Peaches are fruits that taste good cooked or fresh, smell divine, are soft, sweet, rich in nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are in the same group of stone fruit with plums, apricots, cherries and nectarines. They come in white and yellow varieties.
Besides peaches, there are nectarines which are in the same group. Nectarines are the edible fruits of the peach tree. They are a round, yellow-red stone fruit which have the size of an apple. They have smooth and firm skin on the outside and a white-yellow flesh inside.
Both of them are edible, even the hard stone or kernel in the center. Besides giving health benefits, peaches are also great for pregnancy. Read more about it in health benefits of peaches for pregnancy.
These two stone fruits are beneficial for your health as they are packed with a lot of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Let’s take a look at each of the health benefits peaches and nectarines can give you when you eat them.
- Prevent and Fight Against Cancer
There was a study conducted at the Texas A&M University, an extract of nectarines were given to a group of mice. The findings stated that the fruit had the ability to provoke the most aggressive of the cancer cells to kill themselves.
The study also showed that the fruits which have the most red on their skin contained the highest cancer-fighting properties. When you include nectarines into your diet, you can find a way to help fight against cancer and strengthen your body as a whole. Not only tasty, but nectarines are also healthy to eat.
Not only nectarines which help fight against cancer, there are some other foods that are able to fight against cancer. You can read these benefits of apricot seed for cancer treatment and grab some apricots to eat.
- Improve Digestion
Peaches contain soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps stabilizing blood sugar and keeps cholesterol levels in check.
Furthermore, insoluble fiber aids in digestion and prevents constipation. Peaches are rich in fiber, so eating peaches will enrich your fiber intake.
Try to consume tea and extract made from peach flowers too. There are some research that suggests consuming them so that you can improve digestion.
- Have Anti-diabetic Properties
If you’re suffering from diabetes, then consuming nectarines will be good for you. Fruits, like nectarines, help fight and prevent diabetes from forming. As we know, there are some factors leading to diabetes, one of which is obesity.
Nectarines are good for diabetic patients because of their high quantity of natural sugar. So, you don’t have to consume any other sugary food or drinks anymore.
Nectarines have bioactive components that are able to fight against the disease. It is rich in ingredients, such as glycemic, which means it can also prevent heart disease. It also provides a series of healthy and hearty carbohydrates for you to consume.
- Boost Immune System
Peaches have fuzzy skin and juicy flesh. This combination contains good antioxidants, including vitamin C, polyphenols and carotenoids. These antioxidants are compounds in plants which fight cell damage. By having antioxidant-rich diets, you can help protect your body against some illnesses, including cancer.
There are some research which found out that peach extracts might be able to dial down the body’s allergic response.
To boost your immune system, you can also consume some citrus fruits. Find more about it in health benefits of citrus fruit for immune system.
- Boost Eye Health
Peaches are rich in beta carotene, which is a red-orange pigment in fruits. When peaches are consumed, the body turns the beta carotene into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision.
Nectarines also contain chemicals called lutein and zeaxanthin. These two compounds are found inside humans’ retina. By intaking these two chemicals, you can decrease the risk of getting some eye diseases, such as cataracts and natural age-related deterioration in the macula of the eyes.
- Aid in Weight Loss
Nectarines are rich in fiber which is mostly soluble. By having soluble fiber, it can aid weight loss. This type of fiber converts water into a gel-like substance in the intestines which later prevents the cholesterol and fats from being absorbed by the blood. This contributes to a healthy weight loss program too.
There are some ways to lose weight. Walking, for example, has a lot of benefits. You can read these health benefits of walking for weight loss to find some other amazing benefits.
- Promote Healthy Skin
Due to nectarines’ high content of vitamin C, it can prevent potential UV damage. Vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of collagen too. Collagen is the type of protein needed for skin’s integrity. It is very important to hold the skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and blood vessels together.
Furthermore, it also fights against skin aging, accelerates wound healing and heals dry skin.
If you wish to have healthy skin, you can consume this list of fruits for healthy skin. Get some natural treatment by consuming these healthy fruits.