Recipes for Health: Apricots

Apricots and cherries are the first of the stone fruits to arrive in the farmers' markets -- right about now, in most parts of the country. Like peaches and plums, apricots are best if they're locally grown. If they've been shipped over long distances, then they were picked green, and so the texture is likely to be soft and mealy, with very little flavor.

But a truly ripe apricot is something else altogether; there is nothing quite like its intensity, its tart edge and almond-y overtones. An apricot is a low-calorie package, too - only 17 calories in a 1.2-ounce piece of fruit. It's high in fiber (like most fruit) and a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as beta-carotene, potassium and tryptophan.

Apricots contain a carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin that appears to be a strong antioxidant. Some experts believe it may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and arthritis.

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