Why Peaches Deserve a Spot on Your Plate

Peaches are one of summer’s most anticipated fruits, but their appeal goes beyond just their juicy sweetness! The golden color of a ripe peach comes from carotenoids, including beta-carotene, found in many yellow and orange fruits and vegetables. Beta-carotene can be converted by the body into vitamin A, an essential nutrient that supports:

• Vision health: Vitamin A plays an important role in maintaining normal vision, including helping the eyes adjust to changes in light.
• Skin health: Vitamin A supports normal skin cell turnover and helps maintain healthy skin tissue.
• Immune function: Vitamin A supports immune health by helping maintain healthy skin and tissues that act as the body’s first line of defense, supporting the normal activity of immune cells.

While peaches are not as concentrated in vitamin A as foods like sweet potatoes or carrots, they are a flavorful way to increase overall carotenoid intake when enjoyed alongside a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.

How to Pick the Perfect Peach 

Look for:

• A sweet aroma: A ripe peach should smell sweet and floral near the stem
• A slight softness near the shoulder: The area around the stem softens first as the peach ripens
• Heavy for its size: A heavier peach often indicates higher water content and juiciness
• No bruises or wrinkled skin: these can indicate the peach is past its prime

Peach Ripening Tips

Peaches continue to ripen after harvest. If your peaches are firm, store them at room temperature for a few days until they soften and become fragrant. Placing peaches near bananas can help speed up ripening, as bananas release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that signals fruits to ripen.

Excess moisture can encourage spoilage, so rinse peaches just before enjoying them. Once ripe, refrigerate peaches to slow the ripening process and help preserve their freshness.

Fun Facts About Peaches 

California is one of the largest peach-producing states in the country! With its warm summers, fertile soil, and ideal growing conditions, the state grows several varieties of peaches, including clingstone and freestone peaches.

• Freestone peaches are named because the flesh easily separates from the pit, making them ideal for eating fresh. Clingstone peaches have flesh that “clings” to the pit and are often used for canning and processing because of their texture.
• Peaches are a member of the rose family (along with cherries, plums, apricots, and almonds).
• A peach’s fuzz is actually a natural protective adaptation that helps protect the fruit as it grows by repelling moisture and insects. 
• The red blush on a peach is not necessarily a sign of sweetness. It is influenced by the peach variety, sun exposure, and growing conditions, meaning the most colorful peach is not always the sweetest one.
• Peak peach season in California typically runs from late spring through early fall, with the sweetest varieties arriving in summer.