5 reasons to add peaches to your diet
health enews checked in with Michelle Remkus, a registered dietitian at Advocate Good Samaritan Health and Wellness Center in Downers Grove, Ill., to get the sweet details about peaches.
“When I think of a peach I always think of warm weather and sunshine,” Remkus says. “It’s a summer staple that not only tastes delicious, but has wonderful health benefits.”
Recent studies from Texas A & M University have found that peaches contain a plethora of health benefits.
Here are five reasons why Remkus says this fuzzy stone fruit is a champion for your health:
- Low in calories: “A medium sized peach only has about 50 calories,” she says. It also has 15 grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of cholesterol and sodium. Remkus says it’s a great post-workout snack.
- Rich in vitamins: Peaches provide 6 percent of your daily vitamin A and 15 percent of your daily vitamin C. “They are also rich potassium, making them a perfect snack or compliment to a healthy meal,” Remkus adds.
- Fights diabetes and metabolic syndrome: A study from Texas A&M found that stone fruits like peaches have been shown to reduce risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
- Cancer-fighting: The vitamin C in peaches fights off free radicals which can cause cancer. Another study from Texas A&M showed peach extract can help kill off aggressive forms of breast cancer with no harm done to healthy cells.
- Lowers cardiovascular risk: The same study from Texas A&M showed that peaches have anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight off cardiovascular disease.
Remkus says to add peaches to your grocery list to reap some big health benefits.
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health enews staff is a group of experienced writers from our Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care sites, which also includes freelance or intern writers.
I had no idea about a lot of these! I will have to start eating them more!
would the same be true of nectarines and plums?
What about canned peaches—-stay away because of the sugar in the syrup????
Yum! I’m going to get some next time I am at the grocery store.
I love peaches! I buy them by the droves! Thanks for sharing the health benefits!
Good in a salad with goat cheese crumbles and balsamic dressing.
I had no idea peaches had all these benefits! I will for sure add them to my next grocery list.