Peaches provide beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C, fiber, copper and polyphenols, nutrients that researchers and clinicians have associated with eye function, skin protection, digestion and other areas of health.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Peaches are best known as a summer fruit, but their nutritional profile has also drawn interest from researchers studying eye health, skin protection, digestion and other areas of human health.
Originally from mainland China, peaches belong to the Prunus genus, a family of stone fruits that also includes cherries, apricots, plums and nectarines, according to published reports. Stone fruits provide a combination of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidant compounds.
One medium unpeeled peach contains about 58 calories, 1.36 grams of protein and 2.2 grams of dietary fiber, according to the book “Back To Health America.”
A 150-gram medium peach also provides beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, more than 10% of the daily value for vitamin C, close to 10% for fiber and as much as 15% for copper, along with niacin and polyphenols, according to a report from The Epoch Times.
Yellow-fleshed peaches generally contain more carotenoids than white-fleshed varieties, while polyphenol concentrations tend to be highest in the peel.
Those carotenoids are among the compounds receiving particular attention in research involving vision.
The broader carotenoid family includes alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin and lycopene. These pigments have been studied for their roles in protecting tissues, including the eyes and skin, from oxidative damage.
Dr. Krishna Surapaneni, a board-certified ophthalmologist, told The Epoch Times that “Peaches contribute three nutrients the eye actually uses.”
Beta-carotene serves as a precursor to vitamin A, which is required by the retina’s light-sensitive cells.
“That is why severe vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness,” Surapaneni said.
Vitamin A also plays a key role in light-dark vision, and severe deficiency remains a significant cause of blindness worldwide.
Lutein and zeaxanthin work differently.
Both compounds concentrate in the macula, an area of the retina involved in central vision. They help filter high-energy blue light and also function as antioxidants.
Zeaxanthin is found in particularly high concentrations in the macular region and eye lens compared with its levels in blood and many other tissues.
Surapaneni said some of the strongest evidence linking carotenoids with age-related vision outcomes comes from the National Eye Institute’s AREDS and AREDS2 trials.
Observational research has also examined peach consumption directly.
A 2008 study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology found that women who ate at least one serving of canned or dried peaches per week had a 47% lower risk of glaucoma than women who consumed less than one serving per month, according to The Epoch Times report.
The finding does not establish that peaches themselves prevent glaucoma, and Surapaneni emphasized the importance of the broader dietary pattern.
“No single food prevents eye disease, but the retina is one of the most metabolically active tissues in the body, and it benefits from the same colorful, whole-food diet as the heart. A peach is a perfectly good part of that pattern,” he said.
Peach carotenoids have also been studied in connection with skin health.
Dr. Debra Jaliman, a board-certified dermatologist in New York, said peaches contain beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene, and that dietary carotenoids can accumulate in the epidermis.
Those compounds may provide some photoprotective effects through direct absorption of ultraviolet radiation and through antioxidant activity.
“It is plausible that the carotenoids and polyphenols found in peaches could help protect skin from oxidative stress and UV-related damage,” Jaliman said.
She cautioned that any such effect should not be viewed as a replacement for sunscreen.
Jaliman also noted that no clinical trials have directly established that eating peaches protects human skin from ultraviolet damage. Much of the evidence comes from research on carotenoids and polyphenols generally rather than from peach-specific clinical studies.
Some laboratory and animal studies have produced additional findings.
A 2018 animal study in Nutrition Research and Practice found that polyphenol-rich peach flower extracts helped reduce markers associated with UV-induced skin aging, including oxidative stress, inflammation and enzymes involved in collagen breakdown.
A 2017 study in Current Medicinal Chemistry reported that peach-derived glucosylceramide may support skin hydration and texture by increasing ceramide levels and reducing water loss through the skin barrier.
Researchers have also examined peaches in relation to cancer risk, although those findings should be interpreted according to the type of study involved.
A 2014 study in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment followed nearly 76,000 postmenopausal women for as long as 24 years. Women who consumed at least two servings of peaches or nectarines per week had a 41% lower observed risk of estrogen-negative breast cancer compared with women who ate fewer servings.
Because that was an observational study, it identified an association rather than proving that peaches caused the lower risk.
A separate 2014 laboratory study found that polyphenol extracts from certain peach varieties inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells while having relatively little effect on normal breast cells.
NaturalNews.com has also described peaches as containing compounds of interest in cancer research, while other reports have associated stone-fruit consumption with immune and digestive health.
Additional studies have examined peach components in inflammation and bowel function.
A 2013 study published in Natural Product Communications found that compounds derived from peach seeds reduced histamine release and inflammatory markers in human mast cells.
A 2023 study in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine identified 33 compounds in peach blossoms that researchers said could potentially affect constipation through mechanisms involving intestinal motility, inflammation and water transport.
How peaches are eaten can influence the absorption and retention of some nutrients.
Beta-carotene is fat-soluble, so eating peaches with foods containing fat, such as yogurt or nuts, may improve absorption. Vitamin A and carotenoids similarly depend on dietary fat and bile salts for absorption in the digestive tract.
Protein-rich foods may also support copper uptake.
Carotenoids are relatively resistant to losses in water during processing, but they can degrade through oxidation. The extent of that loss depends on temperature, light exposure, acidity and available oxygen.
Vitamin C behaves differently because it is water-soluble and more vulnerable to prolonged heating.
Eating peaches raw or using shorter cooking methods can therefore preserve more vitamin C.
Storage also affects quality.
Ripe peaches can generally be stored in a refrigerator crisper for three to five days. Unripe fruit can be left at room temperature stem-side down until it softens, while overripe peaches can be frozen in a single layer for as long as 12 months.
Jamie Simpson, executive chef at the Culinary Vegetable Institute, compared handling peaches with handling avocados.
“Peaches, in my opinion, should be treated like avocados,” Simpson told The Epoch Times.
He also said, “Peaches are more peachy at room temperature or above.”
Consumers should also be aware of several precautions.
Peach pits contain amygdalin, a compound that can produce hydrogen cyanide when pits are crushed, chewed or digested.
Peaches can also trigger allergic reactions, including oral allergy syndrome, Jaliman said.
Commercially grown peaches have frequently appeared on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen” list of produce with higher pesticide residues. The report recommended thoroughly washing peaches and choosing organic fruit when it is available and affordable.
Taken together, the available research suggests that peaches can contribute carotenoids, vitamin C, fiber, copper and polyphenols to a whole-food diet, while studies continue to examine their relationship with vision, skin, digestion and other health outcomes.
The evidence is strongest when peaches are viewed as one component of an overall nutrient-rich dietary pattern rather than as a treatment or preventive measure for any single disease.
Explainer Infographic
Comments