UNITED STATES—When it comes to tasty summer fruits, the options are endless. I often get asked the question if you prefer plums, nectarines or peaches? Any guesses as to what my answer is? Well its peaches.  Not that I’m not a fan of plums or nectarines, peaches are a tad bit more versatile in my opinion. They are not overly sweet, they’re not super tart and they can be used for so many treats.

For those not in the know, the peach is a member of the stone fruit family. Apricots, plums and nectarines are all good buddies with the peach. What differentiates a peach from a nectarine? It’s the outer skin, a peach a bit softer on texture in my opinion compared to the nectarine. Like all stone fruits they have a round, oval shaped seeded locked right in the center. I sometimes like to think the seed acts as the glue for the fruit to hold it together. Some may be surprised to discover that China is the largest producer of the tasty fruit.

Peaches don’t necessarily pack the nutrient punch that their counterpart the nectarine does, but they are a vital source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. The big question many are likely asking is what can I do with the fruit? Well it’s a great addition to an orange smoothie in my opinion. Take carrots, oranges, mangoes and peaches and blend with a banana for a tasty treat that delivers both your fruits and veggies in one.

Other tips include making a home made peach pie, a tasty stone fruit salad that includes peaches, nectarines, apricots, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Or you could do what I’ve recently become accustomed to. Purchasing a container of plain yogurt and slicing your favorite fruit as an addition. You get peach yogurt without the addition of those added sugars that appear in most yogurts.