both fresh apricots and dried are equally useful. In addition, the curative effect is the bark, leaves, kernels, seeds.
Who is contraindicated?
The fruit contains a lot of sugars, including glucose, which means that it is not recommended to use sweet fruits for people at risk or for those diagnosed with diabetes. For the same reason, they should be excluded from the diet for people who have impaired metabolism. In dried form, apricots retain the same amount of sugars, their use is also undesirable in the aforementioned ailments.
Both beneficial properties, and contra-indications apricot has in relation to the digestive system. With caution and in minimum quantities, fruits should be eaten by persons suffering from gastritis and an increased level of acidity.
It should also be noted that apricots have a pronounced laxative effect. Excessive use of them threatens the appearance of diarrhea.
Apricot bones: useful properties and contraindications
For a person, this fruit is unique. Healing actions are not only flesh flesh, but also leaves, bark, core.
Bones are widely used in the food and cosmetic industries. They are part of many culinary masterpieces. The raw material for the production of the famous oil is also the core of the apricot. Useful properties and contra-indications of a unique cosmetic product are known to many: it relieves various ailments, and does not cause harm with moderate use.
Using up to 15 purified apricot kernels per day, you can significantly improve your health. They are:
- normalizes the work of the cardiovascular system;
- has a harmful effect on helminths and other parasites;
- provide assistance in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system.
These properties are due to the composition of the cores. It is represented not only by vitamins and minerals, but also by acids that feed the brain.
Simultaneously, a useful property, and the contraindication of bitter ossicles of apricots is the presence in them of a substance called amygdalin. On the one hand, it is believed( but not proven) that it can fight cancer cells, but on the other hand, when it enters the body, hydrocyanic acid, poisonous to humans, forms. Proceeding from this and follows a safe rate of consumption of apricot kernels - up to 15 pieces per day. With a reasonable approach, they benefit both children and adults.
Positive effect of the bark of the apricot tree
This part is often used in alternative medicine. Its therapeutic effect is not inferior even to that which has the core of an apricot bone. Useful properties( contraindications it does not have) the bark of the fruit-bearing tree determined its use for the treatment of the following ailments:
- Various diseases of the cardiovascular system. Especially it is indicated to people who have suffered a stroke or have other pathologies associated with impaired cerebral circulation.
- Diseases of the digestive system. The resin of the bark of the apricot tree gently envelops the mucous membrane of the stomach, improving the condition with the available inflammations. It has only a protective function - in the organ itself it does not undergo cleavage.
In addition, the decoction from the bark is extremely useful to women who have suffered uneasy births. It helps strengthen the body and restore it as quickly as possible. Also, infusion or a decoction helps to recharge energy and gain strength to the people of old age.
Curative effect of the leaves of the apricot
Useful properties and contraindications of this part of the fruit-bearing tree are due to its proper application. In order to cleanse the body of toxic compounds, it is necessary to drink a decoction of leaves. This drink is useful to people whose professional activities are related to the impact of unfavorable factors. For example, work in radioactive zones, chemical and textile industry, printing.
In addition, the decoction of the leaves of apricot tree has a pronounced diuretic effect. It is indicated to persons having various kidney diseases.
Infusion is able to get rid of helminths, it is effective for diarrhea. In this case, the leaves do not need to be boiled. They must be crushed, poured hot water and let it brew for half an hour.
Compress of freshly picked leaves is useful in hematomas, skin diseases( including acne), sunburn. They can also be chewed for several minutes and thereby get rid of plaque and bad breath.
Thus, the correct use of leaves will not cause the slightest harm to health.
Dried apricots and apricots: useful properties and contraindications
For a person, dried apricots are as valuable as fresh fruits. After a natural drying process, they retain all the positive qualities.
Dried apricots( pitted) and apricots( with it) are powerful preventive agents against many ailments:
- iron deficiency;
- pathology of the visual system;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- disorders in the cardiovascular system;
- hormonal imbalance;
- elevated levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood;
- strokes and heart attacks;
- pathology of the endocrine system;
- kidney disease.
In addition, dried apricots are able to suppress the growth of cancer cells. Compotes, cooked on the basis of dried apricots or dried apricots, purify the body of harmful compounds and salts of heavy metals.
Help in getting rid of excess weight
Apricots have a unique ability to double the rate of metabolic processes, and therefore they must be present in the diet of every person who wants to lose excess pounds.
100 grams of fruits contain 44 kcal, there are practically no proteins and fats in them, the amount of carbohydrates is optimal - 9 g.
Nevertheless, it is not necessary to focus exclusively on the energy value and useful properties of apricots - and contraindications for slimming are also available. Because of the large amount of sugars in their composition, it is not recommended to use people suffering from diabetes. In addition, with excessive eating of juicy fruit, the diet is ineffective. But there is one nuance: not too sweet and ripe apricots contain a minimum amount of sugars and only 11 kcal. Thus, during the period of weight reduction it is desirable to eat slightly unripe fruit.
Can nursing women?
Childbirth is a natural but difficult process. After them, it is important to eat foods that give strength and restore the body. When breastfeeding and useful properties, and contra-indications of apricots should be carefully weighed.
On the one hand, they can help with constipation in a child, but on the other hand - in almost all cases intestinal colic in a baby is more pronounced. In addition, there is a high probability of a response of the organism of a newborn allergy.
Thus, eating apricots for nursing women is useful, but in minimal quantities, constantly watching the baby's condition. If it has not changed, you can safely increase the daily norm of the fruit.
How to choose apricots?
July is the time of year when this fruit appears in markets and in outlets.
When choosing apricots, you need to pay attention to the following:
- Fruits should not be green. As a rule, they appear on the shelves in an immature form. This is necessary for sellers in order to extend the implementation period and not incur losses. But such fruits do not have good taste qualities.
- The ripe apricots have a bright orange color, which is evenly distributed.
- The smell should be expressed: fruit and fragrant.
- If you press a finger on the surface of a ripe apricot, it will easily succumb to pressing. But if you remove it, there will not be any dents.
- Peel should not be thick, with cracks or dark spots.
Storage
One of the main points is the transportation. In its process, the fruits should not be severely damaged.
The expiration date is also affected by improper storage. They should not lie in packages or boxes in several rows on top of each other, as the integrity of the apricots will be compromised.
If you store the fruit at room temperature, it will not last longer than two days. To increase the period of preservation, apricots should be in the refrigerator. With the correct location, it is 2-3 weeks, maximum - 1 month( at zero temperature).
In conclusion
Apricots are sweet and juicy fruits that can provide invaluable help to the human body. Thanks to their rich composition, they have a positive effect on the health of many pathologies of the cardiovascular, endocrine, digestive, visual, and other systems. Nevertheless, useful properties, and contra-indications of apricots should always be correlated. For example, they are not recommended for people who suffer from diabetes and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. But in general, in minimum quantities, fruits benefit everyone.