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Eat a Peach
I just had my first real peach of the season a couple of days ago. I’ve had a few peaches this summer, but this was the first one that had that lovely deep rosy-peach color, actually smelled peachy, and was so juicy that I had to stand over the kitchen sink to eat it.
Now that’s a peach!
I grew up in South Carolina, one of the top peach-producing states in the country—a state so proud of this fact that it pays homage to the stone fruit in the form of a voluptuous peach-shaped water tower looking over a major interstate. I spent the first few years of my life living in a little house adjacent to a peach orchard and one of my fondest memories is sitting with my grandfather on the back porch, taking turns at hand churning a batch of peach ice cream. Peaches are a part of the culture in the South, and indeed, I always thought the best peaches were grown there. I am happy to say that I was wrong. The peaches coming from Colorado’s Western Slope rival a Southern peach any day.
A fresh peach is a treat for the senses with its succulent texture, enchanting aroma, and naturally sweet taste. Perhaps because it is most often found in desserts—cobblers, pies, ice cream, peaches n’ cream—the peach is often overlooked as a nutrient-dense food. But this cheery fruit is chock full of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.
Weighing in at only 49 calories per 3.5 ounce serving (about one medium peach), peaches are an excellent source of dietary fiber, which helps promote healthy digestion and healthy blood sugar levels; potassium, which is important in regulating nerve and muscle activity; and the antioxidant and immune-supportive vitamins A and C. Peaches are also good sources of vitamins E and K; the B vitamins thiamine and niacin; and copper and manganese.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, peaches contain phytonutrients called carotenoids. Carotenoids are what give fruits and vegetables red, orange, and yellow colors and include lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. These phytonutrients are particularly beneficial in protecting against macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer.
As with most fruits and vegetables, many of the beneficial nutrients in peaches are found in the skin, so enjoy your peaches with the skin on… just be sure to thoroughly wash first to get rid of the fuzz. It is also important to note that peaches are one of the fruits most commonly associate with pesticide residues, so opt for organic whenever possible.
We are lucky here in Colorado. While peach season is winding down in other parts of the country, ours is just beginning to peak. The best peaches are beginning to find their way from the Western Slope into stores and markets, and should stick around until the end of September. So while you can… go eat a peach!
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