APRICOT, PEACH AND NECTARINE: THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT SUNNY STONE FRUITS

These three fruits are always mentioned somewhere nearby. And no wonder: they are clearly quite close to each other on the family tree of fruits, bear fruit and appear on store shelves at about the same time, similar in color and taste. However, each of them has not only their own distinctive features, but also their devoted fans who will never swipe an apricot for a peach or a peach for a nectarine. So, today we propose to disassemble the stone fruits literally by... stones – from origin to useful properties. 

Is apricot a peach's brother?

Strictly speaking, not really. More like a distant relative. Yes, both plants belong to the same family – Pink, and even to the same genus – Plum. However, their paths diverge further. Peach (Latin Prunus persica) belongs to the Almond subgenus, and was formerly called the "Persian apple". But the apricot (Prunus armeniaca) is a separate section in the plum genus, and it was called the "Armenian plum". At the same time, scientists agree that both peaches and apricots originate in China. Although they got to Europe in a roundabout way – from Persia and Armenia. 

Nectarine spores 

But nectarine is definitely a brother to peach. Of course, even now you can find a version that nectarine is a hybrid of peach and plum. However, this is a common misconception. In fact, the appearance of smooth–skinned fruits on a peach tree is the result of a natural mutation, which was subsequently simply fixed by breeders. 

Which is more useful?

It is difficult to answer this question for sure, because each of the heroes of our investigation will definitely please not only with a sweet taste, but also with a beneficial effect on the body. Therefore, we suggest comparing fruits according to several parameters:

Calorie content 

The lowest calorie is peach (39 kcal per 100 g), followed by nectarine (44 kcal per 100 g) and apricot (48 kcal per 100 g). At the same time, peaches have more liquid in them – that's why they are the juiciest of the three and best maintain the water balance in the body during the heat.

Vitamins

All sunny stone fruits are approximately similar in vitamin and mineral composition: they contain B vitamins, vitamin K, copper and potassium. All these substances are important for the proper functioning of the human body.

But there is also one significant difference. Apricot, in comparison with its "competitors", is the absolute leader in the content of not only the main pillar of immunity – vitamin C, but also beta–carotene - a plant form of vitamin A, which positively effects on the quality of vision, as well as restores strength during mental and physical exertion and ensures a healthy complexion.

However, the peach-nectarine alliance also has its trump card called polyphenols. These are special substances that can help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases by reducing the level of "bad" cholesterol and increasing the "good" one. And peaches and nectarines contain more magnesium, which is useful for the nervous system, which helps to cope with stress and improves sleep. 

Fiber

All three fruits are rich in valuable fiber, which affects the development of beneficial bacterial species in the intestinal microbiota. The healthier it is, the lower a person's risk of developing obesity, autoimmune, cardiovascular diseases, and even depression. However, in order to get maximum fiber, it is important to eat fruits with a peel – fortunately, in all the stone fruits we are considering, it is quite thin.

Result

The ideal option of your summer diet includes peaches, nectarines, and apricots. Together, they will fully provide you with useful vitamins and trace elements. However, it is not necessary to wait for summer for this – already the assortment of the Royal Fresh company includes juicy fruits from Turkey: Astoria peaches, Patagonia nectarines and Mikado apricots. You can place a request for delivery at the link.