Home Ingredients Peach Fruit (Prunus persica)

Peach Fruit (Prunus persica)

Prunus persica
Evidence Level
Preliminary
6 Clinical Trials
7 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

Peaches and nectarines are the same species, Prunus persica; nectarines are the smooth-skinned form. They are eaten fresh, canned or dried. By USDA data, 100 g of raw yellow peach provides about 39 kcal, 1.5 g of fiber, 190 mg of potassium, 6.6 mg of vitamin C and small amounts of carotenoids such as beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin. Human research on peach itself is small: in a single-meal crossover, a peach shake raised blood glucose less in the first minutes than a drink with the same sugars. Supplement-type products use other materials, such as unripe nectarine powders or a dwarf peach preparation, tested in a few small Italian trials on glucose markers. Peach is also a leading fruit allergen in Mediterranean Europe, where reactions to its lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3) can be severe. The kernel inside the stone contains amygdalin, which can release cyanide; do not eat the pits.

Studied Dose No set dose for the fruit. Studies used a peach shake (amount not given in the abstract), 3 white peaches a day for 4 days, 500 or 750 mg of unripe nectarine powder three times daily, one 2 g dose of a nectarine extract, or 4 daily sachets of a dwarf peach preparation.
Active Compound Whole peach or nectarine flesh: sugars, fiber, vitamin C, potassium and carotenoids (beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin). Unripe fruit preparations are standardized for abscisic acid. The kernel contains the cyanogenic glycoside amygdalin.

Benefits

A low-calorie source of vitamin C, carotenoids and potassium

By USDA data, 100 g of raw yellow peach (a medium peach is about 150 g) supplies 39 kcal, 6.6 mg of vitamin C, 190 mg of potassium, 1.5 g of fiber, 162 mcg of beta-carotene and 67 mcg of beta-cryptoxanthin, with 8.4 g of sugars. Nectarines are similar. Dried peaches concentrate these and the sugars (41.7 g per 100 g). These are nutrient amounts, not tested outcomes.

Supported by Trial 5, Trial 1

Smaller early glucose rise after a peach shake than after matched sugars

In a randomized crossover in 26 healthy adults, a peach shake raised blood glucose less at 15 minutes and gave a smaller average glucose excursion than a drink containing the same sugars. Insulin fell more slowly after the peach meal, free fatty acids fell more and the inflammation marker interleukin-6 rose less. This was a single-meal test.

Supported by Trial 4

Glycemic response to fresh peaches compared with other common fruits

In a study that randomly assigned 61 adults with type 2 diabetes to test one of eight fresh fruits, peaches had a glycemic index of about 80, and glycemic index and peak rise did not differ significantly between the fruits. Glucose peaked sooner after peaches (about 45 minutes) than after apricots. The abstract does not give portion sizes.

Supported by Trial 5

Fasting glucose and insulin with a dwarf peach preparation

In a 3-month double-blind trial in 65 adults with prediabetes, a freeze-dried preparation described as abscisic acid from dwarf peaches lowered fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR more than placebo. Weight and blood fats did not change. The paper does not describe what the preparation contains, it is not ordinary fruit, and no other group has repeated the result.

Supported by Trial 1

Blood glucose markers with powdered unripe nectarines

In a 12-week placebo-controlled trial in 61 adults with type 2 diabetes, tablets of freeze-dried unripe thinned nectarines lowered fasting glucose, insulin and HbA1c from baseline, while placebo did not change, but the paper reports no direct test between groups. In a one-dose test in 20 healthy adults, a nectarine extract added to a glucose drink lowered the 30-minute glucose and insulin peaks.

Supported by Trial 2, Trial 1

Urinary tobacco smoke metabolites in smokers eating white peaches

In a small study with no control group, 12 Korean male smokers ate three white-fleshed peaches a day for 4 days; urinary nicotine metabolites rose in 11 and the smoke marker 1-hydroxypyrene in 10 compared with before. In nicotine-injected mice, a peach flesh extract reduced liver and kidney damage markers. Neither result shows a health effect in people.

Supported by Trial 6

Skin hydration with peach-derived ceramides in mice

In hairless mice exposed to UVB light, oral peach-derived ceramides (10 to 40 mg/kg) reduced wrinkle formation and skin thickening and improved skin hydration compared with untreated UV-exposed mice. This is animal work by authors that include employees of the company holding the patent; no human oral trial of peach ceramides was found.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Abscisic acid in unripe fruit

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that the human pancreas also releases in response to high glucose, and at nanomolar levels it has been reported to raise glucose uptake in muscle and fat cells. Unripe thinned nectarines were the richest ABA source among five thinned fruits tested, which is why ABA is the proposed active in the peach and nectarine preparations; this has not been tested directly in people.

2

The fruit matrix and the post-meal glucose response

A peach shake raised glucose less in the first 15 minutes than a drink of the same sugars, so components other than sugar may shape the response. The peach meal also raised blood salicylic acid, peaking at 90 minutes. Across eight fruits, glycemic index rose with a fruit's glucose content and fell with its fructose content, an association rather than a tested cause.

3

Peach allergens: heat-stable Pru p 3 and heat-labile Pru p 1

Pru p 3, a lipid transfer protein, resists heat and digestion and is about seven times more concentrated in the peel than in the pulp, so cooked or canned peach can still trigger reactions. Pru p 1 resembles the birch pollen allergen Bet v 1, is destroyed by heat and digestion, and usually causes only mouth itching, which is why cooked peach is often tolerated in birch-related allergy.

4

Amygdalin in the kernel

Peach seeds hold far more amygdalin than the flesh. In three Korean cultivars, ripe seeds contained about 12 to 2,312 mg of amygdalin per 100 g dry weight, against at most about 6 mg in ripe flesh, and some flesh samples had none detectable. Amygdalin is broken down to benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.

Clinical trials

1
Dwarf Peach Abscisic Acid Preparation in Prediabetes: 3-Month Placebo-Controlled RCT
PubMed

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of a freeze-dried preparation described as abscisic acid from dwarf peaches (listed as 2 g, lyophilized), taken as one sachet before breakfast and lunch and two before dinner, for 3 months; the paper reports no external funding and does not describe the preparation's composition (Derosa et al. 2020, Nutrients)

65 adults with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance not taking glucose-lowering agents (33 preparation, 32 placebo); 60 completed.

Fasting glucose (109.4 to 104.5 mg/dL), postprandial glucose, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR fell significantly versus placebo, and insulin sensitivity on the clamp test rose more. HbA1c fell only versus baseline. After 3 months 26.7% had normal glucose status versus none on placebo. Weight, waist and blood fats did not change, and liver and kidney tests were unchanged.

2
Unripe Nectarine Tablets in Type 2 Diabetes: 12-Week Three-Arm RCT
PubMed

Monocentric, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm trial of freeze-dried whole thinned nectarines (picked about 20 to 25 days after bloom), 500 mg or 750 mg three times daily, versus 500 mg maltodextrin three times daily, for 12 weeks; funded by a grant from the fruit grower Giaccio Frutta, cofunded by an EU fund; registered as ISRCTN16732651 (Schiano et al. 2022, Foods)

67 adults with type 2 diabetes not on medicines for chronic disease received treatment; 61 completed (20 low dose, 21 high dose, 20 placebo).

Both doses lowered fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c from baseline (for example HbA1c 8.0 to 6.9% on the low dose), while placebo did not change. The low dose gave larger falls than the high dose. Statistics were within-group t-tests against baseline; no between-group comparison is reported. Weight and waist did not change.

3
Nectarine Extract Added to a Glucose Drink: Randomized Acute Crossover
PubMed

Randomized, double-blind, single-center test in which each participant drank a reference glucose solution three times and, in random order, the same drink with 2 g of a spray-dried unripe nectarine extract (equal to 14 mcg of abscisic acid), olive leaf extract or tomato peel powder; supported by a Campania regional grant (Tenore et al. 2020, Nutrients)

20 healthy normal-weight adults (11 women, 9 men; mean age 45); none dropped out.

With the nectarine extract, the 30-minute glucose peak was lower than with the reference drink (p = 0.02) and the glucose area under the curve fell from 9,378 to 8,317 mg/dL.min; the insulin peak and insulin area were also lower. Olive leaf and tomato peel lowered glucose more than the nectarine extract. One dose only, in healthy people.

4
Peach Shake vs Matched Sugar Drink: Randomized Crossover
PubMed

Randomized crossover comparing a peach shake meal with a drink containing the same sugars as the peach shake, with blood salicylic acid, glucose, insulin, free fatty acids and interleukin-6 followed for 3 hours (Rinelli et al. 2012, Plant Foods Hum Nutr)

26 healthy adults; 16 avoided fruits and vegetables the evening before and 10 kept their usual diet.

Blood glucose rose less at 15 minutes after the peach shake (p < 0.01), with a lower average glucose excursion (p < 0.05). Insulin peaked at 45 minutes after both but fell more slowly after peach; free fatty acids fell more and interleukin-6 rose less. Salicylic acid rose and peaked at 90 minutes. Single meals only.

5
Glycemic Index of Eight Fresh Fruits, Including Peaches: Randomized Groups
PubMed

Randomized comparative study in which each group tested one of eight fresh fruits (pears, apples, oranges, grapes, plums, peaches, apricots, bananas) for glycemic index, peak rise and time to peak (Lunetta et al. 1995, Diabet Med)

61 adults with type 2 diabetes in Catania, Italy, split into eight groups.

Peaches had a glycemic index of about 80 and a peak rise of about 4.07 mmol/l; neither differed significantly between fruits. Time to peak after peaches (about 45 minutes) was shorter than after apricots (about 81 minutes, p < 0.01). Glycemic index correlated with the fruits' glucose content. The abstract is truncated and does not give portion sizes.

6
White Peaches and Urinary Smoke Metabolites in Smokers: Uncontrolled Before-and-After Study
PubMed

Before-and-after comparison with no control group: smokers ate three white-fleshed peaches a day for 4 days, with urine and saliva collected before and after; the paper also reports a mouse study of a peach flesh extract (Kim et al. 2017, J Cancer Prev)

12 healthy Korean male smokers.

Urinary nicotine metabolites (corrected for salivary cotinine) rose in 11 of 12 smokers and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene rose in 10 of 12 compared with before peaches. With no control group and only 4 days, the change cannot be attributed to peach, and the study did not measure any health outcome.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Peach allergy: peach is a leading food allergen in Mediterranean Europe. In a registry of 618 people with food allergy in Catalonia, Spain, peach was the most common culprit food (10%). Reactions range from mouth itching to anaphylaxis.
Lipid transfer protein (Pru p 3) allergy can be severe: among 421 Spanish adults sensitized to Pru p 3, 37.1% had had anaphylaxis. Because Pru p 3 resists heat, cooked or canned peach may still cause reactions, and it cross-reacts with apple, plum, cherry, apricot, nuts and peanut.
Cofactors such as exercise, alcohol and NSAID pain relievers can bring on or worsen reactions in people with lipid transfer protein allergy. Anyone who has reacted to peach should see an allergist.
Birch pollen related peach allergy (Pru p 1) is common in northern and central Europe and usually causes only itching of the mouth and throat with raw fruit; cooked peach is often tolerated.
Peach pits: do not crack or eat peach kernels. They contain amygdalin, which releases cyanide; two women who ate peach seeds as an alternative cancer remedy were poisoned. Amygdalin (laetrile) is not an evidence-based treatment for any illness.
Dried peaches: the standard USDA dried peach is sulfured and contains about 239 kcal and 41.7 g of sugars per 100 g. People who react to sulfites should check the label.
In the 3-month dwarf peach preparation trial, liver and kidney tests did not change and acceptance did not differ from placebo; the extract trials lasted from one dose to 12 weeks.

Important Drug interactions

No drug interaction studies of peach fruit were found.
Glucose-lowering medicines: dwarf peach and unripe nectarine preparations lowered glucose markers in small trials that excluded people taking glucose-lowering or chronic-disease medicines, so their use alongside these drugs is untested; ask your doctor first.
NSAID pain relievers can act as a cofactor that triggers or worsens reactions in people with peach lipid transfer protein allergy.
Potassium: 100 g of dried peaches supplies about 996 mg of potassium (USDA data). If you limit potassium or take a medicine that raises blood potassium, ask your doctor about large portions.

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Frequently asked questions about Peach Fruit (Prunus persica)

Are peach pits safe to eat?

No. The kernel inside a peach stone contains amygdalin, which can release cyanide when chewed or ground. In one analysis, ripe peach seeds held up to about 2,300 mg of amygdalin per 100 g dry weight, far more than the flesh. Poisonings have been reported in people who ate peach seeds as an alternative cancer remedy, and a Cochrane review found no reliable evidence that amygdalin (laetrile) helps. Eat the flesh and throw the pit away.

Why can peaches cause severe allergic reactions in some people?

Peach contains a lipid transfer protein, Pru p 3, that survives cooking and digestion and is concentrated in the peel. In Mediterranean countries it is a leading cause of food allergy and can trigger whole-body reactions, sometimes set off by exercise, alcohol or NSAID pain relievers. In northern Europe, peach allergy is more often linked to birch pollen (Pru p 1) and usually causes only mouth itching with raw fruit. An allergist can test which type you have.

Are unripe nectarine or dwarf peach supplements the same as eating peaches?

No. The glucose studies used freeze-dried unripe thinned nectarines, a spray-dried nectarine extract, or a dwarf peach preparation, chosen for their abscisic acid content. Results from these processed materials, mostly from one Italian research network, do not show that eating ripe peaches has the same effect.

Do peaches raise blood sugar quickly?

Peaches contain natural sugars (about 8.4 g per 100 g raw), and in one study their glycemic index was about 80, similar to other common fruits. In a single-meal test, a peach shake raised glucose less in the first 15 minutes than a drink with the same sugars. Canned peaches in juice and especially dried peaches carry more sugar per 100 g.

What is Peach Fruit?

Peaches and nectarines are the same species, Prunus persica; nectarines are the smooth-skinned form. They are eaten fresh, canned or dried. By USDA data, 100 g of raw yellow peach provides about 39 kcal, 1.5 g of fiber, 190 mg of potassium, 6.

What is Peach Fruit used for?

NutraSmarts does not list Peach Fruit under a health category. What the research covers: By USDA data, 100 g of raw yellow peach (a medium peach is about 150 g) supplies 39 kcal, 6.6 mg of vitamin C, 190 mg of potassium, 1.5 g of fiber, 162 mcg of beta-carotene and 67 mcg of beta-cryptoxanthin, with 8.4 g of sugars.

What is the recommended dosage of Peach Fruit?

No set dose for the fruit. Studies used a peach shake (amount not given in the abstract), 3 white peaches a day for 4 days, 500 or 750 mg of unripe nectarine powder three times daily, one 2 g dose of a nectarine extract, or 4 daily sachets of a dwarf peach pre… Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Does Peach Fruit interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: No drug interaction studies of peach fruit were found. Glucose-lowering medicines: dwarf peach and unripe nectarine preparations lowered glucose markers in small trials that excluded people taking glucose-lowering or chronic-disease medicines, so their use alongside these drugs i… If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Peach Fruit?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Peach Fruit as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 6 study summaries and 15 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(15 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Derosa G, Maffioli P, D'Angelo A, Preti PS, Tenore G, Novellino E. Abscisic Acid Treatment in Patients with Prediabetes. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):2931. doi: 10.3390/nu12102931.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in 65 adults with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance: 3 months of an abscisic acid preparation described as contained in dwarf peaches lowered fasting and postprandial glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and hs-CRP versus placebo and raised clamp insulin sensitivity; HbA1c fell versus baseline; 26.7% returned to normal glucose status versus none on placebo; blood fats and body measures did not change. No external funding.
  2. Schiano E, Maisto M, Piccolo V, Novellino E, Annunziata G, Ciampaglia R, Montesano C, Croce M, Caruso G, Iannuzzo F, Summa V, Tenore GC. Beneficial Contribution to Glucose Homeostasis by an Agro-Food Waste Product Rich in Abscisic Acid: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. Foods. 2022;11(17):2637. doi: 10.3390/foods11172637.PubMedUsed to support: Three-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week trial in 61 completers with type 2 diabetes: freeze-dried thinned nectarine tablets (500 or 750 mg three times daily) lowered fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c compared with baseline, with no change on maltodextrin placebo; analyses were within-group t-tests and no between-group test is reported. Funded by a grant from the grower Giaccio Frutta, cofunded by an EU fund.
  3. Tenore GC, Caruso D, D'Avino M, Buonomo G, Caruso G, Ciampaglia R, Schiano E, Maisto M, Annunziata G, Novellino E. A Pilot Screening of Agro-Food Waste Products as Sources of Nutraceutical Formulations to Improve Simulated Postprandial Glycaemia and Insulinaemia in Healthy Subjects. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1292. doi: 10.3390/nu12051292.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized double-blind acute test in 20 healthy adults: 2 g of a spray-dried unripe nectarine extract (14 mcg abscisic acid) added to a glucose drink lowered the 30-minute glucose and insulin peaks and the glucose and insulin areas under the curve compared with the glucose drink alone; nectarines had the highest abscisic acid content of five thinned fruits analyzed.
  4. Rinelli S, Spadafranca A, Fiorillo G, Cocucci M, Bertoli S, Battezzati A. Circulating salicylic acid and metabolic and inflammatory responses after fruit ingestion. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2012;67(1):100-4. doi: 10.1007/s11130-012-0282-4.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized crossover in 26 healthy adults: a peach shake meal raised glucose less at 15 minutes with a lower average glucose excursion than a drink of the same sugars; insulin declined more slowly, free fatty acids fell more and interleukin-6 rose less; circulating salicylic acid peaked at 90 minutes.
  5. Lunetta M, Di Mauro M, Crimi S, Mughini L. No important differences in glycaemic responses to common fruits in type 2 diabetic patients. Diabet Med. 1995;12(8):674-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.1995.tb00568.x.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized comparison of eight fresh fruits in 61 adults with type 2 diabetes: peaches had a glycemic index of about 80 and a peak rise of about 4.07 mmol/l, with no statistical differences between fruits; time to peak after peaches (about 45 minutes) was shorter than after apricots; glycemic index correlated with glucose content and inversely with fructose.
  6. Kim HJ, Park KK, Chung WY, Lee SK, Kim KR. Protective Effect of White-fleshed Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) on Chronic Nicotine-induced Toxicity. J Cancer Prev. 2017;22(1):22-32. doi: 10.15430/JCP.2017.22.1.22.PubMedUsed to support: Uncontrolled before-and-after study in 12 Korean male smokers eating three white-fleshed peaches a day for 4 days: urinary nicotine metabolites rose in 11 and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene in 10. In nicotine-injected mice, an oral peach flesh extract (250 or 500 mg/kg) lowered liver and kidney damage and oxidative stress markers (animal data).
  7. Kim J, Lee M, Cho W, Yoo E, Kim J, Gwon Y, Okayasu M, Lee J. Effect of Ceramides Derivatives from the Peach on Skin Function Improvement in UV-Irradiated Hairless Mice. Foods. 2024;13(23):3824. doi: 10.3390/foods13233824.PubMedUsed to support: Mouse study (animal data): oral peach-derived ceramides (PF3, 10 to 40 mg/kg) reduced UVB-induced wrinkle formation and epidermal and dermal thickening and improved skin hydration in hairless mice. Three authors are employees of a company holding a patent for PF3.
  8. Barni S, Caimmi D, Chiera F, Comberiati P, Mastrorilli C, Pelosi U, Paravati F, Marseglia GL, Arasi S. Phenotypes and Endotypes of Peach Allergy: What Is New? Nutrients. 2022;14(5):998. doi: 10.3390/nu14050998.PubMedUsed to support: Review: peach is a common cause of fresh-fruit allergy in Europe, especially the Mediterranean; Pru p 1 resembles birch Bet v 1, is heat-labile and mainly causes oral allergy with raw fruit; Pru p 3 (lipid transfer protein) is about seven times more concentrated in peel than pulp, resists heat and digestion, cross-reacts with other Rosaceae fruits, vegetables and nuts, and with Pru p 7 carries a risk of severe and fatal anaphylaxis; cofactors include exercise, alcohol and NSAIDs.
  9. Sánchez-López J, Gázquez V, Rubira N, Valdesoiro L, Guilarte M, Garcia-Moral A, Depreux N, Soto-Retes L, De Molina M, Luengo O, Lleonart R, Basagaña M. Food allergy in Catalonia: Clinical manifestations and its association with airborne allergens. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2017;45(1):48-54. doi: 10.1016/j.aller.2016.06.004.PubMedUsed to support: Multicenter registry of 618 food-allergic patients in Catalonia, Spain: overall, peach was the most prevalent food eliciting an allergic reaction (10%); anaphylaxis made up 24.8% of reported manifestations.
  10. Ruano-Zaragoza M, Somoza ML, Jiménez-Rodriguez TW, Soriano-Gomis V, González-Delgado P, Esteban-Rodriguez A, Palazón-Bru A, Blanca M, Fernández-Sánchez J. Lipid Transfer Protein Sensitization: Risk of Anaphylaxis and Molecular Sensitization Profile in Pru p 3-Sensitized Patients. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2021;182(5):425-432. doi: 10.1159/000511977.PubMedUsed to support: Cross-sectional study of 421 Spanish adults with positive peach skin tests and Pru p 3 IgE: anaphylaxis 37.1%, urticaria 67.9%, oral allergy syndrome 59.1%; most were sensitized to other lipid transfer proteins as well, and anaphylaxis was more frequent with 5 or more recognized.
  11. Wolters P, Ostermann T, Hofmann SC. Lipid transfer protein allergy: characterization and comparison to birch-related food allergy. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2022;20(11):1430-1438. doi: 10.1111/ddg.14881.PubMedUsed to support: Comparison of 15 German patients with lipid transfer protein allergy and 17 with birch-related food allergy: cofactor-associated anaphylaxis 73% vs 6%; reactions to both raw and cooked foods 86% vs 41%; a peach prick test was positive in all lipid transfer protein allergic patients but in 15% of birch-related cases.
  12. Lee SH, Oh A, Shin SH, Kim HN, Kang WW, Chung SK. Amygdalin Contents in Peaches at Different Fruit Development Stages. Prev Nutr Food Sci. 2017;22(3):237-240. doi: 10.3746/pnf.2017.22.3.237.PubMedUsed to support: HPLC analysis of three Korean peach cultivars: seeds generally held more amygdalin than endocarp or flesh (Table 2 shows one exception: Hikawa Hakuho seeds at stone-hardening, 0.20 vs 8.56 mg/100 g in the endocarp); at ripening, seeds contained about 12 to 2,312 mg per 100 g dry weight and flesh 0 to about 5.9 mg; amygdalin is hydrolyzed to benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
  13. Barwina M, Wiergowski M, Sein Anand J. [Accidental poisoning with peach seeds used as anticancer therapy--report of two cases]. Przegl Lek. 2013;70(8):687-9.PubMedUsed to support: Case report (Polish article, English abstract): two women poisoned with amygdalin from peach seeds used as an anticancer therapy had mild signs lasting up to 5 hours; the authors note amygdalin use may cause serious side effects through cyanide released in the digestive tract.
  14. Milazzo S, Horneber M. Laetrile treatment for cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(4):CD005476. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005476.pub4.PubMedUsed to support: Cochrane systematic review: no randomized or quasi-randomized trials of laetrile or amygdalin for cancer met inclusion criteria; claims of benefit are not supported by sound clinical data, and there is considerable risk of serious cyanide poisoning, especially after oral intake.
  15. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Peaches, yellow, raw (FDC ID 169928); Nectarines, raw (FDC ID 169914); Peaches, canned, juice pack (FDC ID 169930); Peaches, dried, sulfured, uncooked (FDC ID 169934), SR Legacy. USDA FoodData Central. 2026;SR Legacy food records, accessed 2026..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed; USDA nutrient database (accessed 2026). Per 100 g raw yellow peach: 39 kcal, 1.5 g fiber, 8.39 g total sugars (4.76 g sucrose), 190 mg potassium, 6.6 mg vitamin C, 162 mcg beta-carotene, 67 mcg beta-cryptoxanthin, 91 mcg lutein and zeaxanthin, 16 mcg vitamin A RAE; medium peach 150 g. Raw nectarine: 44 kcal, 1.7 g fiber, 201 mg potassium, 5.4 mg vitamin C, 150 mcg beta-carotene. Canned in juice: 44 kcal, 10.3 g sugars, 3.6 mg vitamin C. Dried, sulfured: 239 kcal, 8.2 g fiber, 41.7 g sugars, 996 mg potassium, 1,070 mcg beta-carotene.