Apricot leaf and fruit benefits: skin, tea and cautions

Updated on 21 September 2026Published on 20 March 2018

Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) gives you three very different things: a soft summer fruit, leaves that can be infused, and a light oil pressed from the kernel inside the stone. This page tells you which part to use, in what form, what it tastes like, and the one part of the tree that genuinely needs caution.

uses of apricots — *A fruit traded west from China over four thousand years*

Apricot at a glance
Item	Detail
Botanical name	Prunus armeniaca
Family	Rosaceae
Parts used	Fruit (fresh and dried), leaves, oil pressed from the kernel
Forms of use	Eaten raw, dried, cooked; leaf infusion and decoction; kernel oil for massage and skincare
Harvest season	Fruit from early summer (early varieties) to late summer (late varieties); leaves in midsummer
Taste	Sweet with a tangy edge when fresh; deep and honeyed when dried; the leaf tea is green, faintly almond-like
Popular cultivars	‘Bergeron’, ‘Lambertin’, ‘Rouge du Roussillon’, ‘Orange de Provence’

What it is credited with

beta-carotene in apricot — *The orange pigment is the plant form of vitamin A*

The fruit itself is straightforward nutrition. What follows belongs to tradition and to naturopathic practice, and is given as such.

The fruit is rich in beta-carotene and contains vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, iron, calcium and magnesium — plain facts of composition.
Naturopathy values fresh apricot as a watery, refreshing summer fruit (around 85% water) and credits it with a mildly diuretic, “clearing” effect.
Herbal tradition counts the fruit’s fibre among the gentle helps for a sluggish transit and heavy digestion.
Apricot leaf infusion has a long reputation for soothing a scratchy throat and a dry, tickly cough.
A leaf decoction is traditionally used as a wash on irritated skin and blotchy rashes.
In older herbal writings, diluted juice from the leaves was given for bouts of dysentery — recorded here as history, not as a course of action.
Kernel oil is traditionally massaged into aching muscles and stiff joints, including for what was once simply called rheumatism.
Dried apricots are a classic of sports and walking kit, credited by naturopathy with steady energy and with easing the cramp-prone.
In beauty practice, kernel oil has a reputation for nourishing dry skin, softening it after sun exposure, toning a dull complexion and conditioning brittle hair.

Digestion benefits of apricots — *Water and fibre: why apricot suits heavy summer meals*

How to use it

Apricot leaf infusion (throat and cough)

Pick healthy leaves in midsummer, when they are fully grown and unblemished.
Use a small handful of fresh leaves, or a heaped teaspoon dried and crumbled, per mug.
Pour water just off the boil over them, cover, steep 8 to 10 minutes, strain.
Drink warm, up to two or three mugs across the day, and stop after a few days rather than making it a standing habit.
Taste: grassy and faintly almond-scented. A spoon of honey suits it well.

Apricot leaf decoction (skin wash)

Put a generous handful of leaves in a pan of cold water.
Bring to the boil, simmer 10 minutes, cover and leave to cool completely.
Strain, then use cool on a cloth or cotton pad as a compress on irritated patches.
Make it fresh each time; keep leftovers in the fridge for no more than a day.

apricot leaf benefits — *Leaves picked in midsummer for infusions and skin washes*

Kernel oil for massage

Buy cold-pressed apricot kernel oil, food or cosmetic grade — do not attempt to press your own from stones.
Warm a little between the palms, then work it into dry skin, shoulders or knees with slow circular pressure.
It sinks in fast and is not greasy, which makes it a good evening oil and a good after-sun oil.
Patch-test on the inner forearm and wait a day before using it widely.

apricot massage — *Kernel oil, traditionally rubbed into tired muscles and joints*

In the kitchen

Raw and ripe, out of the bowl, is the simplest and the best.
Halved and baked into a crumble with flaked almonds; poached in light syrup with a vanilla pod.
Sliced into green salads, grain salads and fruit salads; blended into smoothies with yoghurt.
Cooked with prunes alongside chicken, in a tagine, or with roast pork.
For a tart: scatter equal parts sugar and flour over the pastry base first — it soaks up the tang and the juice.
Jam keeps the summer crop going right through the cold half of the year.

Cooking with apricot benefits — *Sugar and flour under the fruit keeps tarts from weeping*

Dried apricots

A small handful before a walk, a ride or a long garden session; another afterwards.
Chop into porridge, couscous, stuffings and bread doughs.
Soak in warm water or tea for twenty minutes to plump them up for compotes.

apricot dried for athletes — *A walker’s pocket food, dense and quick to eat*

Apricot face mask

Blend 3 ripe apricots with 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese and the juice of half a lemon.
Spread over a clean face, avoiding the eyes; leave 10 minutes, rinse with cool water.
Naturopathic beauty practice credits it with hydrating, tightening pores and lifting a dull tone.
Skip the lemon if your skin is reactive, and avoid sun straight afterwards.

apricot beauty tips — *Ripe fruit, cottage cheese and lemon: the simplest mask*

Which part, which form, what for
Part and form	How it is prepared	What it is traditionally used for
Fresh fruit	Eaten raw, ripe, at room temperature	Refreshing summer eating; credited by naturopathy with a clearing, mildly diuretic effect
Dried fruit	Eaten as is, or soaked and stewed	Concentrated, portable energy food for walkers and sports enthusiasts
Leaf infusion	A handful of leaves, water off the boil, 8–10 minutes covered	Reputation for soothing a scratchy throat and a tickly cough
Leaf decoction	Simmered 10 minutes, cooled, strained	Traditional cool compress for irritated, blotchy skin
Kernel oil	Cold-pressed, bought ready-made	Massage for tired muscles and stiff joints; nourishing dry skin and hair

apricot stone benefits — *The stone: useful as pressed oil, never as a snack*

Cautions

Kernels (the pits inside the stones) can be toxic in excessive quantities. They contain amygdalin, which the body converts into cyanide.
A single pit is not dangerous, but five or more may lead to hospitalisation. Do not eat them as a snack or a “remedy”, and keep cracked stones well out of reach of children.
Pressed, food-grade apricot kernel oil is not the same thing as eating kernels — use the oil, leave the raw pits alone.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: enjoy the fruit as food, but leave leaf infusions and decoctions aside; their safety in these situations is not established.
Children: the fruit, fresh or dried, is fine; leaf preparations are not for them, and kernels absolutely not.
On medication: if you take diuretics, blood-pressure or heart medication, or potassium supplements, mention your intake of dried apricots to a healthcare professional — they are potassium-dense. Ask before starting leaf infusions alongside any prescription.
Allergy to Rosaceae fruits (cherry, plum, peach, almond) can extend to apricot, and to the kernel oil.
Sulphited dried apricots (the bright orange ones) can trigger reactions in sensitive people and asthmatics.
Large amounts of dried fruit loosen the bowels; build up gradually.
Always patch-test kernel oil before using it on the face or over large areas.
Persistent cough, sore throat, skin or digestive trouble is a matter for a healthcare professional, not for a home infusion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: eat the fruit freely, infuse the leaves briefly, use the kernel as pressed oil — and never eat the pits.

Can you eat apricot kernels?

Treat them as something not to eat. The pit inside the stone contains amygdalin, which the body converts into cyanide, so kernels can be toxic in excessive quantities. A single pit is not dangerous, but five or more may lead to hospitalisation. Use commercially pressed apricot kernel oil instead.

How do I make apricot leaf tea?

Use a small handful of fresh leaves or a heaped teaspoon of dried, crumbled leaves per mug. Pour on water just off the boil, cover and steep 8 to 10 minutes, then strain. It has a green, faintly almond-like taste that takes honey well, and is traditionally sipped warm for a scratchy throat.

When are apricots and their leaves at their best?

Fruit ripens from early summer for the early varieties through to late summer for the later ones, depending on your area and cultivar. Leaves are best picked in midsummer, fully grown and unblemished, from a tree you know has not been sprayed. Dry them flat in the shade before storing.

Are dried apricots as good as fresh ones?

They are different foods. Fresh apricot is mostly water and refreshing; dried apricot is concentrated, sweeter and dense, which is why walkers and sports enthusiasts keep a handful in a pocket. Dried fruit is also potassium-rich, so mention a heavy habit to a healthcare professional if you take heart or blood-pressure medication.

Can I put apricot kernel oil on my face?

It is a light, fast-absorbing oil that beauty tradition credits with softening dry skin and calming it after sun exposure. Patch-test on the inner forearm and wait a day, especially if you react to cherry, plum, peach or almond. Store it in a dark bottle away from heat, as it turns rancid quickly.

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.

Written by Gaspard Lorthiois | Loves helping out, especially when it comes to growing things. Worked in herbal medicine, runs a farm, and dabbles in tech. Master's degree and engineer.

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