Health blog: November 2017

Friday 17 November 2017

Health Benefits Of Apricot Seed (Kernel) Oil.

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Hello Friends !

I had already written about amazing health benefits of apricot fruit & dried apricot. But, it wonderful benefits are not restricted to here only. Even oil made from apricots is beneficial to you in many ways.

So, in this article, I am going to tell you about amazing health benefits of apricot seed oil or apricot kernel oil.
Apricot kernel oil has also amazing health and beauty benefits.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF APRICOT SEED OIL :-

1). Cold And Flu :-

Apricot seed oil boosts your immunity and helps maintaining good immune system. It is responsible for the strong ability of your body to fight infections like cold & flu.

Apricot seed oil fights with cold and flu.

2). Controls Blood Pressure :-

As it is made up of apricot, it also contains Vitamin B17. Vitamin B17 is helpful in controlling blood pressure and helps in lowering it down.

3). Relieves Arthritis :-

Apricot seed oil has anti- inflammatory properties. It helps in reducing arthritis symptoms. It also soothes and can give you relief from the pain.

4). Prevents Against Cancer :-

A research says that the seeds of the apricot fruit contain a substance called laetrile, which may be helpful in the treatment and prevention of cancer. Laetrile is also known as Vitamin B17. In the year 1920s, the idea was found for the first time. The idea was that the substance extracted from apricot seeds can reduce tumors. This idea was developed by Dr. Ernst Krebb, a doctor from San Francisco. On further studies and researches, he found that using amygdalin, an extract obtained from apricot seed kernels could be too dangerous for humans to use. Twenty years later, a safer version of this substance was synthesised.

There are four substances present in amygdalin – two types of glucose, benzaldehyde, and cyanide. Of course, it is known that free or released pure molecules of benzaldehyde and cyanide are poisonous only. Many foods that contain cyanide are safe to be consumed as this substance is locked as a component of another molecule.

Rhodanese enzyme present in normal cells, can capture cyanide molecules that are free and make them harmless by binding them with sulfur. In this state, when the cyanide is bound to sulfur, it gets converted to a neutral substance known as cyanate. It will then be able to pass through the urine easily without causing any harm to the normal cells.

5). Skin Massage :-

A very good property of any massage oil is that it should get absorbed quickly and easily by the skin.
Apricot seed oil gets very quickly absorbed into the skin making it a good massage oil. Massage done by this oil helps in reducing stress, pain and inflammation. This oil is very mild and non-irritating, and can even be used for children and infants.

6). Good For Skin Health :-

Apricot seed kernal oil is very light and gentle on the skin. This oil is beneficial for normal and oily skin. It moisturizes the skin. The texture of this oil is very light so it can be used as a face serum. It is non-greasy when applied on the skin in coat. It also rehydrates your skin.

7). Skin Scrub :-

It can serve as a very good scrub for your skin giving you a radiant skin. It is as good as olive or almond oil when used as scrub. You can mix the seed oil with sugar and scrub your face to exfoliate. It also acts as a good cleanser giving you a glowing complexion and renewed radiance.

8). Provides Nourishment :-

Gamma linoleic acid is present in apricot seed oil. It is useful to firm and tone your skin. It is also rich in Vitamin A and E which you already know are good for healthy skin. It soothes and can slow down the ageing process. It has nourishing properties and an anti-inflammatory effect to soothe eczema.

9). Act As A Moisturiser :-

Apricot seed oil can be used as a moisturizer for dry areas such as elbows, knees, feet and hands. It can be helpful in making your skin extra soft, supple and smooth by moisturising the skin.

It can be used as a night oil too.
This oil can give you best results when used as a night moisturizer. To achieve this, you can mix it with any other essential oil that suits you. You can cleanse and tone your face and then massage with it gently onto your skin. It will help in getting rid of clogged pores, a shiny nose and will also moisturize dry skin.

10). As An Ingredient In Cosmetics :-

Apricot seed oil contains high fatty acids, Vitamin E and A giving it moisturizing and nourishing properties. It is good for dry and mature skin. This oil is one of the ingredients in many cosmetics like creams, soaps, and skin lotions. The oil gets easily absorbed into the skin without leaving any oily residue. Due to this quality, it is also used for massage and as sunbathing oil. You can use this as a base with other aromatherapy oils.

11). Good For Hair Health :-

Apricot seed oil is beneficial for hair health. You can massage your hair by mixing apricot seed oil with other oils like Amla, coconut, and olive to cure a dry and flaky scalp. It is very good for damaged and chemically treated hair. This will restore the shine and lustre of your hair.

12). Good For Cooking :-

Apricot seed oil is used for cooking and flavoring of traditional Italian liquor. It can also be used as a salad oil that has many health benefits.

You can buy apricot seed oil on Amazon .

A Post By Admin.

Author - Swatti Sharrma ß

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Disclaimer :- This blog is not intended to any prescription or medical advice. It is for general info only. Always consult your doctor before using or applying anything. Keep an eye on the ingredients to which you are allergic. Be cautious if you have any specific health condition or you are under medication. Consult your doctor first. Use info on your own wisdom.

©SimplyBeautifulß

Swatti Sharrma ß

Thursday 16 November 2017

Amazing Health Benefits Of Dried Apricot.

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Fruits are healthy for us. We are aware of this fact. They are not only tasty but packed with nutrients that are beneficial for our health. Some fruits are so amazing that they can be useful to keep yourselves healthy in fresh and dried form both.
One such fruit is Apricot

Previously, I had written an article on Health Benefits Of Apricot Fruit.

In today's article, I am going to tell you about health benefits of dried Apricot.

So, there is no doubt you care about your health and your beloved one's health, you are curious & ready to know about amazing uses of dried apricot, keep reading....

Health Benefits Of Apricot Fruit.

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Hi there !

Today, I will talk about a fruit called

APRICOT which is also eaten in dried form too. Apricot is having it's significance in health care and beauty care as well.

INTRODUCTION :-

Apricots are bright yellow or you can also say golden orange colored fruits.
Apricots belong to the Rosaceae family of fruit trees. Peaches, plums, and nectarine also fall in the same category. Apricots are generally available during the summer.
Dried and canned apricots are available all the year round. Apricot is velvety soft skin fruit that shows, close resemblance to peaches appearance.

Apricot fruit name in Hindi - Khubani/Khumani/Jardalu
In Telugu - Jaldaru

Apricots have a centrally located single seed which is surrounded by edible flesh. They have a smooth and sweet flavor which is full of musky flavor and very light tartness. The seed is also edible and resembles almonds in taste and appearance. It is enclosed in a hard stony shell often called a “stone”. Oil extracted from these seeds is used in cooking. And often seeds are substituted as almonds. Sometimes people use apricot seeds instead of almonds.

Apricots are a available in fresh and in dried form and can be enjoyed both fresh and dried. However, it is to be noted that fresh fruits have higher vitamin C content and they are more healthy by some while dried form of apricots are long lasting, can be stored and are generally preferred by dieters. Some experts say dried form is more nutritious than their fresh counterparts. Apricots are used in various recipes and forms.

Although the fruit is not a native of India, it is widely used in both fresh and dried forms of the fruit in different parts of the country. Apricots comes in May and is available until the month of August.
It's rich nutritional content makes a most popular fruit of North and South America. This fruit was first grown in the China and then distributed to all over the world. Some of the highly apricot producing countries are Spain, Italy, Russia, Turkey, France, United States and Greece.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF APRICOT :-

Nutrition Facts Of Apricots -
Here you will know about apricot nutritional value in detail.

Apricots (Prunus armeniaca), fresh.
Nutritive Value per 100 g. Total-ORAC umol TE/100 g-1115.
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)

**Nutrient Amount %age Of RDA Chart**
Nutrient	Amount	%age Of RDA
Energy	50 Kcal.	2.5%
Carbohydrates	11 g	8.5%
Protein	1.4 g	2.5%
Total Fat	0.4 g	1%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fibre	2 g	5%
Folates	9 µg	2%
Niacin	0.600 mg	4%
Pantothenic Acid	0.240 mg	5%
Pyridoxine	0.054 mg	5%
Riboflavin	0.040 mg	3%
Thiamin	0.030 mg	2.5%
Vitamin-A	1926 IU	64%
Vitamin-C	10 mg	16%
Vitamin-E	0 mg	0%
Vitamin-K	3.3 µg	3%
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	259 mg	5.5%
Calcium	13 mg	1.3%
Copper	0 mg	0%
Iron	0.39 mg	5%
Magnesium	10 mg	2.5%
Manganese	0.077 mg	3%
Phosphorus	23 mg	3%
Zinc	0.2 mg	2%
Carotene-α	19 µg	N/A
Carotene-β	1094 µg	N/A
Crypto-xanthin-β	104 µg	N/A
Lutein-zeaxanthin	89 µg	N/A

To stay healthy, you need to consume Apricot daily. Apricots are as healthy as many other fruits. They are extremely low in calories and high in antioxidants and dietary fiber and that's why they are consumed as a dietary food.

Now, let's see amazing health benefits of Apricot.
Here are they...

1). Eye Health :-

Researches have proved that this nutritious fruit is very good for the health of the eyes on its regular consumption. It improves the eye health. It has vitamin c and other nutrients which makes it healthy for eyes. Apricots are highly rich in vitamin A. About one cup of chopped apricots is efficient as it fulfills the 60% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is also good for eye health as we already know. It strengthens the optic nerves. It not only helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) but also helps cure it. Age related macular degeneration means
due to ageing process when people start losing their normal eye sight.
Apricot is rich in vitamins A, C and E as well as carotenoids that reduce the risk of eye vision problems.

2). Good For Digestion :-

Apricots are packed with high amounts of pectin and cellulose that act as a mild laxative, thus helping in the treatment of constipation. Apricots contains high amount of fiber which is vital for colon health and prevents constipation. Apricots reduces the cause of colon cancer. Fibers can help in balancing the body’s metabolism. Thus, Apricots support digestive system. It provides 3% of your recommended fibre intake with just one small-sized apricot. The fibre present in this fruit, being soluble in nature, helps breakdown and digestion of food. Consumption of Apricot also helps better absorption of nutrients from the food.

3). Beneficial For Anaemic :-

A significant amount of non-heme iron, a type of iron that is absorbed very slowly by the body, is found in Apricots. It can allow better absorption and prevention of development of anemia for a long period of time.

4). Heart Health :-

Apricot fruit is capable of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It contains abundant amount of antioxidants like vitamin C and lycopene. These antioxidants can reduce bad cholesterol (LDL). This can minimize the risk of heart attack and is helpful in improving your heart health. Hence, it keeps your heart healthy by reducing the risk of heart disease. It can be better understood in this way. Apricots packed with antioxidants like carotenoids and flavonols prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the arteries. And different nutrients in apricots help in reducing risk factors like obesity, cholesterol and diabetes that are linked to heart disease.

5). Helps In Weight Loss :-

Apricot is a fruit which is rich in dietary fiber, and has low calories.
That's why they are present on the list when you are going for a weight loss.

6). Bones Health :-

Apricots contains high amount of calcium which plays an important role in not only formation of bones but in development of bones too. Apricots helps in maintaining bone health thus further preventing bone related problems.

7). Relieves Arthritis :-

Apricot kernel oil is full of anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it efficient in reducing symptoms of arthritis. It also helps in relieving pain and soothes the affected areas.

8). Protects From Cancer :-

This fruit is enruched with antioxidants. These antioxidants are helpful in protecting our bodies from free radicals which cause damage to cells. Many factors can be responsible for free radicals which are produced in our body like pollution, harmful UV rays and smoke. These harmful radicals act as enemies as they disturbs the normal process of cell growth, bringing about changes in DNA of the cells. This can lead to the formation of cancer cells. Apricots are rich in vitamins A and C which are powerful antioxidants that fight cancer diseases and boosts your immune system. Even apricot fruit seed contains a compound called B17 that can fight cancer.

You can cut a few slices of apricots. Add it to your morning cereal breakfast or to your glass of milkshake. Because of their potent antioxidant activity, apricots help preventing direct DNA damage that could lead to cancer.

9). Boosts Immunity :-

Apricot boosts the immunity of your body. Apricot oil helps in strengthening the immune system. Strong immunity helps in fighting infections like cold and flu thus, preventing body from illness.

10). Helps In Electrolyte Balancing :-

For the maintenance of Electrolyte balance, minerals like sodium and potassium play a vital role.
Apricots contain these minerals which maintains the balance of electrolyte levels. It is important for the transportation of ions to every cells of the body. It maintains fluid level which is important for muscle contraction.

11). Lowers Down The Cholesterol Levels :-

Apricot contains soluble fibre. This soluble fibre is known to reduce total cholesterol levels in the blood by reducing re-absorption of bile in the intestine. Due to lack of absorption, bile gets excreted through feces. In order to compensate this loss, the liver produces bile salts with the help of cholesterol present in the blood. As we know, apricots contain soluble fibre, it can help in reducing your blood cholesterol levels to make more bile.

12). Reduce The Risk Of Liver Disease :-

Apricot can protect from hepatic steatosis also known as fatty liver disease and liver damage. A study conducted by Ozturk F and colleagues on rats have found that apricot when fed had reduced liver injury in rats suggesting that it may help to reduce the risk of fatty liver disease.

13). Relieves Asthma :-

It has been proved that Apricots are beneficial in providing relief from the symptoms of asthma, tuberculosis, and bronchitis.

14). Fights Against Inflammation :-

Apricot is rich in catechins. Catechins is a group of flavonoids. It makes apricots exhibit a strong anti-inflammatory action. Scientists say that catechins inhibit the key enzymes required in the process of inflammation.

15). Helps In Getting Relief From Fever:-

Apricots are helpful in getting relief from fever. To get it's benefits in fever, you can take apricot and water, then make a liquid out of it, and afterwards, you can add a little honey in it. This will help in relieving thirst & fever. It will also clean your system and add vitamins and minerals to the body.

16). Source Of Vitamin B17 :-

Apricot oil is a great source of Vitamin B17. In Apricots, Vitamin B17 is present in the seeds of the fruit. This nutrient appears to be helpful in the prevention of various types of cancers like cancer of bone, cervical and skin cancers. These cancers can be prevented with the help of apricot oil. Vitamin B17 is also known to lower and maintain blood pressure.

17). Skincare :-

Apricot do wonders in skincare. It maintains the skin health and improves the skin texture. You already know about apricot scrubs (exfoliators) available in the market.
For more on Beauty benefits of Apricot, plz visit here.

PRECAUTIONS, SIDE-EFFECTS & RISK-FACTORS -

As I always say , every thing you eat or apply, you should be cautious about it. You should be aware of risk factors and side-effects, allergies and health conditions which alter it.

Same thing applies here too. You should take precautions while
eating apricots as it may lead to some serious health disorders because of its side effects and disadvantages.

It is said that eating dried apricots should be avoided. The reason behind it is the way it is stored. As it is stored using sulfites in order to preserve it and prevent from oxidation, it can cause side-effects. Sulfites may cause some serious health problems like acute bronchospasm and asthma in later life.
It contains some amount of oxalates which can cause kidney or gall bladder stones.

Apricots kernel may cause cyanide toxicity that makes it efficient in developing symptoms like nausea, headache, vomiting, weakness, dizziness, liver damage, diminished alertness, cyanosis (decreased oxygen level in the blood), ptosis (drooping eyelids), hypotension (low blood pressure), neuropathies (nerve damage), difficulty in walking due to nerve damage and etc.

Cyanide poisoning may lead to the serious conditions like coma or death in some cases.
It should be avoided by the pregnant and breast feeding women or eaten under careful guidance of the doctor.

Again as I recommend, you should consult your doctor before consuming anything specially if you have specific health conditions.

Appropriate Quantity Of Consumption Is Necessary -
Apricots are no doubt healthy fruits packed with nutrients yet like othee fruits etc. one should eat anything under limit & same applies on Apricots.
It is healthy to eat it according to the body need and requirement. Many factors like age, sex, weight and health conditions of a person are taken to be in consideration while consuming apricots. However, you can eat around 5-6 a day as it is OK for a normal person to take health benefits out of it. In other cases it must be well consulted by the doctor or health consultants.

A Post By Admin.

Author - Swatti Sharrma ß