August is National Peach Month

Fresh Peaches
Fresh Peaches

I can’t believe it is already August.  The summer seems to be flying by and I am wondering what happened to July!  The thing I like so much about summer is all the fresh produce that is available locally.  August is national peach month so I set out to find a good peach.  I have not had much luck in the grocery store.  I think they are picked so early that even by putting them in paper bags to ripen they just don’t ripen like they would off the tree.  Last weekend we went to the beach for the weekend and on the drive back I we passed a lot of lot of local produce stands on the roadside.  We pulled over and loaded up with corn, cantaloupe, okra, tomatoes, sprite melon and peaches.   I was happy to finally find a peach that taste like a peach.  They are juicy and sweet.  However, there is more to a peach than just the taste.  They have so many healthy benefits.

Peaches are a great source of vitamin A which is important to the health of our retinas.  Vitamin A helps prevent night blindness and age-related macular degeneration.

The high fiber content in peaches helps clean out toxins from your colon, kidneys, stomach and liver. Peaches are also a great source of potassium which helps reduce kidney related diseases.

Peaches contain an antioxidant called chlorogenic acid (concentrated in the skin and flesh of the peach) which helps protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases. This antioxidant is also helpful in reducing inflammation in the body.

Peaches are high in iron and vitamin K which help keep your heart healthy. Vitamin K prevents the blood from clotting and protects against other heart diseases. Iron keeps the blood healthy and strong and prevents against iron-deficiency anemia.

The levels of vitamin C in peaches are very high! Vitamin C helps keep our immune system high to protect against illness.

These are just some of the great benefits of peaches.  If at all possible, try to buy organic peaches or those from local farmers who probably use less pesticides than the ones you find in your grocery store.  Unfortunately, peaches are in the list of the top twelve “dirty” foods.  They are loaded with pesticides.

Below is a link to more information on the health benefits of peaches and a recipe for a delicious peach smoothie.  Try one today…

Natural Cures Not Medicine: 8 Amazing Health Benefits of Peaches

napa farmhouse 1885™: Healthy Peach Crisp Smoothie

 

 

Inside Your Food