BENEFITS

• A rich source of beta carotene, iron, and potassium.
• High in fiber, low in calories
• Dried apricots are nutritious, fat-free foods.

Apricots are ideal for both snacks and desserts. They are tasty, easy to digest, high in fiber, low in calories (about 50 calories in 3 fresh apricots and 85 in 10 dried halves), virtually fat free, and highly nutritious.

Apritcots deep color indicates the presence of carotenoids, specifically beta carotene, an important antioxidant, linked with cancer prevention. Apricots are also a source of LDL cholesterol.

BENEFITS:

• Low in calories and high in soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol.
• Packed with numerous phytochemicals such as quercetin that may help prevent heart disease and cancer.
• Apples enhance dental hygiene

A fresh apple is an ideal snack. It’s easy to carry, flavorful, filling and low in calories; a 5-oz (140g) piece of fruit has only 90 calories. Apples can be eaten fresh or cooked in myriad ways baked into pies, crisps and tarts; added to poultry stuffing and made into jelly, apple butter and sauce.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is an old adage, but it may require more than one apple to do the job. The average apple provides only 8 mg of Vitamin C, which is not much. The nutritional value of an apple lies elsewhere. It contains a good dose of pectin, the soluble fiber that thickens jellies and helps lower artery damaging LDL blood cholesterol levels. But the most positive nutitional aspect is the mix of antioxidants apples contain. Flavanoids, such as querticin, prevent LDL cholesterol from being oxidized to a more dangerous form. Researchers have shown that as little as one and a half glasses of apple juice a day can significantly reduce the oxidation of LDL.

Another study found that eating 31/2 oz (100g) of a fresh apple with skin provided the total antioxidant and anticancer activity equal to a 1500 mg of vitamin C. Because applesauce is pleasant tasting and easily digested, doctors recommend it as an early baby food. Apples have long been called nature’s toothbrush; while they don’t actually cleanse the teeth, they still enhance dental hygiene. Biting and chewing an apple stimulates the gums and the sweetness of the apple prompts an increased flow of saliva, which reduces tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria in the mouth.

source: Readers’ Digest Foods that Harm Food that Heal an A-Z Guide to safe and healthy eating