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Apricots (Prunus armeniaca), stone fruit of the family Rosaceae that is cultivated throughout the temperate regions of the world. Apricot trees are large and spreading with broad, ovate leaves that have pointed tips. The leaves are bright green in color and are held erect on the twigs.

The flowers are white in full bloom and borne singly or doubly at a node on very short stems. The apricot sets fruit after self-pollination of its blossoms. The pit, or stone, is large, flat, and smooth. The fruit is nearly smooth, round to oblong in some varieties, somewhat flattened, and in general more like the peach in shape, but with little to no hairiness when ripe. Its flesh is typically a rich yellow to yellowish orange.

The kernels of some varieties are sweet, though they are poisonous until roasted. Native to China, the apricot is cultivated in all of Central and Southeast Asia and in parts of southern Europe and North Africa. Apricots are propagated by budding on peach or apricot rootstocks, and the peach, plum, and apricot may be readily inter grafted. Most varieties withstand winter cold as well as peaches, but the blossom buds, opening earlier than those of the peach, are frequently killed by late freezes. The trees are quite drought resistant and under favorable growing conditions are long-lived, some living 100 years or longer.

The leading countries in apricot production are Iran, Turkey and Spain. Apricots are a good source of vitamin A and are high in natural sugar content. Dried apricots are an excellent source of iron.

Classification

The most important characteristic, which makes it world wide famous, is the dry material content. While the dry material content of dried apricots, vary between 24 % and 30 %, the maximum dry material content of other varieties was observed at only 20%.

Dried apricots, containing many of the major vitamins and minerals, are especially known to be beneficial to the functions of the human body some of which are as follows.

        - Regulation of the functioning of the brain gives energy and helps release stress,

  - Helps in recovery of liver, which is known to be the most important organ for storage and waste disposal of the body,

  - Playing an important role in keeping the bones and teeth healthier and stronger,

  - Prevention of anemia by increasing the blood production process,

  - Besides playing an important role in the therapy of ulcers that occur, it also prevents the formation of stomach and intestine ulcers,

  - Decreasing the formation of kidney stones,

  - Provides a regulatory role in the reproduction system and increases ones sexual potency,

  - It has a preventive measure against cancer,

  - Making cardiac muscles stronger and the functioning of the heart more regular.

Analysis of Dried Apricot (100 gr.)

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