Many of the fruits and vegetables that people consume today were domesticated hundreds of years ago. Peaches go that far back, according to a study that was published in 2014.
Archaeological discoveries in the lower Yangtze River Valley in Southern China indicate that the modern peach can be traced as far back as 7,500 years ago. According to a professor at the University of Toronto in Canada and two other researchers at the Zhejiang Institute of Archaeology in China, the modern peach was domesticated over a period of 3,000 years “from thinly fleshed, very small fruit to what we have today.”
Peach fruits as symbols in various cultures
Because peaches were domesticated in China, it’s only natural that stories abound about how the ancient Chinese perceived the fruit. Many Chinese stories relate peaches to long life, and the fruit is considered a symbol of immortality in China to this day. Chinese art is imprinted with many representations of the fruit, the Peaches of Immortality having long been a part of Chinese mythology.
A Japanese royal myth also ties peaches to holding magical powers able to disperse harmful influences, in many cases the fruit acting as a demon-repelling amulet.
Peaches were also a strong symbol in Egypt where they were used as offerings to the God of Tranquility, Harpocrates.
Peach fruits as substitutes for added sugars
Naturally sweet, containing 13 grams of sugar per one raw medium fruit, peaches can be incorporated successfully into a low-sugar diet including a diabetes diet. Canned peaches can also be consumed by people with diabetes so long as the fruits are packed in water or their own juice.
Also, because peaches only contain about 35 to 50 calories, they make a healthy snack substitute to common processed snacks such as crisps, sugary granola bars, muffins, etc.
To be avoided: Canned peaches loaded with sweeteners or excess sugar.
Peaches as ingredients in cosmetics
The cosmetic industry uses peaches on a large scale to manufacture products for skin care and dental care due to the many benefits of the fruit. Peaches are great moisturizers, so they are often found in cosmetics designed for dry skin.
Peaches can also be used at home to regenerate skin tissue and reduce wrinkles. A mixture of peach paste and plain, natural yogurt can be applied for 10 to 15 minutes to clean face to moisturize and soften the skin.
Peaches can help remove blemishes too and rubbing peach juice on the skin improves skin texture due to the fruit tightening pores.
Peach fruits nutritional value
One raw peach weighing approximately 100 grams contains:
- Energy: 30 calories (2% of the daily recommended value).
- Carbohydrates: 9.54g (7% of the daily recommended value).
- Protein: 0.91g (1.5% of the daily recommended value).
- Total Fat: 0.25g (1% of the daily recommended value).
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5g (4% of the daily recommended value).
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Peach fruits contain a number of vitamins and minerals that provide many benefits and help the body fight against various affections such as heart disease, and inflammation.
Vitamins in peaches
- Folates
- Niacin
- Pantothenic acid
- Pyridoxine
- Riboflavin
- Thiamin
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
Minerals in peaches
- Calcium
- Copper
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
Peaches are also rich in potassium, containing 4% of the daily recommended value. Potassium plays an important role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure in addition to helping the muscles move and the nerves in the body work.