Dried apricots, a concentrate of nutrients

Tasty and naturally sweet, dried apricots are a perfect snack and can be prepared at home with our recipe.

Dehydrated fruit is perfect to enjoy as a snack or when looking for something healthy to satisfy hunger and dried apricots are no exception. Indeed, they are a real concentrate of nutrients useful for the correct functioning of the organism. Purchased ready-made or homemade with our recipe, they will become one of your little daily vices but, as always, be careful not to overdo it!

• Property
• Recipe
• storage

Dried apricots: properties

Dried apricots are obtained by drying the fruit of Prunus ameniaca (which also includes peaches and cherries). The dehydration process to which they are subjected deprives them almost completely of water , thus considerably increasing their conservation time.

Contrary to what one might think, nutrients also increase or, better to say, concentrate. The nutritional values ​​of dried apricots, weight being equal, are therefore higher than fresh ones. The calories of dried apricots are about 350 per 100 g of product, about 7 times higher than the fresh fruit.

Due to the high sugar content (they contain about 85% soluble carbohydrates) it is recommended not to consume more than 3-4 a day . In this way it is possible to enjoy its benefits without running into contraindications.

Specifically, dried apricots are a concentrate of vitamin A, useful for the health of eyes, skin and bones, and vitamin C , albeit in smaller quantities than the fresh fruit. In addition, they are concentrated in fibres , essential for regulating intestinal transit, and mineral salts such as iron, potassium and phosphorus.

The non-heme iron present in them, being slow-absorbing, helps keep the liver healthy and is particularly suitable for pregnant women.

Pay attention to the label: buy natural dried apricots, without sugar, preservatives or colourings. In fact, they are sometimes treated with sulfur dioxide to increase their conservation but this could lead to allergic reactions in sensitive subjects. For the avoidance of any doubt, we advise you to make them yourself .

Dried apricots: the recipe to make them at home

1. First wash the fruit thoroughly under running water. Our advice is to choose organic and untreated fruit.
2. Then put in a saucepan with 2 liters of water and the baking soda and bring to the boil. Cook for one minute from now.
3. Drain them gently and transfer them to a clean tea towel.
4. Let them cool before dividing them in half and removing the core .
5. Place them cut side down on the oven grill and dry them at 90°C for 5 hours .
6. At this point, transfer them to the sun for 5 days , covered with gauze, and taking care to bring them indoors during the night.
7. Once the process is complete, the dried apricots should be soft but dry.

storage

You can keep them in a plastic container for up to 6 months: they will effortlessly maintain all their properties. Alternatively, try our cake with dried apricots : you'll love it!

How about trying all our desserts with apricots too?

Riproduzione riservata © - WT