Peaches are a type of small fruit, with sweet flesh that’s either yellow or white in appearance. The peel is fuzzy and can be easily taken off, though some people prefer to eat it as well. While the fruit itself might be quite common, there are several health benefits that highlight the importance of the peach.
Many folks love the taste of peaches, with some even celebrating August as the national month for this fruit. Many of them may not know that this delicious option is actually full of health benefits as well. We’ll be discussing some of these below:
1. A Reduction in Cancer Risk
It might seem surprising, but a regular intake of peaches might help us stave off certain forms of cancer. This is because there’s a large amount of Vitamin C in peaches, which is a strong antioxidant that prevents free radicals from forming. Since free radicals are dangerous compounds and are linked to the development of cancer, it’s best that we cleanse our body of them as often as possible.
This means Vitamin C also helps to reduce our overall risk of getting cancer in the first place. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we’re protected from such conditions altogether. In addition to consuming peaches in a healthy and consistent way, we also need to limit our exposure to problematic elements such as pollution, cigarette smoke, eating unhealthy processed foods, etc. Stick to drupes and other fruits like peaches, and you’ll hopefully be at a lower risk of cancer than many of your peers.
2. Getting Better Skin
Skincare and beauty products are a thriving business these days, but there’s also a growing awareness about the importance of naturally glowing skin. Many of us suffer from conditions like acne, psoriasis, eczema, and so on. Even if we have relatively normal skin, it could be prone to early wrinkling due to poor nutrition and/or air pollution.
According to research, however, a regular intake of Vitamin C can enhance collagen production. Collagen is the substance that helps our skin stay flexible and smooth. This is how the Vitamin C in peaches can help us get healthier, better-looking skin naturally.
Once our skin gets the collagen it needs, we might be able to see less wrinkling, roughness, and redness. On the other hand, skin elasticity will likely go up. As a result, we won’t have to spend much on beauty or skincare products. We’d also save the time of applying all those products. Still, the most important factor here is that we’d be overall healthier and our skin will reflect that improvement.
3. Getting More Fiber
Fiber is essential if we want to maintain a healthy digestive system. An adult would require at least 22.4 grams of fiber per day, while a male adult would need a minimum of 30.8 grams. Some of us might get all the fiber we need from our daily meal. If we need a little boost, though, a cup of chopped pieces can give us around 2.52 grams of fiber.
By getting the fiber we need, our body gains a number of essential health benefits. Fiber protects our colon health, helps us manage weight in the long run, and even reduces the chance of contracting dangerous health issues like heart disease, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
If we just start out by replacing our sugary treats with a nice peach once or twice a day, we can get a healthy intake of fiber. This way, we get the benefit from consuming a whole fruit while also getting the sweet taste we crave from time to time.
4. Increasing Potassium Intake
Another essential we need for our physical health is potassium. This is an electrolyte that can help our cells to function normally. It will also help to prevent high blood pressure and reduce the chances of kidney stones and strokes.
Fortunately, just one cup of peaches can give us a decent 3,19 grams of potassium. This provides almost 7 percent of the daily recommended dose of potassium for an adult in a whole day.
While other fruits and foods might have a lot more potassium than peaches, the latter are still helpful in managing the risk of getting chronic diseases.
If you’re thinking about forming a healthy diet plan and sticking to it, peaches are an easy and delicious way to supplement the required nutrients. Bananas are known for their high potassium levels, so have them on hand if you’re looking to up your potassium intake by a decent amount.
5. Getting More Iron
Having enough iron in the body is essential if we don’t want to feel weak and dizzy all the time. We also want energy to accomplish all our goals throughout the day, so many of us might need some form of iron supplementation. Neglecting to do so can result in difficulty breathing, pale skin, and fatigue–these are the most common symptoms of anemia caused by iron deficiency. This is because iron helps in making sure that we have a healthy blood circulation, which gets oxygen to all parts of our body.
If we want a little more iron in our system, a serving of peaches (one cup) might give us up to 0.42 mg. While this isn’t much, especially for a fully grown adult, we can always pair the peach with other iron-rich foods like cashews, raisins, spinach, etc.
6. Reducing Allergy Symptoms
Allergies occur when our bodies are exposed to a trigger such as pollen, dust, etc. This exposure causes the body to release antihistamines, which are a chemical made for getting rid of allergens. While these are a form of defense system, the phenomenon also leads to pesky symptoms like coughing, itching, sneezing, hives, etc.
According to certain research, eating peaches might be helpful in reducing those worrisome allergy symptoms. The fruit might prevent the vitamins from being released. Test-tube studies also show that peach extracts could also be helpful in this aspect. Again, though, more research is needed in this department.
Conclusion
The health benefits of peaches are apparent, so we should look at more ways to incorporate them in our daily diet. In addition to slicing them or eating them like an apple, we can also add peaches to several dishes. They can be a delicious and nutritious part of a salad, appetizers, and even desserts (as long as we use healthy sugar substitutes). As a result, we can hopefully benefit from the nutrients, antioxidants, and other useful components inside this fruit. Since it’s good to have some variety in whatever we consume, check out the types and benefits of apples as well.