Apricots & Peaches

A relative of the peach, nectarine, plum and cherry, apricots are fragrant, with a soft, velvety skin that ranges from pale yellow to deep orange. Inside there's a large kernel that will fall out easily if the flesh is ripe. The Apricot was first cultivated in India in about 3000 BC. In Europe, apricots were long considered an aphrodisiac, and were used in this context in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Nutrients in apricots can help protect the heart and eyes, as well as provide the disease-fighting effects of fibre. The high beta-carotene and lycopene activity of apricots makes them important heart health foods. Both beta-carotene and lycopene protect LDL cholesterol from oxidation, which may help prevent heart disease.

Peaches

The peach originated in China where it has been cultivated since the early days of Chinese culture. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the tenth century BC and were a favored fruit of emperors. In China, the peach was said to be consumed by the immortals due to its mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who ate them. Persians brought the peach from China and passed it on to the Romans. The peach was brought to America by Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century and eventually made it to England and France in the seventeenth century, where it was a prized albeit rare treat. The Peach is a ripe fruit most of the time and has fuzzy skin.

Peaches are full of vitamin C and are also a good source of potassium and fibre. They contain beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. This helps build a strong immune system to prevent damage from free radicals and to avert many skin diseases, as well as helping to combat the effects of aging!