The nectarine is a delicious fruit similar to that of a peach. It belongs to the genus of Prunus, whose fruits have a fleshy body with a hard seed at the center. The fruits in this group include almonds, plums, nectarine and damson. It has got a lot of health benefits and so is very popular. Nectarine has a sweet fragrance and a taste that is extremely unique. It is believed to have originated in China. It then spread to Persia, Central Asia and Europe.
Nectarine grows in the ice cold winter climate. When the buds come during the warm season, you can expect the fruits by the month of June. The appearance of the fruit is almost mimicking peach fruit. The nectarine is smaller and the surface is very smooth. The skin is not as rough as that of a peach. The fruit is very juicy and fleshy. The flesh is either white or cream in color. The seed found in the middle is very hard. There are two varieties of nectarines, free stone and clinging varieties.
Some of the Health Benefits of Nectarine Fruit
If you want to eat healthy to stay fit, you need to include a lot of fruits to your diet. Adding nectarine fruit during its season will give you a whole lot of benefits. Some of the benefits of this fruit are given below
- Nectarines are low in calories. It does not have any kind of saturated fats, which are unhealthy to the body. Moreover, it is filled with a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, plant nutrients and minerals that are good for the health. You can stay fit when you choose to consume this fruit.
- There are a lot of antioxidants present in the fruit; hence it is very much beneficial for the body.
- Nectarines which are fresh do have a large amount of Vitamin C in them. Vitamin C helps to provide an antioxidant effect to the body. It is very essential for the formation of the tissue inside the body. Fruits, especially fresh ones that contain vitamin C that is needed for the body to be resistant against all kinds of infections and also from free harmful radicals.
- This very fruit is a good source of B-Complex vitamins and even minerals. It has pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, niacin and thiamin. It also has a higher amount of minerals as well as electrolytes like iron, zinc, potassium, copper and phosphorus.
- Antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin E, Vitamin A and flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants such as B-Cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein are present in the fruit. They help to provide protection against all kinds of reactive oxygen species and oxygen derived free radicals. Maintenance of healthy skin and mucosa is also possible with a good supply of Vitamin A.
Storage of the Fruit
The season of the nectarine is from the middle of June till the end of September. You will be able to find a lot of varieties of the fruit. A good ripe nectarine fruit has very smooth and soft skin. If you harm the unripe fruit, if it is harvested early, then it will not get its right flavor. Do avoid fruits with cracks, shrinks and damages. The ripening of the fruit is done by spraying ethylene. Keep in refrigerator after buying from the store if you need them to stay fresh for a few days.
Serving the fruit
You need to wash and mop dry the fruit. It can be consumed along with the skin. Separate the seed with the help of a knife after cutting the fruit into two halves. Peeling or even blanching can help in removing the skin easily.
Consume this healthy and tasty fruit for making your body healthy and strong.
