When preparing peaches for eating or cooking, a common question is whether the skin needs to be removed. The skin of a peach can range from fuzzy and thick to thin and smooth. Deciding whether or not to peel a peach often comes down to personal preference. However, there are some factors to consider when determining if removing the skin is necessary.
Quick Answers
Here are quick answers to common questions about removing peach skins:
Is it safe to eat peach skin?
Yes, peach skins are entirely edible and safe to eat. They contain beneficial compounds like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Is peach skin healthy?
Yes, peach skins contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other plant compounds that may offer health benefits like improving digestion and reducing inflammation.
Should you peel peaches for baking?
Usually no, the skin can be left on for most baked dishes like pies, cobblers, crisps, and cakes. The skin helps hold the peach together during cooking.
Should you peel peaches for freezing?
Yes, it’s best to remove the skin before freezing peaches. The skin can become tough and unpleasantly textured when peaches are frozen.
Should you peel peaches for canning?
Yes, it’s recommended to peel peaches before canning them. The skins can become unpleasantly chewy in canned peaches.
Should you peel peaches for baby food?
Yes, it’s generally recommended to peel peaches when making homemade baby food, as the skin may be hard to digest for babies.
Nutritional Value
One of the main reasons the skins are safe to eat is that they contain some beneficial nutrients and plant compounds. However, the flesh of the peach still contains the majority of the nutrients.
A peeled peach contains around 30 calories, 8 grams of sugar, 6 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, and less than 1 gram each of fat and protein in a 100 gram serving (about half a large peach).
The skin accounts for a small percentage of the overall nutrition. But it does contribute additional fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants like chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid.
Specifically, a 100 gram serving of peach skin contains approximately:
- 1.5 grams fiber
- 9% DV vitamin E
- 5% DV vitamin C
- 4% DV vitamin K
- 3% DV folate
- 2% DV niacin
- 2% DV potassium
- Peach skins also contain the antioxidants chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid, which are not present in the flesh.
While peach skins contain fewer overall nutrients than the flesh, they do provide some nutritional value in the form of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Fiber Content
One of the biggest benefits provided by the peach skin is dietary fiber. Fiber offers many health benefits but is lacking in the average Western diet.
The flesh of a peeled peach contains about 1 gram of fiber per 100 grams. The skin alone provides an additional 1.5 grams of fiber for the same serving size.
So by eating the skins, you can significantly boost the fiber content of peaches. Fiber moves slowly through the digestive tract, promoting fullness and regular bowel movements. It also feeds the healthy gut bacteria in the intestines.
Higher fiber intake is associated with:
- Improved digestion
- Reduced cholesterol
- More stable blood sugar levels
- Increased gut bacteria diversity
- Lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity
If you need more fiber in your diet, keeping the peach skins intact when you eat them fresh or use them in recipes can help increase your daily fiber intake.
Antioxidants in the Skin
In addition to fiber, peach skins contain beneficial plant compounds called phenolic antioxidants. The two main antioxidants found in peach skins are chlorogenic acid and neochlorogenic acid.
Research shows that these antioxidants have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anticancer activities. They may also help lower blood pressure and protect brain health.
Antioxidants help prevent oxidative damage to cells caused by unstable molecules called free radicals. Oxidative damage is thought to play a role in aging and many chronic diseases.
By leaving peach skins intact, you can take advantage of their unique antioxidants that aren’t found in the flesh of the fruit.
Pesticide Residues on Peach Skins
Many people choose to peel peaches to remove any pesticide residues that may be present on the skin surface. Imported peaches tend to have higher levels of pesticides compared to domestic peaches.
However, peeling won’t eliminate all pesticides as some can penetrate into the flesh. Washing and scrubbing peaches under running water is a more effective method to reduce residues.
You can minimize exposure by purchasing organic peaches or peeling non-organic varieties. But keep in mind you’ll also remove beneficial nutrients and antioxidants in the skin.
Allergies to Peach Skin
It’s possible to be specifically allergic to peach skin, known as a contact allergy. This is triggered by certain proteins found in the skin of peaches.
Symptoms of a peach skin allergy may include:
- Itchy rash or swelling of the lips, mouth, or throat
- Tingling or itchy palms
- Nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting
In severe cases, a peach skin allergy can cause breathing difficulties and anaphylaxis. If you experience any symptoms of an allergic reaction after handling or eating peaches, speak to your doctor about getting tested for a peach allergy.
If you are allergic to peach skins, you must avoid consuming them. Be sure to thoroughly peel any peaches before eating.
Thickness and Texture
One of the biggest factors in deciding whether or not to peel a peach is the thickness and texture of the skin.
Peach varieties differ significantly when it comes to skin thickness. Thick, fuzzy skin is more noticeable and may be unappealing in texture. Whereas thin, smooth skin isn’t as detectable when eating the peach.
Here’s a general guide to the skin thickness of common peach types:
Thick, fuzzy skin:
- Elberta
- Georgia Belle
- Sun Crest
Medium thickness skin:
- Redhaven
- O’Henry
- Early Alberta
Thin, smoother skin:
- Babcock
- PF 24-007 (called September Sun)
- PF 23
If you don’t enjoy the texture of thicker peach skins, you may want to stick to varieties with thinner skin or peel your peaches. The thinner the skin, the less noticeable it will be when eating the raw fruit.
Uses for Peaches With Skin On vs. Peeled
Whether to peel peaches or not also depends on how you plan to use them. The skin may be desirable in some cases but undesirable in others based on its texture.
Baking
Peach skins tend to hold up well during baking and add fiber to dishes like pies, cobblers, crisps, and cakes. Unless you dislike the texture, peaches can be used in baked goods without peeling.
Cooking
Cooks often leave the skins on for sautéed or grilled peaches. The skins help the peach hold its shape better during cooking. Just take care not to burn the skin.
Jams and Preserves
Peach skins can typically be left on for jams, preserves, and chutneys. The skins help thicken the texture. Just cook the fruit until the skins become tender.
Canning
It’s best to peel peaches before canning. The skins can become unpleasantly tough and chewy from the canning process. The skins also separate more easily from the flesh when canned.
Freezing
Again, it’s ideal to remove peach skins before freezing. The frozen skins lose quality in both flavor and texture. Frozen skins are often described as unpleasantly chewy or leathery.
Baby Food
Peaches should be peeled for homemade baby food. A baby’s digestive system may have difficulty properly breaking down the skins. It’s better to remove them when making purees.
Smoothies
For smoothies, peaches can be used with skins on or peeled. With thicker skins, the tiny fragments of skin may give an undesirable texture. But with thin skins, the peach skins likely won’t be noticed in smoothies.
Fresh eating
When consuming peaches fresh and raw, it’s really a personal preference on whether to peel. Thicker skins are often peeled, while thin skins can be enjoyed intact by many people. Just try a small piece of skin first to see if you like the texture.
How to Peel a Peach
If you opt to peel your peaches, here is a simple method:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Use enough water to submerge the peaches.
- Cut an X in the bottom of each peach with a paring knife. The X should only penetrate the skin, not the flesh.
- Place peaches into the boiling water and blanch for 30-60 seconds.
- Remove from water and place peaches into ice water to stop the cooking process.
- The skins should now easily slide off. Peel skins with your fingers or a paring knife.
This blanching method helps loosen the skins so they peel off easily. For clingstone varieties, it may take a bit more effort to remove the skin from around the pit.
Nutrition of Peach Skin vs. Flesh
To summarize the nutrients found in peach skin vs. flesh:
| Nutrient | Peach Flesh (per 100g) | Peach Skin (per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 30 | 13 |
| Fiber | 1g | 1.5g |
| Sugar | 8g | 2g |
| Carbs | 6g | 3g |
| Fat | 0g | 0g |
| Protein | 1g | 0.5g |
| Vitamin C | 6mg (10% DV) | 2mg (4% DV) |
| Vitamin E | 0.1mg (1% DV) | 0.6mg (9% DV) |
| Vitamin K | 2mcg (3% DV) | 3mcg (5% DV) |
| Folate | 4mcg (1% DV) | 7mcg (3% DV) |
| Niacin | 0.5mg (3% DV) | 0.6mg (5% DV) |
| Potassium | 190mg (4% DV) | 170mg (5% DV) |
| Chlorogenic Acid | 0mcg | 43mcg |
| Neochlorogenic Acid | 0mcg | 101mcg |
As shown, the peach flesh contains more overall macronutrients like calories, carbs, and sugar. But the skin provides additional fiber and antioxidants.
Conclusion
Peach skins are edible and contain beneficial fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, some people may prefer to peel peaches based on the texture and thickness of the skin.
In most cases, peaches don’t necessarily need to be peeled and the skins can be safely consumed. But if you find the skin unpleasant in certain dishes or when eating the raw fruit, peeling is optional.
If you do peel, try to wash the peaches well rather than only relying on peeling to remove pesticides. For maximum nutrition and health benefits, leave the skins on when possible.
