8 health benefits of peaches

Peaches contain sugars, minerals, vitamins etc., required by the body to function properly. Know the unique role played by each one of them.

By: Shraddha Rupavate | | Published: May 14, 2014 12:24 pm

Peach, popularly known as Ardu in Hindi, is a classic fruit native to China which is now cultivated and consumed in different parts of the world. It is juicy, sweet in taste and a bit similar to apples in outer appearance. But the external tinge of yellow and the hard seed inside sets it distinctively apart. Peaches contain all essential nutrients including carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibre that offer numerous health benefits. Also Read - Have blackcurrants daily to control your diabetes: A few interesting ways of adding it to your diet

1. Helps you shed pounds: Peaches are bulky and firm in nature but very low in calories. One large sized peach will give you just 68 calories. Sure, if you have them with breakfast they will keep you full and prevent you from having unhealthy snacks before your lunch. Also Read - Black raisins: Just a handful every day will keep the doctor away this winter

2. Rich in antioxidants: The bright red, yellowish skin of peaches is due to the presence of compounds called polyphenols that act as powerful antioxidants helping your body in several ways by protecting the cells against damage due to free oxygen radicals. So, keep in mind that you need to eat the fruit along with its skin because peeling it will actually take away all the extra benefits that the fruit offers. Here are top health benefits of antioxidants. Also Read - Can eating applesauce protect against chronic disease?

3. Rich in vitamin C: Vitamin C is also an antioxidant present in abundant amount in peaches. You will get about 19% of the recommended daily intake by eating one large peach. Vitamin C is required by connective tissues of the body and has a powerful immune boosting property that helps your body to fight viruses and bacteria causing infections.

4. Prevents kidney disease: The high amount of potassium in peaches is great for your kidney health. They act as a cleansing agent for the urinary bladder and keeps you away from kidney related diseases. Peaches prevent inflammation of filtering units of kidneys (nephritis) called nephrons. They also help naturally to remove kidney stones.

5. Good for your eyes: If you want healthy eyes and improved vision, you should surely eat peaches. Peaches are rich in beta carotene, a compound that is required to produce vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is important for maintaining a healthy retina. Beta carotene also prevents eye disorders like night blindness and age-related macular degeneration.

6. Eliminates toxins from the system: All fruits rich in fibre will help your digestive system to work smoothly. And peaches are one of them. Because of their high fibre content, peaches help to wipe out all toxins from your colon, stomach and liver. They help digestion by pushing out excess waste through the colon.

7. Prevents breast cancer: Antioxidants in peaches help in protecting you against cancer but studies have especially noted their chemoprotective ability in breast cancer cells. A study by Noratto G and colleagues found that phenolic extract from peaches inhibited the growth and proliferation of breast cancer cells.

8. Keeps you heart healthy: Peaches contain several nutrients that can help your heart and circulatory system stay healthy. Vitamin K helps in preventing blood clots while iron helps prevent anemia due to iron deficiency. Antioxidant and compounds like lycopene and lutein help reduce the risk of heart disease to a great extent.

References:

Rossato SB et al. Antioxidant potential of peels and fleshes of peaches from different cultivars.
Noratto G et al. Identifying peach and plum polyphenols with chemopreventive potential against estrogen-independent breast cancer cells.

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Published : May 14, 2014 12:24 pm

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