Peaches

What’s in them
Antioxidants (which prevent damage to cells and help the immune system), phytochemicals (which can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease and arthritis), carotenoids (for eye health), vitamin C and fibre.

Choosing the best
Never buy peaches with green skins. Fruit should be highly coloured, smell fragrant and have some give. “Freestone” fruit are bred so the flesh twists away from the stone easily. “Clingstone” fruit are best reserved for cooking.

How to store
It’s best to buy a ripe peach and eat it immediately. They soon start to soften at room temperature. You can keep them for one or two days in the fridge, but bring them to room temperature before you eat them raw.

Did you know?
A nectarine isn’t a cross between a peach and a plum, as some people believe. It’s a subspecies of the peach with just one recessive gene missing – the one that makes peaches fuzzy.

Smart tip
To peel a peach, run a knife down the natural groove of a freestone peach to the stone. Pour over boiling water and leave for a minute. Transfer the peach to a bowl of cold water and the skin should come away easily.

You could try…
topping poached peach halves with a tiny sprinkle of cayenne pepper, a clove, a fragment of cinnamon stick, butter and brown sugar. Grill until bubbling, and serve with grilled pork or a duck breast.