Summertime is here and that means peach season is upon us… and I love peach season! You don’t have to live in Georgia to know the joy of a sweet peach. This fragrant, juicy fruit is slightly tart, has soft flesh and each bite gives you mouth-watering flavor. Peach season is short and they ripen quickly, so they need to be eaten fast. But they are sooo tasty (and good for you, too!) so buy them fresh while you can.

My favorite? White peaches. They look similar to yellow peaches with the skin on, but they are a bit sweeter in taste and a little less tart. Peaches are on the “dirty dozen” list, so be sure to buy organic whenever possible.

Just one large peach gives you vitamin A, vitamins C & E (antioxidants), potassium, fiber and has about 70 calories. They are low glycemic (won’t spike your blood sugar) and give the most benefit when you eat the skin. Just make sure to wash thoroughly before eating.

Peaches are great on their own (eat the skin, please!) and can be baked, grilled or diced and served with a dollop of yogurt. Ripened peaches can be diced and put in the freezer for future use. Besides eating peaches fresh from the farmer’s market, you can blend them into this healthy creamy smoothie for a cool summer treat.

Have a Peachy Summer!