Apricot apricot healthy benefits-Chinese herbs and Chinese food

Apricot healthy benefits

Apricot healthy benefits

The apricot is a fruit and as a medicinal herb from China.It is a fleshy fruit, a drupe, round shape, with a core containing a single large seed, or almond.

Pharmacological

In China, wild apricots were harvested to extract oil from their almonds. Some apricot varieties were also selected for their almonds.

Since ancient times, almond apricot is traditionally prescribed against cough and constipation. The oldest book of Materia Medica (from the beginning of our era), the Shennong bencao jing, indicates that the apricot kernel, or Xinghe Xingren 杏仁, “is primarily used to treat coughs, to oppose the qi ascending to treat thunderous gurgle [bowel] sore throat. “

The bitter almond apricot, semen armeniacae amarum (Chinese Xingren 杏仁) is currently described in traditional Chinese medicine (Chen12, 2003, 2008) as:

Taste: bitter, sweet, warm

Affinity for the meridian of the lungs (shoutaiyinfei 手 太阴 肺) and the meridian of the large intestine (Dachang shouyangming 手 阳明 大肠)

functions:

– Antitussive, anti-asthmatic, dyspnea

– Laxative, emollient intestines

Indications:

– Bronchitis, cough and asthma

– Constipation

Toxicity: amygdalin, the active component of bitter almond is toxic in high doses.

In Chinese medicine, dried apricots is recommended for anemia, asthma and sensations of dry mouth or thirst.

The bitter almond apricot contains amygdaline13 of emulsin and many enzymes (amygdalin, prunase etc.). It also contains fatty acids (oleic acid, the two main constituents linoleic acid and palmitic acid, stearic and linolenic acids), cholesterol, estrone, alpha-estradiol. Hydrolysis of agmygdaline leads to benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.

Nutritional value 

Apricots are a good source of dietary fiber (pectin), potassium and a good source of beta carotene (vitamin A) and vitamin C14.

Average nutritional value for 100g fresh apricot

Energy intake

Joules 208 kJ

(Calories) (49.1 kcal)

Main components

Carbohydrates 9.01 g 

Sugars    8.02 g 

Dietary Fiber 1.7g

Protein 0.9g

Fat 0.207 g

Water 86.1 g

Minerals & Trace Elements

Calcium 15.6 mg

Copper 0.066 mg

Iron 0.32 mg

Iodine    0.29 mg

Magnesium 8.67 mg

Manganese 0.16 mg

Phosphorus 16.6 mg

Potassium 237 mg

Selenium 0.01 mg

Sodium <2.2 mg

Zinc 0.139 mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A   1.63 mg

Vitamin B2 0.0367 mg

Vitamin B3 (or PP) 0.5 mg

Vitamin B5 0.24 mg

 vitamin B6 0.0627 mg

Vitamin B9 6.2 mg

Vitamin C 5.45 mg

Vitamin E 0.61 mg

Average nutritional value for 100g  dried apricot

Energy intake

Joules 970 kJ

(Calories) (229 kcal)

Main components

carbohydrates 53 g 

Starch 2.66 g

Sugars 40.5 g

Dietary Fiber 5.7g

Protein 3.14 g

Fat <0.8 g

Water 29.4 g

Minerals & Trace Elements

Calcium 61.2 mg

Copper 0.306 mg

 iron  4.33 mg

Iodine 3.2 mg

Magnesium 36.5 mg

Manganese 0.235 mg

Phosphorus 68.3 mg

Potassium 1090 mg

selenium 2.2 mg 

Sodium 39 mg

Zinc 0.295 mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A   2.16 mg

Vitamin B2 0.067 mg

Vitamin B3  2.69 mg

 vitamin B5  0.608 mg

Vitamin B6 0.157 mg

Vitamin B9 22 mg

Vitamin C 1 mg

Vitamin E 4 mg

Apricot healthy benefits

Whether fresh or dried, the apricot is an alkalizing food and medical herb 

The orange color of dried apricot is often indicative of an addition of sulfur dioxide (sulphite – sulfur dioxide: as a preservative spray) which makes it difficult to digest (apricot drying browns normally).

Dry, it is interesting in the context of intense physical activity, due to its richness in carbohydrates, with no more than 30 kcal per fruit.

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