Apricots in syrup by R.Borgacci

What are

What are apricots in syrup?

The apricots in syrup are long-life foods that belong to the whole of the preserved fruit and fruit in syrup subset.

Fresh apricots - fruits of the tree belonging to the botanical genus Prunus armeniaca - belong to the VI fundamental group of foods - fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A. Note : they also have a not inconsiderable content of vitamin C. Among the energetic macronutrients, they bring above all fructose - which outlines a moderate energy intake; the water is abundant and there is no lack of certain specific minerals of the category, especially potassium. On the other hand, once transformed into "preserves" - washing, peeling, cutting, pitting, cooking and potting in a sweet liquid - the vitamin concentration tends to decrease significantly. Furthermore, compared to fresh ones, apricots in syrup are much richer in soluble / simple sugars and calories. This gives you a high glycemic-insulin load; they are therefore not very suitable for clinical nutrition, especially for overweight, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. Recall that an excess of sugar can promote the formation of tooth decay. Note : in order to improve conservation, in the industrial sector the fruit in syrup is enriched with antioxidant additives - especially vitamin C or ascorbic acid, like the many types of ascorbate.

The recipe for apricots in syrup is quite simple. The steps required to increase shelf life are cooking and sterilizing; taking for granted an adequate heat treatment, the most important step - but also the most delicate - to obtain apricots in syrup with a perfect consistency - even in the long term - is certainly the formulation of the syrup.

In the kitchen, apricots in syrup are mainly used as desserts, sometimes accompanied by whipped cream and / or liqueurs and / or chocolate flakes and / or biscuits - even crumbled. It is advisable to eat them away from the main meals, in order to avoid too high a glycemic load; they can be a snack or an ingredient for breakfast. Different recipes contain apricots in syrup even though, generally, they are common to an excessive intake of calories and simple sugars compared to the needs of an ordinary diet; some examples are cakes - especially cold ones - such as cheesecakes - or various desserts - such as frozen desserts.

Why syrup apricots?

The invention of syruping is due to the need to prolong the preservation of fresh fruits, excessively available in a limited period of time - that of maturation. From the apricots you can also get excellent jams, jellies, candied or dehydrated / dried fruit pieces.

Apricots harvested too ripe, perhaps bruised, marked by hail, mold or verminated - therefore unsuitable for the production of syrups - are destined above all to the production of jams and jellies. The apricots in syrup, in alcohol, candied and dehydrated instead, require raw materials that are more intact and generally not too ripe.

Note : it should however be specified that the consumption of preserved fruit was more common in the past than in the present day.

Nutritional Properties

Nutritional properties of apricots: fresh VS in syrup

Containing a lot of vitamin A - especially retinol equivalents (RAE) - apricots are placed in the VI fundamental group of foods.

Raw and fresh, they have a low energy supply and an excellent percentage of water. Calories are provided mainly by soluble / simple sugars, or fructose monosaccharide; proteins - with a low biological value - and lipids are marginal. They contain an excellent level of dietary fiber. Note : The presence of fructose - instead of glucose, sucrose or maltose - and fiber helps to define a medium-low entity glycemic-insulin index.

Instead, they are cholesterol free. No traces of lactose, gluten or histamine are detected. They have a low level of purines and phenylalanine amino acid. The amount of minerals, especially potassium, is satisfactory. As for vitamins, in addition to carotenoids (RAE), vitamin C and folic acid levels are more than appreciable.

The apricots in syrup, on the other hand, have a much higher energy intake, almost twice as much as the fresh raw ingredient. The added calories are provided by sugar - disaccharide sucrose, or monosaccharides glucose or fructose - used for syrup. Proteins and lipids have even less relevance than fresh fruits. Being peeled, apricots in syrup contain much less dietary fiber; however, thanks to cooking, part of the remaining one undergoes a hydrolysis which makes it more digestible and available for the intestinal bacterial flora - prebiotic function. However, cholesterol and lactose are absent; similarly, purines and phenylalanine appear in modest concentrations. With regard to histamine instead, it should be noted that, in principle, it is present at higher concentrations in preserved foods than in fresh ones. The mineral profile is inferior, due to the dilution in the governing liquid. The same applies to the vitamin concentration which, moreover, is drastically reduced following cooking and oxidative stress.

Diet

Apricots in syrup in the diet

The increase in glycemic load, total calories and the glycemic-insulin index, make apricots in syrup an unsuitable food for the diet against overweight, hyperglycemia or type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. They are also not recommended for subjects predisposed to tooth decay.

The fiber intake is discreet and could help - despite the lower portion compared to fresh food - to satisfy the daily dietary intake. Dietary fibers are generally useful in decreasing the glycemic index, increasing the sense of satiety and modulating intestinal absorption. They also have a beneficial effect on the intestine, improving alvo and preventing or treating a series of disorders and even serious pathologies: constipation, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, inflammation of hemorrhoids, anal fissures and anal prolapse; a high fiber diet reduces the incidence of some colon cancers.

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants and, in the body, they can act as retinol precursors - provitamine A; this vitamin is the basis of many physiological processes such as cell replication, maintenance of visual, reproductive function, etc. Vitamin C also plays the role of a powerful antioxidant and is a necessary factor for both collagen synthesis and the immune system; folic acid, on the other hand, plays an indispensable role in the synthesis of nucleic acids, which is why it is essential in pregnancy. It is however necessary to consider that, with cooking, many vitamins - especially ascorbic acid and folic acid - undergo irreversible degradation. Note : the addition of antioxidant additives in commercial products compensates, at least in part, for the reduction of vitamin C.

Potassium is an alkalizing mineral of which the body has a high daily requirement. This ion participates in the transmission of the neuromuscular action potential, which is why a possible deficiency almost inexorably leads to the onset of muscle cramps - more frequent with increasing sweating. The increase in potassium in the diet also participates in combating the possible presence of primary hypertension.

However, it must be specified that, despite the content of some useful nutrients, the excess sugar in syruped apricots has a very bad impact on the metabolism. Furthermore, the recommended portions are fairly small (50 g) and therefore do not contribute significantly to achieving the recommended daily intake of these nutrients. Therefore, apricots in syrup cannot be considered a primary source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

recipe

Recipe of syruped apricots

Below we will briefly summarize how to prepare apricots in syrup quickly and easily.

Ingredients of apricots in syrup

• 900 g of apricots
• 300 g of granulated sugar
• 135-140 ml water
• protective antioxidants (eg vitamin C).

Tools for preparing apricots in syrup

Knife, cutting board, glass jars and lids, pots and lids, twists or cloths and pot holders, hob.

Process of syruped apricots

• Wash glass jars and lids
• Sterilize them in boiling water inside a muffler or saucepan
• Boil water in another pot
• Wash the apricots
• Blanch the apricots in water for 10-15 "
• Drain and cool them in ice water
• Cut them in half, peel them and stone them
• Dip the apricots in the protector according to the instructions on the package
• Put sugar and water in another saucepan; bring to a boil
• Place the apricots in the jars and cover with the syrup by removing the air bubbles
• Place the lids on the jars without tightening them
• Put the jars back into the pot with the water for sterilizing the jars
• Bring to a boil and keep for 25-30 '
• Remove the jars from the hot water and tighten the lids
• Cool and check the vacuum seal.

Frequent errors in preparing apricots in syrup

Apricots in syrup become swollen and soggy or small and hard with preservation

If the apricots in syrup become swollen and soggy it is certainly the fault of the syrup, in particular of its osmotic power - called "strength". If too concentrated, the syrup tends to dehydrate the fruit making it hard; if too diluted it pushes the water inside the plant tissues making them swell. The ideal strength of the syrup should be around 20 ° Baumé - proportion of the sugar in bulk - or 145-145 / S (S = specific mass of the sugar). It is an equation that varies according to the osmotic power of the pulp used; it changes from one fruit to another, but the diversity is relevant only by changing the Botanical species - for example by replacing the apricots with grapes without peel. For more details, please read our article: Fruits in Syrup.

Apricots are not kept and fermented

If the apricots in syrup are not kept and fermented, the fault can be of two factors:

• Insufficient cooking or sterilization ineffective: it consists in applying temperatures that are too low or suitable but for an insufficient time
• Impairment of the hermetic seal: generally caused by a defect in the gasket or the shape of the cap.