What common varieties of peaches are there?
China is the homeland of the peach tree, and peaches have a very long history of cultivation in our country. Peaches can be eaten in many ways; they can be eaten raw or made into dried peaches or canned peaches. After long-term cultivation and improvement, peaches have developed many varieties. So do you know what common varieties of peaches there are?
1. Hairy peach
The hairy peach is the most traditional kind of peach. It is called the hairy peach because its surface has a thick layer of fine fuzz. This peach blooms in April and ripens from July to September. When eating a hairy peach, you need to remove the fuzz or peel it; if the fuzz on the surface is not cleaned off thoroughly, symptoms such as allergic reactions or an itchy throat are very likely to occur.
2. Honey peach
The honey peach has thinner skin, a larger size and more flesh, making it very suitable for eating raw. Its fruit ripens from June to August. A freshly ripe honey peach is firm and sweet, while a fully ripe honey peach is soft and juicy. This peach has fairly high edible value, with effects such as beautifying the skin, clearing the stomach, moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm. Honey peaches are rich in iron and can increase the amount of hemoglobin in the human body. Their protein content is 1 times higher than that of apples and grapes and 7 times more than that of pears, and their iron content is 3 times more than that of apples and 5 times more than that of pears, so the honey peach also has the reputation of "queen of fruits."
3. Nectarine
The nectarine is also a kind of peach that is relatively popular in the market today. Its biggest difference from other peaches is that its skin is hairless, smooth, shiny and relatively bright in color, as if it were coated with oil, which also reduces allergic reactions to a certain extent. The nectarine is a fruit that combines fragrance, sweetness, crispness and transportability. Its current main producing areas include provinces such as Shandong and Hebei.
4. Flat peach
The flat peach, also called the immortal fruit or longevity peach, is mainly distributed in regions of China such as Beijing, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi and Xinjiang. The flat peach is both rich and balanced in nutrition, making it a relatively ideal health fruit for the human body. This peach has a relatively high iron content, ranking almost first among fruits, so eating flat peaches can help prevent and treat anemia. Also, because flat peaches are rich in pectin, regular consumption can help prevent constipation.
5. Yellow peach
People usually also call the yellow peach the yellow-fleshed peach, and it is grown relatively widely in North China, Central China and the Southwest. Its flesh and skin are both yellow, the skin is relatively thin and the flesh is very thick. However, yellow peaches are extremely intolerant of storage and transport, so they are often sold as processed products. For example, yellow peaches can be processed into canned peaches, peach juice and peach jam, and can also be used directly in desserts or ice cream, so yellow peaches are also quite popular with consumers and merchants.