If a cookout or a compliment contains peaches this summer, you know it’s gonna be sweet – think peach cobbler or peachy complexion. However, peaches’ juicy benefits don’t only run skin deep, this deliciously tasty fruit also happens to pack a decent nutritional punch.
Peaches are a great source of carotenes and flavonoids – compounds with high antioxidant activity – such as lycopene and lutein, which give peaches their much sought after complexion (the perfect combination of red, orange, and yellow). As with most metabolites that exhibit antioxidant activity (which means they aid in mopping up pesky free radicals), these phytochemicals are particularly beneficial in preventing macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer.
If cultivating a “peach-shaped tush” is on your to-do list this summer, peaches are a great diet-friendly food – they only contain 45 calories, and are packed full of fiber, vitamin C and A, and potassium. But beware, canned peaches can contain up to six times more calories than fresh peaches and loose up to 80 percent of their vitamin C content, not to mention the addition of artificial additives and preservatives.
Peaches are also a good diuretic, which means they’re beneficial in alleviating fluid retention (one of the main reasons my legs don’t look like Gisele’s, or at least that’s what I tell myself). On a more serious note, if you suffer from gout or rheumatism, natural diuretics can bring some relief.
And lastly, if you’re planning on putting your bum, or any other body part out in the sun, consuming carotenoids will help to protect your skin against the damaging effects of the sun. (Of course, don’t think you can pack a peach in your beach bag, and then slather on the baby oil. Peaches don’t offer the same protection as a good sunscreen).
For Benjamin’s delicious recipe for peaches and arugula salad, read the following post, or click here.
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