Read The Health Benefits of Peach
Peach cobbler, peach salad, peach jam, peaches and cream – there are just a few of the mouth-watering delights you look forward to in summer, when peaches are at their peak of freshness. These sweet and juicy fruits are such a joy to eat; but have you ever given a second thought on where they come from or how they are grown? Read on and find out more about the peach.
- China, where the peach originated from, has been cultivating the fruit since 1000 B.C. To this day, the country is the world’s largest peach producer.
- The peaches found in markets today come from cultivated trees. Wild peach varieties only grow in China. Unlike its cultivated counterparts, wild peaches have very fuzzy skin, small and very tart.
- The more than 2,000 varieties of peaches can be categorized into 2 main types; depending on how the flesh clings to the pit: freestone, which are usually sold fresh; and clingstone, which are the varieties commonly found in canned peaches.
- The flesh of peaches can be yellow or white. The lighter-colored ones are less acidic and, therefore, sweeter.
- A peach is the ideal in-between-meals snack. A medium-sized fruit is only 38 calories, fat-free and contains fiber, which can effectively stave off hunger pangs. In addition, it is also nutritious, providing significant amounts of Vitamins A and C plus magnesium, calcium and potassium.
- The nutrients found in peaches make them beneficial for the skin and hair. Numerous cosmetic products have peaches as an ingredient.
- Instead of popping a pill to relieve stress, you can bite on a juicy peach instead. The phytonutrients contained in peaches have a calming effect and can help reduce anxiety. Hungarians refer to the peach as the “fruit of calmness.”
- The peach has found its way into some of the more familiar expressions found in the English language. The phrase, “peaches and cream,” does not only refer to a dessert but is also an idiom that denotes a smooth, unblemished complexion or an enjoyable experience. If you want to describe someone as beautiful, sweet and kind, you can say that the person is a “peach.”
- Georgia is nicknamed as the “Peach State” due to the high-quality peaches grown in the area. The peach became the state fruit in 1995. In June of every year, the Georgia Peach Festival is held, featuring the world’s largest peach cobbler. Seventy-five gallons of peaches are used in baking the colossal dessert.
- The most delicious peach variety, pêches de vigne, is said to be found only in France.
The Perfect Peach: Recipes and Stories from the Masumoto Family Farm