Amazing benefits of peaches
Nature is full of healthy goodness. All the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy can be found in various fruits and vegetables. As you will learn from our upcoming Aloe Life magazine, fruits and vegetables come into season at specific times of year for a reason: that’s the time when we most need the vitamins and minerals they provide.
What vitamins are found in peaches?
Peaches are generally in season from May to late September. This means they contain many of the nutrients we require during this period. Just 100g of peaches contains 11% of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C. We’ve mentioned in a previous blog that vitamin C can be great for your skin, but what else does it give us? In that same 100g of peaches, there’s also 7% vitamin A, 4% niacin, 5% potassium and a whole host of other vitamins and nutrients, but what exactly do they all do? How does eating a peach actually benefit us?
Many of the nutrients in peaches help with our eyesight. Vitamin A, riboflavin (2%) and zinc (1%) all contribute to the maintenance of normal vision. Now, we are not suggesting that if you eat a peach every day you won’t need your glasses; however, regular consumption of these vitamins and minerals can help to maintain your vision. And with so many screens around threatening to make our vision worse, that can only be a good thing.
We’ve all experienced the feeling of dread as a cold sweeps its way around the office. You watch your colleagues disappearing home one-by-one as they call in sick, knowing that inevitably at some point that bug will make its way to you. Or will it? When germs enter the body, it’s our immune system that fights them off, and therefore a weakened immune system means less defence against the cold. However, if you take steps to strengthen your immune system, you may be able to avoid the illness. Peaches contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, iron, zinc and copper in varying quantities, all of which contribute to the normal function of the immune system. So, the next time that cold makes the rounds, it might be worth chucking a punnet in your shopping trolley.
What other parts of the body are peaches beneficial for?
Peaches contain vitamin B6 which contributes to normal red blood cell formation and riboflavin which contributes to the maintenance of these blood cells. Red blood cells make up approximately a quarter of the cells in the human body and they deliver oxygen to your body’s tissue. Lack of oxygen in your tissue can lead to quite serious health problems, so these red blood cells do a very important job which is why it’s important to keep them healthy. In addition, thiamin contributes to the normal function of the heart and the heart, quite literally, is the heart of everything; it pumps blood around your body. Your heart is probably the most important part of your anatomy, so anything that can keep it functioning regularly can only be a good thing.
Why are peaches good for your head, hair and skin?
Not only are the vitamins and minerals in peaches good for your body, they are also good for your head. Vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate and magnesium all contribute to normal psychological function. In layman’s terms, they can maintain a happy head and promote positive mental health (however we are not saying that these vitamins can cure long term psychological disorders and if you are struggling, you should talk to a healthcare professional). Several of the nutrients in peaches also contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, something that many of us would be very appreciative of. Also, pantothenic acid (2%) contributes to normal mental performance, so any fruits or vegetables high in this vitamin would be a great choice for your children before that big test.
Let’s not forget that peaches also contain 3% copper, which contributes to normal hair and skin pigmentation. This is in addition to all the skin benefits that vitamin C gives you, as detailed in our previous blog. And, 100g of peaches only contains 39 calories, so all these advantages come at very little cost to your waistline!
Clearly, the benefits of peaches are abundant: they look after your mind, your skin and your body. That’s just nature’s helpful way of keeping you looking and feeling great through those long summer days. Perhaps more importantly though, they also taste wonderful! If you don’t have time to prep a peach every day, why not try our Forever Aloe Peaches? It has all the benefits of peaches, that all important fruity flavour and the added goodness of aloe vera gel (the benefits of which are also abundant, as we’ve mentioned before). Plus, you can enjoy the benefits of Forever Aloe Peaches all year round.
What’s your favourite seasonal fruit or vegetable at this time of year?