It is the season when the apricots are ripe and on the market. The golden apricot awakens the taste buds of many people. What is the nutritional value of apricots, and how to choose sweet, juicy and soft apricots? Let's take a look!
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The delicacy of apricots
Always evolving
Do you have the impression that the apricots you ate when you were a child taste a bit like opening a blind box - some are sweet, and some are full of sourness; Nowadays, apricots are mostly sweet.
This is because apricots are always "evolving". Gives us a better taste experience.
1. More delicious varieties of apricots are discovered
At the end of the last century, most of the apricots that people ate were yellow apricots. It is widely cultivated in the north of the mainland, among which the more famous ones are camel yellow apricot in Beijing and Hebei, Yangshao yellow apricot in Yangshao, Henan, and Cao apricot in Ningxian County, Gansu.
Although these yellow apricots are large and have thick flesh, the taste is mainly sweet and sour, which is not delicious for friends who like sweet tastes.
In recent years, with the change of consumption habits and the convenience of online shopping, the color of the peel is close to green yellow or creamy yellow "white apricot" has gradually become popular. They have less skin and hair, juicy and sweet, and delicate flesh, among which the representatives are the small white apricots in Luntai, Xinjiang, Li Guangxing in Dunhuang, Gansu, and the fragrant white apricots in Hebei.
2. More delicious apricots are cultivated and promoted
In order to meet people's needs for more diverse tastes, researchers are also constantly cultivating and promoting better apricot tree varieties. In recent years, the Dutch fragrant apricot, which has gradually been promoted from Yantai, Shandong Province to the whole country, is a typical representative. It is characterized by a crispy flesh and extremely high sweetness, which can reach 17% sweetness when ripe. You must know that watermelons that taste very sweet, such as Black Beauty and Sweet King, have a sweetness of 12%~13%.
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It's not just delicious
Apricots are also highly nutritious
The nutritional value of delicious apricots is quite good, the most prominent of which is the high content of carotene.
1. Carotene
Let's take the example of yellow apricot, which is the most widely consumed. Its carotene content is about 450 mcg/100 g, which is almost 22.5 times that of yellow peaches (20 mcg/100 g), 9 times that of apples (50 mcg/100 g), and 2.8 times that of oranges (160 mcg/100 g).
Carotene is the main source of vitamin A. Moderate intake of carotene helps to supplement vitamin A, which can protect eyesight and improve eye discomfort.
2. Lutein and zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin help maintain the macular area of the retina. Lutein and zeaxanthin in yellow apricot can reach about 89 micrograms/100 grams, which is more than three times that of cantaloupe (27 micrograms/100 grams).
It should be reminded that most of the carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin in apricots are concentrated in the peel. Therefore, when eating, on the premise of ensuring hygiene, you can eat it with the peel to gain more nutrients.
3. Potassium
Apricots are also rich in potassium, reaching 226 mg/100 g, nearly twice as much as carrots (119 mg/100 g) and close to the potassium content of bananas, the often recommended fruit for potassium supplementation (256 mg/100 g).
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Why is there a saying that "peaches and apricots hurt people".
As the old saying goes: peaches and apricots hurt people. This is mainly related to the amygdalin in bitter almonds, which may cause poisoning.
After amygdalin enters the body, it will decompose and produce toxic hydrocyanic acid, which is very toxic and can cause suffocation if ingested in excess. But don't worry about eating fresh apricots in moderation; If you want to eat almonds, it is safe to go to a regular supermarket and buy the finished product.
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How to pick apricots
Finally, share a few tips for picking apricots.
1. Select the place of origin
The Xinjiang small white apricots, Shandong Dutch fragrant apricots, Gansu Li Guangxing, etc., are all well-known delicious apricots.
2. Choose fresh
The freshness of the fruit directly determines the taste. Apricots with smooth skin, apricot hairs, plump and round, and green stalk color are fresher.
3. Smell the aroma
If the apricots smell rich in aroma and subtle sweetness, it is a sign of high ripeness and sweetness.
This summer, let's taste the sweetness of apricots together!
Source: People's Daily