Peach – ingredients, effects and application

Ripe peaches are sweet, taste delicious and provide us with water. In addition, the fruit contains numerous substances that are valuable for our health: vitamins and minerals, fiber and flavonoids. They care for the skin, promote digestion and prevent cancer.

Characteristics

• Scientific name: Prunus persica
• Common Names: Obsolete: Persian Apple
• Family: Rosaceae
• Distribution: The earliest cultivation took place in China. From there the cultivated plant made its way to Persia and on to Greece. The Romans spread peaches throughout Europe.
• Plant parts used: fruits, leaves, flowers and bark
• Ingredients: Beta-carotene, vitamin B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols, selenium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, calcium, lutein, zeaxanthin, quercetin, chlorogenic acid, epicatechin
• Uses: Diuretic, laxative, intestinal health, strengthening, hydration, skin care, anti-aging, cancer prevention, promote appetite, reduce weight

Peach – An Overview

• Peach actually means “Persian”, Middle High German “pfersian” and the term for the fruit means “Persian apple”. The word “peach” was first used in Central Europe in 1482 and refers to the fact that the fruit, which originally came from China, reached Europe via Persia.
• Peach contains a lot of water and, for fruit, few calories and is therefore a good light dish in the summer.
• Peach skin is sensitive to pressure. That’s why ripe peaches should be stored individually in the refrigerator and eaten quickly.
• Ripe peaches are sweet, juicy and have an intense flavor. If harvested too early, the taste is less, the aroma is sour and the consistency is hard.
• Among the types of fruit that are particularly friendly to the stomach and intestines are those that contain little acid. This includes the peach.
• The nectarine is not a separate type of fruit, but a variant of the peach with smooth skin and smaller fruits.
• Peaches have a wealth of valuable nutrients that have a positive effect on the skin, mood, metabolism and digestion.

Peach – Ingredients

Peaches provide zinc, magnesium, selenium and plenty of niacin (vitamin B3). There are also potassium, calcium and beta-carotene, vitamin C as well as vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin.

Valuable substances also include the flavonoid quercetin, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid. The amount of carotene in a peach is around a quarter of the recommended daily requirement.

The kernels contain around 6.5 percent amygladin, which splits off hydrogen cyanide. The leaves contain a hydrogen cyanide glycoside.

So seeds and leaves are toxic, and consuming large amounts of them leads to poisoning. Peach peel offers anthocyanins.

Peach is not only a delicious fruit, but also contains many very healthy ingredients. (Image: vlad-deep/unsplash/own editing heilpraxis.de)

Medical effects

Peaches contain various antioxidants that counteract harmful cell changes, strengthen heart health and even have a preventive effect against certain forms of cancer. Peaches improve vision, skin health and blood circulation.

They promote digestion, relieve constipation and promote urine flow. The water and fiber in the fruits prevent constipation and promote intestinal health.

Fiber, such as that found in peaches, reduces the risk of high blood pressure at birth, helps lose weight and prevents gaining weight, and keeps blood sugar balanced.

Peaches contain plenty of substances that the body uses to slow down inflammation and prevent infections. Including provitamin A and vitamin C.

Vitamin C promotes the activity of white blood cells, i.e. the body’s immune defense against infectious pathogens. Substances in peaches also inhibit the growth of the Candida fungus and slow down pathogenic bacteria.

The vitamin B3 contained in peaches strengthens muscles and skin, and the body uses it to produce the messenger substances that improve mood. Zeaxanthin and lutein protect the retina and filter UV rays.

The fruit’s high potassium content lowers blood pressure and thus the risk of stroke. Anthocyanins, secondary plant substances found in the peach peel, have an antioxidant effect and prevent cell changes that can cause cancer and heart disease.

Anthocyanins can be used preventatively to prevent arthritis, obesity and diabetes. This was the result of a 2017 study.

In addition, according to a 2019 review, these dyes inhibit the development of some cancer cells. They activate genes that protect cells from becoming tumor cells.

Anthocyanins improve vision in low light. The cell protection provided by anthocyanins not only prevents cancer, but this effect also ensures that skin cells remain firm.

In skin care, anthocyanins are useful for anti-aging products. The beta-carotene it contains ensures rosy and radiant skin.

Vitamin C is also used for skin care as it counteracts free radicals, which in turn lead to skin aging. In addition, vitamin C and vitamin E strengthen the skin barrier and protect the skin from sun damage.

According to a study published in 2015, consuming peaches reduces the risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases that are associated with obesity.

How many calories do peaches provide?

A large peach contains around 68 calories. In addition, around two grams of fiber and 1.3 grams of protein.

The fiber provides lasting satiety and keeps the intestines busy. It supplies the body with fluids and prevents food cravings.

Peach in medical history and folk medicine

Peach has been used historically and as a medicine in folk medicine. In the 11th century, Hildegard of Bingen believed unripe peaches were a remedy for watery eyes, headaches and gout.

According to her, all available parts of the plant should serve as a condition. The fruit with seeds, the roots, the resin, the leaves and the bark.

In China, fresh peach pulp is used as a massage cream. In Japan, the leaves are added to bath water to create a good mood and nourish the skin.

Peach kernel oil

Peach pits provide up to 45 percent oil. To obtain this, they are divided and then treated with a solvent.

The oil is yellowish and smells of nuts and almonds (because of its hydrogen cyanide content). The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids is very high.

The oil soothes stressed skin, relieves pain and reduces inflammation. It works well as an after-sun lotion.

It moisturizes dry skin and promotes the skin barrier against pathogens. The oil is used in cosmetics and is used as a base to develop creams, oils and skin care products. Peach kernel oil is often found in bath and massage products.

Peach during pregnancy

Peaches are recommended for the diet of pregnant women. Because they contain important minerals that the child in the womb and the mother need during this phase, including zinc.

Peaches can prevent heart problems in the baby during birth. This can be caused by a lack of such substances.

Peach – Allergies and intolerances

Peaches are very healthy, but after apples, they are the second most common type of fruit that triggers an allergic reaction in the mouth. According to a 2021 scientific article, the allergen Pru p 3 in peaches is a dominant sensitive allergen.

An allergic reaction to peaches in the mouth manifests itself as itching and swelling in the mouth, tongue, palate and lips. Burning pain can also occur.

The allergenic substances are mainly in the peel and less in the pulp. A pollen allergy can also occur as a reaction to peaches, although not to the fruit, but to touching the leaves.

Cut peach

Ripe peaches taste sweet and juicy. The riper they are, the more juice comes out when you bite into them.

To prevent this, cut the peach in half. To do this, stick a blade through the pulp to the woody core and cut vertically around it.

Now the fruit can be easily broken into two parts. And the core gets stuck in one of the halves.

Peach liqueur

Alcohol is bad for your health. However, herbal and fruit liqueurs contain the valuable bioactive substances of the plants used.

For peach liqueur, either tasteless ethyl alcohol is flavored with peach extracts or a fruit brandy is used as the basis. Peach liqueur contains between 15 percent and 30 percent alcohol, but usually in the lower range of the scale.

Peach cake and peach tart

Cake is considered fattening and unhealthy. Fruit cake with fresh peaches should also only be enjoyed in moderation due to the sugar content, but it contains all the healthy ingredients of the fruit.

In contrast to cake, a cake consists of several layers and has at least one topping. Pies are often higher than cakes due to the different layers.

However, in common parlance, cake and cake are often used interchangeably. For example, the popular peach and sour cream cake with its topping of peach slices is, strictly speaking, a cake.

Peach and sour cream cake

The combination of peaches, a shortcrust pastry and sour cream is common. For the shortcrust pastry you need 175 grams of flour, 75 grams of butter, 75 grams of sugar, a pack of vanilla sugar, an egg, a pinch of salt…