What is the difference between peaches nectarines and apricots

Apricots are much smaller than both nectarines and apricots. Compared to nectarines and peaches apricots are golden-orange all over, with no darker or lighter spots.

Unripe apricots may have a greenish hue. Apricots are also much drier. Where a ripe nectarine or peach will soak your hands and clothes, an apricot has less juice and will not make a mess when cut open. When it comes to flavor nectarines and apricots are pretty much the same. Apricots are sweet as well, though not as juicy or tart as the first two. If your recipe calls for peaches and you have none, you can swap them with nectarines.

This confusion isn't totally unwarranted, since peaches, apricots, and nectarines are all related. They're members of the genus Prunus , and as Harold McGee writes in On Food and Cooking , "They owe their name to the stone-hard 'shell' that surrounds a single large seed at their center. But there are plenty of differences between peaches and apricots , despite the shared heritage.

Peaches are generally larger than apricots; according to info from the US Department of Agriculture, a medium peach is about 2-inches in diameter while an apricot is about a quarter of the size. And yes, some apricots really do look like miniature peaches, fuzzy skin and all, but the taste of apricots is different than that of peaches.

When ripe and fresh, apricots are both sweet and tart, while peaches are generally just sweet. Apricots also tend to be less juicy than peaches, meaning that you're less likely to get a face full of sticky juice after taking a bite. Really, the difference between a peach and an apricot comes down to the fact that they are two different species of fruit. The table below compares the nutrients in one whole peach grams and one whole nectarine grams 3 , 4.

Peaches are slightly higher in calories , carbs, and sugar. Still, these fruits have remarkably similar nutrient profiles. Peaches and nectarines have similar nutrient profiles. They contain natural sugars, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. Nectarines are smaller than most peaches.

They also have thin, smoother skin and firmer flesh. Peaches have thicker, fuzzy skin and softer flesh. Hence, many people claim that nectarines are sweeter than peaches, despite their slightly lower sugar content. When it comes to sweetness, the type of flesh and overall ripeness matter most. Both white peaches and white nectarines are sweeter than their yellow counterparts due to their lower acidity.

Furthermore, their sweetness increases with ripeness 5 , 6. Nectarines have smooth skin while peaches have fuzzy skin. Notably, white nectarines and peaches are sweeter than yellow varieties. Their degree of sweetness also increases as the fruits ripen. If you want to get more creative, both have a wide range of culinary uses due to their varying textures and tastes.

Grilled nectarines are a popular summer dish that you can add to salads or desserts. Meanwhile, peaches are preferable for baking and soft-texture dishes like pies, salsas, jams , and sauces.

Peaches and nectarines are versatile summer fruits that can be eaten raw, added to salads and desserts, or made into jams and sauces. Peaches and nectarines are related stone fruits. Nectarines are a type of peach without the fuzzy skin. While peaches are more appropriate for baking and softer-textured recipes, nectarines stay firm for cooking.