Apricots are a wonderful addition to your meal plan. This sweet summer fruit is very versatile – enjoy it as a snack, add apricot slices to Greek yogurt and salads.
You can add apricots to your dishes, stew them with meats or use them to make homemade jam, salsa and a variety of desserts.
Did you know adding apricots to your diet can help you shed the pounds? Keep reading to find out this amazing fruit can actually suppress your appetite and ultimately help you lose weight.
Are Apricots Keto Friendly?
If you’re searching for a keto-friendly fruit, apricots make a great choice. One raw apricot contains just 4 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, and only 3 grams of natural sugars. However, you may wish to avoid dried apricots as they are significantly higher in carbs and calories.
How Many Carbs are in Apricots?
Fresh: One whole apricot contains 4 grams of net carbs.
Dried: A 100 gram serving of dried apricot halves contains a staggering 83 grams of carbs.
How Many Calories are in Apricots?
Fresh: One whole apricot contains 17 calories.
Dried: A 100 gram serving of dried apricot halves contains 320 calories.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving: 1 apricot (35 grams) | |
| Calories 17 | |
| Total Fat 0.1 grams | 0% |
| Saturated fat 0 grams | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated fat 0 grams | |
| Monounsaturated fat 0.1 grams | |
| Cholesterol 0 milligrams | 0% |
| Sodium 0.4 milligrams | 0% |
| Potassium 90.6 milligrams | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 3.9 grams | 1% |
| Dietary fiber 0.7 grams | 2% |
| Sugar 3.2 grams | |
| Protein 0.5 grams | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 13% | Vitamin C | 5% |
| Calcium | 0% | Iron | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0% | Vitamin B-6 | 0% |
| Cobalamin | 0% | Magnesium | 0% |
Health Benefits of Apricots
Overview
Apricots are low in calories and very hydrating with a high water content. They contain many essential vitamins and minerals, including powerful antioxidants that help prevent disease. The fruit offers many health benefits, such as improved digestion and gut health. Apricots also promote healthy vision and protect your liver from oxidative stress.
Rich in Antioxidants
Apricots contain powerful antioxidants like beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, all of which help fight free radicals in your body.
Supports Healthy Eye Sight
Apricots are an excellent source of beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and vitamins C and E, nutrients that protect your eye sight.
Healthy Skin
Apricots are naturally high in antioxidants, which protect your cells against free radicals and environmental damage from pollutants. These antioxidants will keep your skin looking youthful by protecting against UV rays, preventing wrinkles and slowing the signs of aging.
Improves Gut Health
Apricots are a good source of soluble fiber, a type of fiber that feeds your healthy gut bacteria and improves digestion.
Good Source of Potassium
Potassium aids muscle contractions, nerve function and fluid balance. Due to their high potassium content, apricots may help prevent high blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Helps Hydrate the Body
Because apricots have a high water content, eating them can help you stay hydrated. Proper hydration is a key component for optimum health by stabilizing blood pressure and heart rate.
Protects the Liver
Studies on mice determined that apricots may be instrumental in protecting the liver from oxidative stress, however, more human studies are required to confirm these findings.
Apricots Versus Peaches – What’s the Difference?
Apricots and peaches are two stone fruits that look similar but differ in flavor and feel. Peaches have a fuzzy skin while the skin of apricots is smooth to the touch. Peaches are a sweeter tasting fruit and apricots have a tarter flavor. Whichever you choose, both fruits are good for you and offer essential vitamins and minerals.
Although peaches and apricots are different fruits, peaches and nectarines are technically from the same species. Peaches can be distinguished from nectarines because they have a fuzzy coating, whereas nectarines are smooth.
Popular Desserts Using Apricots
Some popular desserts using apricots include:
- Grilled apricots a la mode (served with vanilla ice cream).
- Apricot crumble
- Apricots poached in Grand Marnier or Amaretto
- Apricot Compote with Yogurt
- Apricot cakes and tarts.
- Apricot Sorbet
Keep it Keto by using almond flour and sugar-free sweetener in your desserts and baked goods instead of using wheat flour and sugar. If you use a liqueur in your apricot desserts, make sure to measure out a moderate amount as this can add a significant amount of sugar and carbs.
Carbs in Apricot Jam
One tablespoon of apricot jam contains 13 grams of carbs and 49 calories.
Carbs in Dried Apricots
The carb content of dried apricots is much higher per serving (about 29 grams per 5 dried apricot halves), so choose fresh apricots over dried while following the Keto diet.
Keto Apricot Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- 6 chicken pieces (breasts, thighs or drumsticks)
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sugar free apricot preserves
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ apricot sliced
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a broiler pan then place chicken and apricot slices on pan and roast together for 40 minutes until cooked through.
- While the chicken is cooking, mix the mayo, preserves, Dijon, onion powder, soy sauce together in a small bowl.
- Dip each chicken piece into the sauce, submerging completely.
- After all chicken is coated, return chicken to pan and bake for 5 minutes or so until heated through.
- Spoon or brush on the remaining sauce before serving.
Makes 6 servings each containing 8 grams of carbs and 460 calories.
Keto Grilled Apricot Salsa
Instructions:
- 4 medium fresh apricots, halved and pitted
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
- ½ red pepper, diced
- 1 fresh green chili pepper, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Grease grill rack and place apricots with cut sides down on rack. Grill over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly charred and they begin to carmelize.
- Turn heat down to medium and chili simmering, chop apricots.
- In a medium bowl combine chopped roasted apricots, red onion, red pepper, cilantro, lime juice, green chili pepper, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Spoon over grilled meat, like chicken, pork or beef or alongside fish or seafood.
Related Questions:
Are Apricot Seeds (Kernels) Safe to Eat?
Apricot kernels are the seeds found inside the pits (or stones) of apricots. Although they are sold as a snack, eating them can be very dangerous to your health – even fatal. The pit of the fruit should always be discarded as it contains cyanide, a deadly poison. The seeds or kernels inside the pit can also contain traces of this toxin and could cause poisoning.
In fact, a report published in the European Food Safety Authority warned of several cases where children were hospitalized due to cyanide poisoning caused by ingesting apricot kernels. A two year old toddler died because of high cyanide levels in her blood after eating as little as 10 apricot kernels.
Can Eating Apricots Help Me to Lose Weight?
New research has linked apricots with weight loss as they are one of few foods that can cause a reaction in the brain to signal satiety. For this reason, eating apricots may help you to avoid overeating or snacking between meals.
According to a study published in the Journal of Molecular Metabolism, brain cells have the ability to detect nutrients in food to help control appetite. Apricots contain a certain type of amino acids that stimulate brain cells to turn off hunger cues more than most other foods.