Apricot

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Gut bacteria health⁸

  In lab studies, fiber from dried apricots helped good gut bacteria grow, though apricot variety and drying method changed the effect slightly.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Long-term disease risk⁴

  Apricots hold nutrients and plant compounds that may help lower the risk of long-term diseases.

• Benefit

  Eye and skin health⁵

  Apricots' yellow-orange pigments, like beta-carotene, may support eye health and help fight inflammation.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Pesticide residues in fruit⁶

  Four pesticides were found in apricots from China, but at levels below the country's limits.

• Lead and nickel exposure⁷

  In tests of dried apricots, lead and nickel levels were low, and estimated risks stayed within accepted limits.

• Male fertility⁹

  In animal studies, dried apricots with high levels of sulfur dioxide lowered testosterone and sperm health in rats.

How it’s made and used

• Blood sugar after breakfast³

  In 12 healthy people, sugar-free apricot jam with white bread had a medium glycaemic index.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.