by Marisa Hefflefinger

Created on: May 12, 2008   Last Updated: June 16, 2008

AMAZING APRICOTS

The fog dissipated, and as I cleared my eyes, I saw it: the apricot tree. I slowly approached the 20-foot high formation and studied its branches. Gradually, I extended my arm, my fingers, and grasped a golden-orange fruit. I paused, almost asking permission before gently tugging it loose. I pulled it close to my face, breathing in the sweet scent . . . and then I woke up.

Dreaming of apricots? English folklore considers that to be a sign of luck. In fact, there are many superstitions in relation to apricots. Aborigines in the Australian bush create a paste from crushed apricots to be used as a topical aphrodisiac and brew a tea from the stone. After a United States Marine Corp's tank broke down by a can of apricots, drivers would no longer eat them or even allow them on their vehicles, as they felt the fruit triggered misfortune. The Chinese link apricots with education, as Confucius once taught his students in a forest of apricot trees. No matter what your beliefs of this mystical fruit, apricots offer a culturally-rich history and plenty of health benefits.

Apricots, whose binomial or scientific name is Prunus armeniaca, were originally cultivated in western China sometime around 3000 BC. From there, they spread to other parts of Asia and Europe. Brought to the United States by Spanish explorers, apricots were first grown in 1792 in California, where most of today's American apricots are raised. Over twenty varieties are now produced, though the taste difference is almost impossible to distinguish.

Whatever the variety, all apricots present the same healthful advantages. Eaten raw, dried, baked, or boiled, apricots are a plentiful source of vitamin A, a rich antioxidant promoting healthy eyes and reducing the occurrence of cataracts. The antioxidants actually increase as the fruit ripens. Apricots also boast a good source of fiber, which aids proper function of the digestive system, and lycopene, which decreases risk of prostate cancer.

Though most eaters dispose of a fruit's insides after consuming the rest, apricot seeds offer just as much benefit. The kernels contain vitamin B17, or amygdalin, which, in a concentrated form, is called laetrile. Laetrile was thought to fight cancer cells in the body.

During the 1970's, Dr Kanematsu Sugiura, an experienced cancer researcher, led a study on the effects of apricot kernels on cancer. After the 5-year investigation ended in 1977, it was concluded by the research team that there was no correlation

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