One of my favorite perks of summer is the abundance of stone fruits in the grocery stores and farmer’s markets. My most favorite stone fruit is peaches. I have vivid childhood memories of biting into a fresh, fuzzy peach as the juices ran down my arm. My mom also use to make homemade peach ice cream. It was so good!! I haven’t discovered the secret to her fresh peach ice cream but I do love to load up on peaches while they are available. As a kid I only understood how good they tasted, now as an adult, I realize how many health benefits one peach can pack.
One medium peach has only 58 calories, no fat and 2 grams of regularity producing fiber.
Peaches are loaded with antioxidants, important substances for fighting age related cell degeneration and disease. Opt for fresh peaches over canned- the fresher the peaches the higher the antioxidant level.The fiber in peaches helps your digestive system work at optimal levels by speeding waste materials through you digestive track. This fiber is also important for feeding the “good” bacteria in your gut.
Both the skin and flesh of peaches are rich in carotenoids and caffeic acid — two types of antioxidants that possess cancer fighting properties. Early research has also shown that peach seeds contain compounds that may keep non cancer skin tumors from developing into cancerous tumors.
Peaches may also be helpful in the fight against allergies. Research has demonstrated peaches may reduce the release of histamines when a person is exposed to allergens. Histamines are the allergic reaction producing compound in the body that triggers sneezing, itching and coughing.
With all of these amazing benefits, why not load up on peaches while you can?
