Delightful Moments in the Factual Department of Peach

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M. Saadat Noury
by M. Saadat Noury
22-May-2011
 

 

The tree of peach (Prunus persica) belongs to the subfamily Prunoideae of the Rosaceae family. Prunus persica bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach (in Persian: Houloo). It should be noted that the peach is also named as the Persian Apple (in Persian: Seeb-e Irani) in many part of the world. The scientific name persica, along with the given name of Persian Apple most likely indicate that peaches were originated in Persia (now Iran), and it is most unlikely to consider China as the origin of this fruit as some documents claim. In this article some Historical Notes on Peach, the Nutritional Values of Peach, and the Pros and Cons for the Peach Consumption are briefly studied and discussed.

Some Historical Notes on Peach

As noted, Peach was originated in the ancient Persian Empire and as a Persian Apple, it was then introduced to India, China and the Mediterranean region along the Silk Road before Christian times. Peaches were mentioned in Chinese writings as far back as the 10th century BC and were a favorable fruit of kings and emperors.
Macedonian Alexander introduced this fruit into Europe after he occupied the ancient Persian Empire in 331 BC. From Europe, it was brought to the North America by Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
Hypothetically, the horticulturist George Minifie brought the first peaches from England to its North American colonies in the early 17th century, planting them at his Estate of Buckland in Virginia. Various American Indian tribes are credited with spreading the peach tree across the United States, taking seeds along with them and planting as they made a journey and wandered the country.
Although the third President of the United States Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) had peach trees at Monticello, the US farmers did not begin commercial production of the peach until the 19th century in Maryland, Delaware, Georgia and finally Virginia.

Nutritional Values of Peach

The nutritional values of peach in terms of the amount of nutrients present in 100 gm of peach may be summarized as follows:
Vitamin A - 880 IU
Vitamin B - 02 mg
Riboflavin - 0.05 mg
Niacin - 0.9 mg
Vitamin C - 8 mg
Calcium - 8 mg
Iron - 0.6 mg
Phosphorus - 22 mg
Potassium - 310 mg
Fats - 0.1 gm
Carbohydrates - 12 gm
Protein - 0.5 gm
Dietary Fiber - 0.6 gm
Sugars - 9 gm
Calories – 46

You can use the following information to decide whether or not to include peach in your diet.

The peach is: Low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium/ High in Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Niacin and Potassium.
The nutritional value and health benefits of peaches means that they are good for: Maintaining good general health/ Losing weight (See below).
Avoid eating peaches if you are interested in: Gaining weight

The Pros and Cons for the Peach Consumption

The Healthy Benefits of Peach may be listed as follows:
1. Peaches help make the skin healthy and also add color to the complexion.
2. It has been seen that consumption of peaches helps in the removal of worms from the intestinal tract.
3. Being rich in Vitamin A, peaches might help prevent cancer in organs and glands with epithelial tissue.
4. Peaches comprise of more than 80 percent water and are a good source of dietary fiber, making them good for those trying to lose weight.
5. Consumption of peaches, on a regular basis, can keep your bowel movements regular and even prevent straining.
6. Researches have suggested that peaches have good to excellent antioxidant activity, some antimicrobial activity and good to excellent tumor growth inhibition activity.
7. Peaches have a small laxative effect and a powerful diuretic effect and thus, are recommended to people suffering from rheumatism and gout.
8. Peach flowers have sedative proprieties and are good for children who are restless, especially when the peach is boiled in water with sugar and honey.
9. Peaches have been found to be beneficial for individuals suffering from the following diseases and disorders: Acidosis, Anemia, Asthma, Bladder and Kidney Stones, Bronchitis, Constipation, Dry Cough, Gastritis, High Blood Pressure, Nephritis, and Poor Digestion.

The Hazardous Effects: As with many other members of the rose family, peach seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides. These substances are capable of decomposing into a sugar molecule and hydrogen cyanide gas.
While peach seeds are not the most toxic within the rose family, that dubious honor going to the bitter almond, large doses of these chemicals from any source are hazardous to human health.
Peach allergy or intolerance is a relatively common form of hypersensitivity to proteins contained in peaches and related fruit (almonds). Symptoms range from local symptoms (e.g. oral allergy syndrome, contact urticaria) to systemic symptoms, including anaphylaxis (e.g. urticaria, angioedema, gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms). Adverse reactions are related to the "freshness" of the fruit: peeled or canned fruit may be tolerated.

The World Peach Production

The world peach production is about 10 million tons, second only after the apple, and the highest concentration of peach orchards is around the Mediterranean. While peach production is decreasing in the USA and is stable in the EU it is increasing in China and in South America, particularly in Chile. The main problems linked to the peach industry evidenced by most countries are: low fruit quality, high production costs, international competition and overproduction.
California today grows 65 per cent of peaches grown for commercial production in the US, but the states of South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington also grow a significant amount. Italy, China, USA, India, Greece, and Iran are the first 6 major world producers of the peaches.

Epilogues

1. Peach in Science: In August 2010, a team of researchers at Clemson University, USA, announced that they successfully sequenced the peach tree genome.
2. Peach in Poetry: Here is a very interesting poem about peach as composed by the American poet Li-Young Lee:

From blossoms comes
this brown paper bag of peaches
we bought from the boy
at the bend in the road where we turned toward  
signs painted Peaches.

From laden boughs, from hands,
from sweet fellowship in the bins,
comes nectar at the roadside, succulent
peaches we devour, dusty skin and all,
comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat.

O, to take what we love inside,
to carry within us an orchard, to eat
not only the skin, but the shade,
not only the sugar, but the days, to hold
the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite into  
the round jubilance of peach.

There are days we live
as if death were nowhere
in the background; from joy
to joy to joy, from wing to wing,
from blossom to blossom to
impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.

3. Peach in Quotes and Sayings: Here are some English Quotes on Peach:
If two or three persons should come with a high spiritual aim and with great powers, the world would fall into their hands like a ripe peach: Ralph Waldo Emerson.
…With silver and gold and copper, magenta and peach and lime, amber and umber and all the rest.  And people would smile and get a little funny look on their faces and cover the world with imagination: Robert Fulghum.
Family life is a bit like a runny peach pie - not perfect but who is complaining? Robert Brault (Read more here).

And here are some Persian Sayings on Peach:
Mesl-e Houloo-ye Poost Kandeh (As a free translation in English: The one who looks like a peeled-off peach, referring to a beautiful person).
Hameen Houloo Hameen Gloo (As a free translation in English: It remains the same, referring to something that cannot be either changed or replaced).

4. An Interpretation for the Term “Peach”: Persian Empire Apple Cultivated Here-in = PEACH.

Manouchehr Saadat Noury, PhD

References

FAOSTAT Website (2011): Online Report on the “Food and Agricultural commodities production in Iran”.
Fideghelli, C. and others (1997): Online Article on the “Peach Industry in the World”.
Natural Environment Website (2011): Online Note on “Peach Nutrition Facts”.
Saadat Noury, M. (1976): Principles of Experimental Nutrition, ed., (in Persian), Tehran University Publications, Tehran, Iran.
Saadat Noury, M. (1982): Principles of Human Nutrition in Health and Disease (in Persian), ed., Tehran, Iran.
Sosinski, B. and others (2010): Online Report on the Peach Genome Database for Rosacea.
Quote Garden Website (2011): Online Quotes on “Peach”.
Various Sources (2011): Online English and Persian Notes on “Peach”, “Persian Sayings on Peach”, and “Benefits of Peach”.
Website of Gratefulness (2011): Online Poem of “From Blossoms”.
Website of Poetry Foundation (2011): Online Biography of Li-Young Lee.
Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2011): Online Article on “Peach”.

Read more about the Moments in the Nutritional Department on MISSING MOMENTS

Questions
1. Do you agree with the phrase of “Persian Empire Apple Cultivated Here-in” suggested by this author or you go for another one?
2. Does it have anything to do with the Persian term of Peach (پيچ) meaning as one of the following words: twist, turn, curl, curve, involution, twinge, screw, bolt, and complication?

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M. Saadat Noury

THANK YOU ALL

by M. Saadat Noury on

WHO visited this thread. My special thanks go to All-Iranians, Divaneh, John, and Mash Ghasem for their very interesting notes and comments.


All-Iranians

دسر هلو

All-Iranians



Mash Ghasem

"We reach the beach, everything is peach"

by Mash Ghasem on

All this Peach Discourse, brings out the peach in me! It also reminded me of one of my favourite dance songs. It's called " Montauk" . there's part of the song on their site, " I Shamrock NY" album, cheers

 

//www.seanchai.com/musik.html

We reach the beach, everything is peach
Hot fun in the sun and no one's got a gun
Bikinis be in, my troubles be gone
Roll on you waves roll on

 

P.S. I have a few more lines on those translations, but it'll take a while, meanwhile thanks for all the peach.


M. Saadat Noury

Art of Allusion in Poetry

by M. Saadat Noury on

Dear John Thank you for your responsive comment. It seems OK; the poet has used the Art of Allusion in Poetry: //www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/allusion/page


John

What the song is really about

by John on

Sorry, but the song Peaches is definitely not about the fruit.  It is about a part of the female anatomy that resembles a peach and which is sweet and juicy, just like a peach.

The lyrics:

Movin' to the country, gonna eat me a lot of peaches.  If I had my little way I'd eat peaches every day.  Sun-soakin' bulges in the shade.  I poked my finger down inside, make room for a little ant to hide.  Nature's candy in my hand, or can or in a pie. Millions of peaches, peaches for me. Millions of peaches, peaches for free.

 


M. Saadat Noury

Peach Jam

by M. Saadat Noury on

Dear AI    Thank you for your informative comment on Peach Cakes (in Persian); please accept this in return:

Peach Jam: //www.canadianliving.com/food/peach_jam.php

 


All-Iranians

کیک هلو

All-Iranians



M. Saadat Noury

Dear Divaneh

by M. Saadat Noury on

Thank you for your kind comment; please accept this in return:

"The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of flowering plants, with about 2830 species in 95 genera. The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the largest genera are Alchemilla (270), Sorbus (260), Crataegus (260), Cotoneaster (260), and Rubus (250). The largest genus by far is Prunus (plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds) with about 430 species".

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosaceae


divaneh

I have met a few peaches who were definitely not from Iran

by divaneh on

Dear Dr Saadat Noury, thanks for the educational and interesting article. I had also read that peach was brought to Iran at the time of the Sassanid empire. It is interesting to know that it was the other way round. When you say it is from Rose family, do you mean the rose flower or something else.

I also didn't know that peach was from the same family as Almond and used to throw away the stone after I ate the peach.


M. Saadat Noury

Peach Cakes

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Dear AI    Thank you for your informative comment on Song of Peaches; please accept this in return:

Articles about "Peach Cakes" //southernfood.about.com/lr/peach_cakes/621232/1/ 


All-Iranians

Song of "Peaches"

by All-Iranians on

Song of "Peaches" is a song by American alternative rock band, the Presidents of the United States of America, for their self-titled debut studio album. Lead singer Chris Ballew has stated that he wrote "Peaches" about a girl he once had a crush on. He allegedly wrote this song after sitting under a peach tree she had in her yard while waiting for her to arrive, to finally let her know that he liked her. Source: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaches_(The_Presidents_of_the_United_States_of_America_song)


M. Saadat Noury

اخبار هلو

M. Saadat Noury



M. Saadat Noury

A Peach Song

by M. Saadat Noury on

Dear AI    Thank you for your supportive comment and for your thoughtful choice; please accept this in return:

A Peach Song: //www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3629/


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Our Choice on Peach Term

by All-Iranians on

Persian Empire Apple Cultivation Home: PEACH


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Peach Cultivation Methods

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Dear AI    Thank you for your informative comment; please accept these links in return:

Peach Cultivation Methods  //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peach#Cultivation  //www.flowersinfo.net/peach-cultivation-methods/