You may have heard the term "Super food" being tossed around in some health blogs. But what exactly is a Super food? Super foods are whole foods that are not processed, so they retain more of their balanced combination of nutrients that nature gave them. These nutrients include a mix of the essentials- fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other familiar nutrients that our bodies require to function properly and maintain good health. Super foods also include various natural plant substances called phytonutrients that play an important role in reducing health ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. The best way to capture all of these benefits is to eat a variety of whole foods. This series will help you choose which super foods you should be including in your diet. Lets get to it...
Today's Super food is Apricots. Apricots are a delicate fruit that are a robust source of fiber, beta-carotene, iron, and potassium. Their fragrant aroma and sweet taste make apricots delightful for dessert or as a snack. The soluble fiber in apricots help lower blood cholesterol levels. They are also brimming in Vitamin A (beta-carotene) which is an important antioxidant that's linked to the prevention of certain cancers, cataracts, and heart disease. The potassium found in apricots help maintain normal blood pressure.
One thing to watch out for with apricots is their sugar content. If you purchase apricots in a can, sugar is often added during the commercial canning process. This process also uses high heat that destroys some of the beneficial nutrients. The drying process on the other hand, concentrates the nutrients, including the carbs, so 1/2 cup of dried apricots yields three times the calories of a single serving of fresh apricots.
Fresh apricots are fragile and must be handled with care. Look for plump, golden orange apricots that are fairly firm. You may need to ripen the fruit for a day or two at room temperature before you can enjoy them. But be sure not to pile them up because the pressure will cause them to bruise as they ripen. You will want to store them in the refrigerator. Since this fruit's season is short and sweet, canned and dried apricots offer delicious alternatives to fresh. If you use canned, rinse them before eating to wash away the sugar-rich syrup. To reap the most health benefits, eat the skins and all.
Well that is all for now. Thanks for reading and I hope you learned something new today. I will see you again soon.