People should eat at least two cups of fresh fruit each day, according to a 2008 article in "The New York Times." Dried fruit, such as dried apricots, can make it easier to meet these goals since it can be kept in the pantry for snacking or use in recipes, and it is easy to bring along wherever you might be going.
Nutrition Facts
A 1/2 cup serving of dried apricots contains 160 calories, 6g fiber and 2g protein. It also provides 90 percent of your daily needs for vitamin A, 15 percent of recommended iron, 10 percent of recommended niacin, 8 percent of recommended phosphorus and magnesium, 6 percent of recommended riboflavin and vitamin B6, 4 percent of recommended vitamin C, calcium and zinc and 2 percent of recommended folate.
Possible Health Benefits
Consuming apricots may help to keep your vision and immune system healthy, due to the vitamin A they contain. There is also a chance that getting sufficient vitamin A may decrease the risk for certain cancers, although more research is needed to determine whether this is the case.
Considerations
Dried apricots are much more calorie dense than fresh apricots. A 1/2 cup serving of dried apricots containing 160 calories, compared to a 1 cup serving of fresh apricot halves which has only 74 calories. They also have less vitamin C, as the drying process destroys most of the vitamin C in the apricots. The dried apricots do have more fiber, iron and vitamin A, however. When it comes to the recommendations for daily fruit consumption, a 1/2 cup serving of dried fruit is equivalent to 1 cup of fresh fruit.
Warning
Unless you purchase organic dried apricots, the apricots you buy are likely to contain sulfites. These compounds may trigger asthma attacks in sensitive people, and they could cause dangerous and sometimes deadly reactions in those who do not have the enzyme necessary to metabolize sulfite, according to the "Consumer Reports" magazine's website.
Potential
When fresh fruit isn't convenient or isn't available, you can use dried fruit to help meet your recommended daily intake. Dried apricots make a healthy snack, as long as they are consumed in moderation. You can use them in increase your fruit intake by chopping them and adding them to both sweet and savory recipes, or to a bowl of cereal.
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