The Benefits and Taboos of Eating Peaches in Summer
Introduction: Summer is the peak season for peaches. It is best to eat seasonal fruits, so there are many benefits to eating peaches during this season. In addition to replenishing the body's water and vitamins, it can also relieve constipation and other issues. However, there are also taboos associated with eating peaches. The following will introduce the benefits and taboos of eating peaches in summer.
What are the benefits of eating peaches?
Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective
1. Peaches are considered "hot" in nature and have a sweet and sour taste. They are beneficial for tonifying the body, nourishing the heart, promoting the production of body fluids, quenching thirst, resolving food stagnation, moistening the intestines, and alleviating fatigue-related heat. Known as the "fruit of the lungs," they are suitable for people with low blood sugar, lung diseases, and deficiency-type fatigue, coughing, and wheezing as a dietary supplement.
2. Peach kernels have the effects of removing blood stasis, moistening dryness and lubricating the intestines, and suppressing coughs. They can be used to treat conditions like blood stasis amenorrhea and abdominal pain, high blood pressure, and constipation (used as a single Chinese herb, not for raw consumption).
3. Unripe green peaches, when steeped with tea as a beverage, have the effects of reducing sweating and stopping bleeding. They can be used to treat night sweats due to yin deficiency and hemoptysis (coughing up blood).
4. Peach leaves also have insecticidal properties. Boiling them in water and using the liquid to wash the private parts can treat trichomonas vaginalis.
5. Peach blossoms have effects of reducing swelling and promoting urination. They can be used to treat edema and ascites, dry stools, difficult urination, and swelling of the feet due to beriberi.
Nutritional Science Perspective
Peaches are rich in various vitamins, minerals, and fruit acids. They contain a significant amount of pectin, a type of dietary fiber, which helps relieve constipation. Their iron content is the highest among fruits, 4-6 times that of apples and pears, making them an ideal supplementary food for patients with iron-deficiency anemia.
In every 100 grams of the edible portion of a peach, there is approximately 117.2-7.7 kilojoules of energy, 0.8 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 10.7 grams of various sugars, 8 milligrams of calcium, 20 milligrams of phosphorus, 10 milligrams of iron, 60 micrograms of vitamin A precursor (carotene), 30 micrograms of vitamin B1, 20 micrograms of vitamin B2, 6 milligrams of vitamin C, and 0.7 milligrams of niacin. They also contain various other vitamins, malic acid, and citric acid.
The main component of peaches is sucrose, with relatively low content of vitamins and minerals. However, they contain a considerable amount of pectin, which is a type of dietary fiber that aids in intestinal regulation. Peaches are used in traditional Chinese medicine because the buds contain glycosides, which are effective for diuresis and relieving constipation. It is said that peach leaves can be used in baths to relieve prickly heat.
Taboos of Eating Peaches
1. Unripe peaches should not be eaten, as they can cause bloating or skin boils.
2. Even ripe peaches should not be eaten in excess, as too many can cause internal heat and "fireiness."
3. Rotten peaches must never be consumed.
4. Peaches should not be eaten with soft-shelled turtles.
5. Diabetics with high blood sugar levels should eat peaches in moderation.
How to Store Peaches
The most distinctive feature of peaches is their aroma and sweetness. To fully bring out this flavor, they should not be stored in the refrigerator. In the dry environment of a refrigerator, the sweetness of the peach will continue to dissipate. Therefore, peaches should be stored at room temperature. The sweetness of peaches does not come from fructose, so unlike other fruits, their sweetness does not increase when frozen. Instead, more sucrose is produced at around 30°C. The sourness also increases with temperature. Storing them at 15°C to 20°C can suppress the sourness, but fructose will still be active, giving it a sucrose-like taste. Therefore, the best method is to place them in ice water for 10-20 minutes.