Peach (prunus persica)

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Other names for this ingredient

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Synopsis of peach

Prunus persica, commonly known as peach, is a deciduous tree native to China and widely cultivated for its sweet, juicy fruit. While most people know peach as a food, various parts of the plant—fruit, leaves, bark, flowers, and seeds—have been used in traditional and folk medicine for their cooling, moistening, anti-inflammatory, and digestive properties. The fruit itself is rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, fiber, and polyphenols, making it a gentle but effective food for promoting hydration, skin health, digestion, and immune function.

Peach is commonly used as a mild laxative, diuretic, and cooling tonic, especially in cases of constipation, inflammation, or heat-related illnesses. The fiber in peaches helps regulate bowel movements, while antioxidants like chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and catechins combat oxidative stress. The fruit also supports cardiovascular health, skin elasticity, and blood sugar regulation.

Beyond the fruit, peach leaves have traditionally been used as a tea or poultice to calm rashes, reduce fever, or relieve dry cough and restlessness. The flowers have gentle laxative and sedative properties and are sometimes brewed in teas for constipation and nervous tension. The bark and inner seed (used carefully and only in professional formulations due to the presence of amygdalin, a cyanogenic compound) have been used in traditional medicine to support respiration and circulation.

Historical Use in Medicine
Peach has a long and rich history in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is known as tao ren (for the kernel) and tao zi (for the fruit). The fruit is considered cooling and moistening, used to relieve thirst, heat, and dryness in febrile conditions. The kernel, when carefully prepared, is used to invigorate blood flow, dissolve blood stasis, and relieve constipation, often in gynecological or injury-related formulas.

In Ayurvedic medicine, peaches are used to balance pitta dosha due to their cooling and sweet nature. The fruit is thought to nourish rasa dhatu (body fluids), support digestion, and soothe inflammatory conditions. It is especially recommended during hot seasons, convalescence, or for individuals prone to irritability and overheating.

In European folk medicine, peach leaves and flowers were used as gentle sedatives and digestive tonics. Infusions were given to children for nighttime restlessness, itching, or indigestion. The fruit was also considered valuable for reducing inflammation, especially of the gastrointestinal tract.

Peach trees were associated with longevity and vitality in ancient Chinese symbolism and were often planted in temple gardens. The use of peach blossoms and seeds extended into Daoist herbal alchemy, where they were part of rejuvenation and blood-moving formulas.

Peach is used for these health conditions

Acid Indigestion (Traditional)
Appetite (deficient) (Traditional)
Asthma (Traditional)
Colds (general) (Traditional)
Constipation (adults) (Traditional)
Constipation (children) (Traditional)
Cough (general) (Traditional)
Diabetes (Traditional)
Diarrhea (Traditional)
Digestion (poor) (Traditional)
Edema (Traditional)
Fever (Traditional)
Gastritis (Traditional)
Hangover (Traditional)
Indigestion (Traditional)
Inflammation (Traditional)
Insomnia (Traditional)
Jaundice (adults) (Traditional)
Kidney Stones (Traditional)
Nausea and Vomiting (Traditional)
Pain (general remedies for) (Traditional)
PMS (general) (Traditional)

peach is used to support these body systems

Blood (Traditional)
Digestive System (Traditional)
Gastrointestinal Tract (Traditional)
Heart (Traditional)
Intestinal System (Traditional)
Liver (Traditional)
Skin (Traditional)