This juicy summer fruit helps beat the heat while boosting heart and brain, experts say
One summertime fruit doesn't just offer juicy sweetness – it can deliver a powerful hydration boost, support brain health and supply essential vitamins and antioxidants, experts say.
Peaches, which are about 89% water, outshine their stone-fruit counterparts like plums and nectarines in terms of hydration, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They also pack in similar antioxidant benefits with fewer calories.
Watermelon and cantaloupe top the charts for highest water content, but peaches follow closely behind, according to the USDA.
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Fruits that hydrate while also providing electrolytes can help the body better replace and retain fluids than water alone, research shows.
The fuzzy fruits offer several electrolytes, plus many other nutrients.
"Peaches are rich in fiber, vitamin C and potassium," Vandana Sheth, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist, told Fox News Digital.
"All of these nutrients help support digestion, heart health and immunity."
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A medium raw peach contains about 285 milligrams of potassium, an essential mineral and electrolyte that plays a critical role in nerve function, muscle contraction, fluid balance, heart health and blood pressure management.
That's more potassium than many popular electrolyte supplements and about 8.4% of the daily recommended intake for men and 11% recommended for women, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Most U.S. residents consume too little potassium — which increases their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Peaches are also heart-healthy options thanks to their antioxidant content.
They contain flavonoids, which help lower the risk of heart disease and support memory and cognition, and carotenoids, which can help fight inflammation and protect and restore skin.
Early studies have indicated that the antioxidants can have potential anti-cancer effects, Sheth said.
The flavonoids and carotenoids also give peaches their distinct color.
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"Peaches combine two groups of pigments that you don't often see together in other fruits and vegetables," Mary Ann Lila, a distinguished professor in the Plants for Human Health Institute at North Carolina State University, told The New York Times.
Raw peaches with their skin also provide about 4% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin A and 13% of the daily vitamin C needed, plus a few grams of fiber to aid digestion and gut health, Sheth said.
For those trying to limit sugar intake, pairing peaches – which contain up to 13 grams of natural sugar – with protein or healthy fats is key.
This approach helps slow down sugar absorption and stabilizes blood sugar levels, added Sheth, who's also a certified diabetes care and education specialist.
"You can add chopped peaches to your morning toast with nut butter or into your cereal or yogurt bowl, blend it into a smoothie or try grilling peaches with a sprinkle of spice," she recommended.