Peach Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

Peaches are a stone fruit with juicy, sweet flesh, similar to the nectarine. The main difference between the two is the skin: peaches have thin, fuzz-covered skin while nectarines are smooth with no fuzz. The flesh of both fruits ranges from white to pale orange and can be interchanged in recipes. The best part is that both are rich in vitamins and antioxidants that provide health benefits. Peaches have about 100 calories in a single fruit and are a rich source of energy-boosting carbs, fiber, and vitamins.

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.

Carbs

A small peach has 12.4 grams of carbohydrates, 1.9 grams of fiber, and 10.9 grams of naturally occurring sugar. Peaches are a low-glycemic fruit, which means they have a minimal effect on blood sugar. Peaches have a glycemic index of 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 1g 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.

Peach Calories

One small peach (130g) provides 51 calories, 86% of which come from carbs, 9% from protein, and 5% from fat. A medium peach (150g) contains 59 calories, a large peach (175g) contains 68 calories, and an extra-large peach (224g) contains 87 calories. A 100g serving of dried peaches contains 239 calories. As for canned peaches in water, 100g provides 24 calories.

Peaches have slightly fewer calories than nectarines or plums per 100g, as peaches have 39 calories per 100g while nectarines have 44 calories per 100g, and plums have 46 calories per 100 grams.

Health Benefits Of Peaches 

Like other fruits and veggies, peaches offer benefits via their micronutrients and antioxidants. And their natural sweetness means they can take the place of empty-calorie, processed desserts.

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.

Can Reduce Risk of Certain Diseases

Peaches are also a good source of fiber. Fiber is important for general health, as it helps to remove cholesterol from the body, promotes bowel health, increases satiety, and can help stabilize blood sugars.

A fiber-rich diet can help prevent certain cancers and reduce the risk for diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. In addition, eating a diet rich in fiber can help to keep you full and promote weight loss. 

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, essential for normal vision and immune health.

Helps Fight Obesity-Related Diseases

Some research shows that bioactive compounds in peaches (as well as plums and nectarines) may inhibit obesity-related diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Researchers believe the anthocyanins, chlorogenic acids, quercetin derivatives, and catechins from these fruits (all antioxidants) work synergistically to reduce LDL or "bad" cholesterol, obesity, and inflammation related to metabolic syndrome.

Allergies

Some adults and children may develop an allergy to peaches and other stone fruits. This may be especially true for people with birch pollen allergies because the protein in birch pollen is similar to the protein in peach. Instead of a true food allergy, this is known as an oral-allergy syndrome (OAS).

Common peach allergy symptoms include an itchy mouth or throat or swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat. If you suspect a peach allergy, talk to your doctor for a diagnosis and advice on managing the allergy.

Adverse Effects

The fructose in peaches makes them a high-FODMAP fruit. If you consume a low-FODMAP diet to reduce digestive symptoms due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn's disease, you should avoid peaches.

Varieties of Peaches

Freestone peaches are commonly eaten out of hand because their flesh parts easily from the pit or stone. Clingstone peaches are better for cooking and are used most commonly for canning. Some varieties of peaches are semi-freestone/semi-clingstone. Within these categories are dozens of peach varieties with variations in color, size, and shape.

You'll also find canned, frozen, and dried peaches. Canned peaches can be preserved in syrup or juice, which adds to the fruit's sweetness (as well as its sugar and calorie count). Some producers can peaches in water, which does not add extra calories or carbohydrates to the fruit. Frozen peaches are typically equivalent in nutrition to fresh peaches (but check the ingredients list to confirm no sugar has been added).

You can also preserve peaches through dehydration. Dried peaches are a sweet on-the-go snack, but dehydrated fruit has more sugar, calories, and carbohydrates than fresh peaches. A half-cup serving of dried, unsweetened peaches contains 191 calories, 49g of carbs, and 33g of sugar.

When Peaches Are Best

Fresh peaches are a great summertime treat; their peak season is in July and August. When buying peaches, choose fruits that smell sweet. They should have a creamy, yellow, or yellow-orange color and unwrinkled skin.

They should also yield slightly to pressure. If the skin is green, the fruit was picked too early, and it likely won't ripen—skip these. In addition, avoid peaches that have bruises or soft spots. 

Storage and Food Safety

If you buy peaches somewhat firm, place them on the counter to soften at room temperature for two to three days. To enhance ripening, place them in a paper bag with an apple. Refrigerate when they are ripe. 

Once refrigerated, peaches will not ripen further; eat within two or three days. Do not wash peaches until they are ready to be used. 

How to Prepare Peaches

Peaches are great to eat as-is, or you can add them to smoothies, yogurt, cottage cheese, and hot or cold cereal. They're also delicious in salsa and other savory chutneys and relishes. Use them to add flavor, sweetness, and color to salads. Peaches can be sautéed, grilled, stewed, or used for jams and preserves.