Health and Nutrition Benefits of Apricots

Apricots are a great source of many antioxidants, including beta carotene and vitamins A, C, and E.

What’s more, they’re high in a group of polyphenol antioxidants called flavonoids, which have been shown to protect against illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease (5, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).

The main flavonoids in apricots are chlorogenic acids, catechins, and quercetin (5).

These compounds work to neutralize free radicals, which are harmful compounds that damage your cells and cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is linked to obesity and many chronic diseases, such as heart disease (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).

In one study in 2,375 people, researchers developed a scoring system to measure changes in levels of inflammatory markers.

They found that high flavonoid and anthocyanin intakes were associated with a 42% and 73% lower inflammation score, respectively. High flavonoid intake was also tied to a 56% lower oxidative stress score (11Trusted Source).