How do you pronounce apricot? Ape-ricot or App-ricot? I don’t think there is a right answer. However you say apricot doesn’t change the fact that they’re a delicious fruit!
An apricot is considered a drupe. Drupe sounds like a funny word but it actually just means, a fruit that has a pit. Cherries and peaches are also drupes.
Apricot pits were once used as a possible cancer treatment but that idea has been thrown out. While the soft, fleshy part of an apricot is tasty, the pit inside contains small amounts of poison that can make you sick! Don’t eat the pits!
Look for apricots at the farmers markets or at any fruit stand!
Like many of its fruit friends, apricots are a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Your body will give you an A+ for choosing to eat apricots. Here are some nutrients you can score by eating apricots:
Vitamin A is important for good eyesight.
Vitamin C helps your immune system stay sharp.
Fiber is important for good digestion and for regulating blood sugar levels.
Antioxidants can protect cells from damage.
Apricots are tasty by themselves but you can also make a lot of tasty creations with apricots!
- Top your cereal with apricot
- Add it to some yogurt
- Freeze apricots, then blend into a smoothie
- Roast or grill with a little butter and cinnamon
- Dried apricot is a great addition to trail mix
- Make apricot jam
- Bake apricots into muffins, sweet breads, pies, etc.
- Use sliced apricot as a salad topping
There are many varieties of Apricots, below are a few common varieties. Who came up with these interesting names??
Chinese: this variety is sweet and the skin and flesh are a yellow color. Apricots originated in China, which might be why this variety is called Chinese.
Moorpark: this type is good for eating fresh or for canning or drying. They are a yellow-orange color.
Goldrich: these apricots are large and have bright orange skin.
Tilton: these apricots are a bit smaller than others. The skin is a yellow-gold with some red blush.
Information came from verywellfit.com, extension.usu.edu, and snaped.fns.usda.gov
When travelling on a train recently, I overheard an elderly lady saying she ate two apricot pits a day (not more!) to prevent cancer. Apparently, she had been informed by someone in the know that this amount couldn’t do you harm. I wouldn’t test it myself though, the apricot flesh is delicious enough (and much safer) to eat.
I imagine its probably a very small amount of cyanide in one pit but I would be cautious. This is an interesting article on the topic, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/natural-health-treatment-poisons-man-180964870/ It may differ between varieties of apricots.