07/11/2018
Just Peachy!
Fresh peaches are a delicious treat ... sweet and juicy with a cleansing tang. They're particulary satisfying to the appetite and have a nutritional value that rivals the pleasure you receive from eating them! Read on to learn all about these delicious, health-packed fruits. Peaches are packed with vitamins.- Peaches are rich in cancer-fighting vitamin A in the form of beta carotene.
- One large peach offers 19% (11.6 mg) of the daily requirement for vitamin C to help scrub the body of free radicals, support the immune system and protect against heart disease.
- That large peach also contains or 14 percent of the daily value for niacin, or vitamin B-3. Niacin plays a role in energy metabolism in your body.
- Peaches also contain the antioxidant vitamin E and vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting.
- One large peach contains over 300 mg of potassium -- a required mineral for healthy bodily functions. Potassium assists in the maintainance of healthy blood pressure, the prevention of kidney stones and protects against bone loss.
- Together, the iron and potassium found in peaches support proper functioning of cells and nerve signal transmission.
- Along with iron and potassium, peaches contain phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, copper, and manganese which aid the formation and functioning of red blood cells and the healthy functioning of bone and nervous systems.
- Peaches are an excellent source of dietary fiber and phytosterols. Fiber and phytosterols are plant-based nutrients that lower cholesterol levels.
- Peaches are rich in antioxidants. The chlorogenic acid found in peaches helps scavenge free radicals a known to be a cancer deterrent and is effective in reducing inflammation in the body. Antioxidants minimize aging affects and deter chronic diseases.
- Peaches can help achieve or maintain a healthy weight. A large peach has only 68 calories and is 89 percent water, which assists in the suppression of hunger, making them a terrific snack! Best of all, peaches are considered a 'negative calorie' food ... it takes more calories to digest than it contains. Additionally, the fiber adheres to some of the fat in food as it travels through the digestive system, and helps prevent the body from absorbing it.
- Peaches contain several phytochemicals that are beneficial for the prevention of heart disease, macular degeneration, and cancer. Recently, a study in China found that men and women who ate peaches more than two times a week had a reduced risk of developing cancers of the mouth.
