Nettarine di R.Borgacci

What are

Nectarines, or more precisely nectarine peaches, are fruits - drupes - sweet and fleshy produced by a particular botanical variety of peach.

Other names of nectarines are pescanoce and nocepesca.

Many use nectarine as a synonym for fishing - especially in the Anglo-Saxon countries (peach = nectarine) - but it is more correct to use this noun to differentiate the botanical varieties of plants that produce fruit with peel without hair (tricoma).

As a modest nutritional source of pro-vitamin A - retinol equivalents - and vitamin C - ascorbic acid, nectarines could be included both in the VI and in the VII fundamental group of foods. They also have a moderate caloric intake mainly provided by soluble sugars - fructose - they contain dietary fiber, are rich in water and minerals - especially potassium.

Of the genus Prunus - Subgenus Amygdalus - and Persian species, the peach nectarine is a plant of oriental origin belonging to the Rosaceae family, the same as the apricot tree, the plum tree, the cherry tree, the almond tree etc. The nectarine tree reaches 4-8 meters. On the young branches, it produces deciduous, spear-shaped, green leaves and sometimes shades of red. In spring, before developing the leaves, it is covered with pink flowers that will evolve - in the warm season - into the typical roundish and predominantly red fruits.

Different types of nectarines are cultivated. The fruits of the various cultivars are very similar, since the peel (exocarp of the pericarp) is always smooth - without trichome - and reddish more or less mottled with yellow. However, depending on the type, it may contain a yellow or whitish pulp (mesocarp of the pericarp). The internal core (seed wrapped by the endocarp of the pericarp) can be free or well attached to the edible part.

Various parts of the plant - such as seeds, bark, etc. - they contain bittering substances used in many preparations. However, it must be remembered that these are cyanogenic glycosides - which release cyanide - potentially toxic. In particular, the almond (seed consisting of endosperm, embryo and tegument) of nectarines - and peaches in general, but also apricots, prunes, cherries, etc. - contains amygdalin, typical of the famous "bitter almonds".

Nectarines are eaten mainly raw but only in season - as they do not enjoy high shelf life. In Italy they are preserved in syrup and in jam - or rather jam. Candied nectarines are less common. Commercial peach juice is very common. Other secondary preparations based on peach are: ice cream, granita, desserts, extracts, centrifuged, smoothies, frozen cocktails etc.

Nutritional Properties

Nutritional properties of nectarines

Nectarines are not precisely included in the VII basic food groups. This is because they contain retinol equivalents and ascorbic acid, but both in moderate quantities. The nectarines therefore have the characteristics to belong to the VI and VII group or, given the low-volume concentrations, to neither.

Nectarines have a moderate caloric intake. Energy is supplied mainly by carbohydrates, followed by irrelevant amounts of proteins and lipids. Carbohydrates consist entirely of fructose - simple, soluble, monounsaturated sugar. Peptides have a low biological value, ie they do not contain - in the right quantities and proportions - the essential amino acids of the human model. Fatty acids are mainly unsaturated, with great relevance of polyunsaturated fats.

Nectarines contain dietary fiber, most of which is soluble. Instead, they are cholesterol free. They do not even contain the molecules mainly responsible for scientifically diagnosable food intolerances, such as gluten, lactose and histamine. On the other hand, peach is one of the most common food allergies in Italy.

Nectarines do not have a high purine content, but an excess of fructose can promote the retention of uric acid.

With regard to vitamins, nectars boast discrete concentrations of retinol equivalent (provitamine A), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), tocopherols (vitamin E) and vitamin K (anti-haemorrhagic). With regard to mineral salts, the potassium level is appreciable.

The concentration of antioxidants of non- vitaminic origin, such as polyphenols, is fairly good.

Diet

Nectarines in the diet

Nectarines, like most summer fruits - watermelon, melon, apricot, plum etc. - lends itself to most diets. Being not too sugary and with moderate caloric intake, it has few contraindications even in the case of overweight, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. Obviously, in these cases - especially severe ones - it is advisable to reduce the average portion as much as the frequency of consumption.

Dietary fibers have numerous functions. First of all, correctly associated with water - of which nectarines are rich - prevent and cure constipation / constipation. This helps to decrease the chances of carcinogenesis of the large intestine (see risk factors for colorectal cancer), but also of many other discomforts such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, etc. It should also be remembered that soluble fiber is a nutritional substrate for intestinal bacterial flora. Maintaining the trophism of the intestinal microbiota further promotes the health of the colon. The fibers are also very satiating and improve compliance with slimming therapy; however, fructose is a nutrient that only weakly triggers the satiety reaction. In association with lipid quantities and moderate glycemic loads, the nectarine fibers can modulate the glycemic-insulin increase or reduce the absorption of cholesterol and / or bile salts.

Provitamins A, vitamin C, vitamin E, polyphenols and other phytoelements have an important antioxidant role. In addition to counteracting the action of free radicals responsible for cellular aging, these nutritional elements are considered useful - in combination with specific care - to treat metabolic pathologies.

The richness of water and potassium helps to reach the recommended daily ration, higher in athletes or in those who sweat a lot, but also in those suffering from primary arterial hypertension. They are two nutritional factors often lacking even in the elderly.

Nectarines are absolutely to be avoided in case of food allergy - especially in conjunction with additional risk factors, such as respiratory or cardiovascular diseases - even if the severity levels may be mutable to say the least:

1. Itching or hives just by contact
2. Adverse skin and diffuse reactions - urticaria or angioedema - after ingestion
3. Gastro-intestinal adverse reactions - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps - after ingestion
4. Anaphylactic reactions up to shock.

No contraindications are identified for: celiac disease, lactose intolerance and histamine intolerance. Instead, it is advisable not to overdo it, respecting frequency of consumption and normal portions, in case of hyperuricemia or gout; despite the low purine content, it is known that too much fructose in the diet can aggravate the retention of uric acid.

Nectarines have no limitation in the vegetarian, vegan and raw food diet; the same applies to philosophies and / or religions of all kinds.

The average portion of nectarines is 100-200 g (about 40-80 kcal).

Botany

Nectarine botany

The peach ( P. persica ) is a deciduous tree originating in North Western China. It was selected and cultivated for the first time in the area between the Tarim basin and the northern slopes of the Kunlun Mountains.

Hairy peaches and nectarines are fruits produced from different varieties and cultivars that belong to the same botanical species. The fundamental difference lies in the expression of an allele that translates due to the presence or absence of trichoma on the exocarp, recessive in the nectarines and dominant over the hairy types.

Etymology of peaches

Peach, pêche (French) and peach (English), derive from the Latin "malum pesicum" - apple of persia - and the specific epithet "persica" - from which it fishes - refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia - today's Iran - from where it was imported to Rome.

Notes on nectarine cultivation

Nectarine trees grow in dry, temperate or continental climates; they do not tolerate tropical or subtropical areas, except at relevant altitudes. Most cultivars require a "winter" dormancy period - cold temperatures, from 0 to 10 ° C - of at least 500 hours, in which specific biological reactions take place that will determine flowering - quiescence - and finally fruiting. The plant withstands up to -30 ° C but it is essential that, once the buds or flowers are produced, the temperature does not drop too much; freezing would lead to the early loss of the future crop. Abundant winter precipitation and temperatures above 15 ° C favor the appearance of fungal diseases of nectarines. For fruit ripening it is necessary for summer temperatures to be around 20-30 ° C. The plants begin to produce fruit after about 3 years and have an average life of 7-15 years.

China supplies almost 60% of the world production of peaches and nectarines - data for 2016.