Health Benefits of the Apricot, an Excellent Fruit for Your Diet

Apricots Are Very Healthy and Are an Excellent Choice for Dieters

The apricot is often overlooked in favor of other common fruits such as the apple, pear, orange or banana. But the apricot is just as healthy as those other fruits, in some cases even healthier. Aside from the many health benefits of the apricot, it is also a wonderful diet food, providing a large amount of healthful nutrition to the body as well as keeping down caloric intake, as they are very low in calories as compared to other fruits (only about 50 calories for three apricots)!

Like apples or oranges, there are several different varieties of apricot, but you will typically find only one or two types to choose from in your local supermarket or fruit stand, depending upon your location. Appearing as small, golden-orange fruits, they all share the same particular health benefits, so its really just a matter of taste as to which type of apricot you would favor.

The slightly tart fruit is versatile, able to be used in a vast number of ways and recipes, or just enjoyed fresh right off the fruit stand. Many consumers enjoy apricots as a dried fruit. Dried apricots last longer and can be easily packed away as a snack for dieters on the go. Consumed as a dried fruit, the apricot has even more nutritional benefits then its fresh counterpart. Dried apricots are also more widely available all-year-round, while fresh apricots tend to be more of a seasonal fruit depending on your area. Fitting fresh or dried apricots into your diet plan as much as possible will be beneficial to your health and your weight.

Fresh apricots are an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, E, potassium, and iron, as well as being a great source of beta-carotene. In fact, 2-3 apricots will give you nearly 50% of your daily value of Vitamin A. Apricots contain no fat and a small amount of carbs (about 8g of carbs for two apricots, 2 of those being from dietary fiber).