Sink your teeth into this juicy fruit for a sweet taste of summer. Fresh peaches are not only delicious, they also are accompanied by many health benefits. Grab a peach on the go or whip up one of our delicious recipes to use peaches for weight loss and enjoy a healthy, sweet and balanced summer diet.
Read on to find out exactly why you should bite into this sweet fruit and enjoy the many benefits of enjoying peaches for weight loss:
1. Peaches are Low in Calories
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one medium peach weighs in at only 58 calories. And like many fresh fruits, it has less than a half gram of fat, with no sodium or cholesterol.
While it is true that peaches and other fruits contain sugar, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t eat them. Sugar in peaches and other fruits occurs naturally. The kind that is loaded into soda, cakes and candy bars is processed, or refined.
Both types of sugar are broken down in your body for energy. Refined sugars, however, enter the blood stream very quickly, causing blood sugar to spike, then crash. Low blood sugar signals the body it needs more energy, or more sugar—which can start a vicious sugar-craving cycle, say experts. The sugar that naturally occurs in fruit is also packaged with a bunch of healthy nutrients, which help slow the absorption of sugar into your blood.
2. They are High in Filling Fiber
You get two grams of fiber per peach. Half of that fiber is soluble, while the other half insoluble. According to the Mayo Clinic, soluble fiber helps keep blood sugar levels steady while insoluble fiber eases digestion.
Overall, high fiber foods tend to be more filling, so you’re likely to feel fuller longer. Research, published in The Lancet, found that eating 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day can help you lose weight, as well as help reduce blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
3. They are Packed with Water
A peach is 88% percent water, making it a low-energy-dense food. Energy density is the number of calories (or energy) in a specific amount of food, according to the Mayo Clinic.
High energy density means a lot of calories in a little food. Low energy density is the opposite: few calories in a lot of food. High water content in fruits, like peaches, help provide volume and weight so you feel fuller on less calories.
4. Peaches are Loaded with Disease-Fighting Nutrients
This fuzzy fruit is a good source of vitamin C, which helps boost your immune system, and vitamin A that promotes healthy vision. It also contains potassium (that’s good for your heart), iron, and antioxidants—plant compounds that help protect your body against aging and disease. The riper the fruit, the more antioxidants it contains, according to Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.
Research from Texas A&M AgriLife found stone fruits—like peaches, plums and nectarines—have been shown to ward off obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.
Enjoy peaches fresh or canned in water. On Nutrisystem, one medium fruit or one cup of canned peaches counts as one SmartCarb.
Healthy and Delicious Peach Recipes for Weight Loss
1. Peach Buzz Bagel Sandwich >
What better way to start your morning than with slices of juicy peaches and a drizzle of honey? That sweet sensation sits atop creamy cottage cheese and a soft-baked, fiber-loaded Nutrisystem Honey Wheat Bagel for a satisfying breakfast sandwich that weighs in at 320 calories.
2. Peach Honey Whipped Ricotta >
It’s rich, it’s loaded with nutrition and it takes no time to make: Just blend honey with ricotta cheese and a hint of almond flavor for a sweet base. Add juicy grilled peaches to the side and voila—pure deliciousness that provides eight grams of muscle-building protein. On Nutrisystem, this flex snack counts as one PowerFuel and one SmartCarb.
3. Skinny Peach Cobbler >
Sure, you can have your cobbler and eat it, too: This healthy twist on a classic features soft, juicy peaches sprinkled with nutmeg and brown sugar and baked beneath a cinnamon-hinted homemade crust. It takes like you’re cheating, but you’re totally not: Each serving is only 135 guilt-free calories.
4. Blackberry Peach Upside Down Muffin-Cakes >
Two beautiful summer fruits join forces to create a sweet that serves as the perfect breakfast treat or evening dessert and is the perfect way to use peaches for weight loss. These muffins are light, super simple to bake, and are sure to satisfy your cake cravings. The bonus: no butter, no sugar, and you get to eat two for 153 calories. On Nutrisystem, each serving counts as one SmartCarb and one PowerFuel.
5. Peach Melba Pudding >
The Peach Melba your grandmother made had peaches, of course, plus vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. This healthier version keeps the sweet fruit, but subs in non-fat yogurt and raspberry-flavored gelatin to cut help sugar and fat from the old-fashioned favorite. Plus, this peach treat might take the win for best presentation. Each serving is 111 calories.
6. Peachy Green Ginger Smoothie >
Green smoothies are a simple and delicious way to load up on body-boosting nutrients—and this one is no exception. You get the sweetness of peaches, creaminess from bananas, and a bunch of fiber, vitamins and minerals from the spinach. Combined with almond milk and fresh grated ginger for a little extra zest, this smoothie is so tasty you’ll slurp it right up. On Nutrisystem, one smoothie counts as one SmartCarb, one Vegetable and one Extra.