Peaches boast lots of potential health benefits, including improved digestion, a healthy heart, reduce breast cancer growth, reduce risk of osteoporosis…
There are few things more satisfying than biting into a perfectly ripe peach on a hot summer day. These juicy stone fruits, which typically ripen between April and September in various parts of the U.S., are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without loading your meals with tons of refined sugar or other additives. However, it’s not just their flavor that makes peaches such powerhouse additions to your diet.
1. Peach nutrition facts
One small peach (2.5in diameter; 130g) provides 51 calories, 1.2g of protein, 12.4g of carbohydrates, and 0.3g of fat. Peaches are an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, and vitamin A. This nutrition information is provided by the USDA.
Calories: 51
Fat: 0.3g
Sodium: 0mg
Carbohydrates: 12.4g
Fiber: 1.9g
Sugars: 10.9g
Protein: 1.2g
Vitamin A: 20.8mcg
Carbs
One small peach has 12.4 grams of carbohydrates, 1.9 grams of fiber, and 10.9 grams of naturally occurring sugar, according to the USDA. Peaches are a low-glycemic fruit, which means they have a minimal effect on blood sugar. Peaches’ glycemic index is 28, and their glycemic load is 4, putting them in the low range for both GI and GL.
Fat
Peaches are a low-fat food with less than half a gram of fat per small fruit. The small amount of fat in peaches is heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.
Protein
Peaches aren’t a rich source of protein. One small peach has just over 1 gram of protein.
Vitamins and Minerals
Peaches contain several important micronutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, and B-complex vitamins like thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. The fruit also provides 247 milligrams of potassium, which is 7% of your recommended needs using the daily value of 4,700 milligrams.
Calories
One small peach (130g) provides 51 calories, 86% of which come from carbs, 9% from protein, and 5% from fat.
Peaches are a rich source of carbohydrates, fiber, and natural sugars with little fat or protein. Peaches provide vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and B vitamins.
2. 7 health benefits of eating peaches
May help fight inflammation
Peaches are rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin C. Antioxidants seek and destroy free radicals, which result from oxidation in the body and can lead to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and other chronic inflammatory diseases.
Vitamin C is perhaps one of the most well-known antioxidants. In addition to its antioxidant properties, vitamin C aids in boosting immunity and cell repair, including wound healing and anti-aging effects.
Aids vitamin A production
Peaches contain carotenoids, particularly the provitamin A carotenoids alpha carotene and beta carotene. The body can synthesize these into vitamin A, which is essential for normal vision and immune health.
Peaches may reduce your risk of heart disease
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S., but peaches may help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular problems. A 2013 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that higher consumption of anthocyanidins and flavonoids, pigments abundant in peaches, were associated with higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol and reduced serum triglyceride levels, respectively, both of which are associated with reduced heart disease risk.
Peaches may reduce breast cancer growth
Individuals who’ve received a breast cancer diagnosis may want to consult their doctor about incorporating peaches into their regular routine. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that polyphenols found in peaches may reduce the growth and metastasis of MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells. In fact, the study’s authors found that consumption of just two to three peaches per day may have a beneficial effect in limiting this type of cancer cells’ growth.
What’s more, a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that phenolic compounds derived from Rich Lady peaches were effective at targeting this same type of breast cancer cells and limiting their proliferation.
Peaches may improve your digestion
Want to speed up a sluggish digestive tract? Try adding some peaches to your menu. A medium peach packs two grams of dietary fiber, which can help get your digestion moving again in no time.
Peaches may reduce your risk of osteoporosis
You don’t have to load up on dairy to keep your bones strong—adding some peaches to your regular routine might just do the trick.
A single peach packs approximately six percent of your recommended daily value of potassium, sufficient levels of which a 2020 study published in Nutrition Research and Practice found to be beneficial for bone health and reducing osteoporosis risk.
Peaches may improve symptoms of respiratory illnesses
If you find yourself dealing with respiratory illnesses on a regular basis, you might want to consider adding some peaches to your daily diet.
Peaches are a rich source of vitamin C, packing approximately six milligrams of the nutrient per fruit. According to a study published in the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, among a group of 57 older adults with bronchitis or pneumonia, patients given vitamin C supplementation “fared significantly better” than those given a placebo, according to the study’s authors.