NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Nectarine

Prunus persica var. nucipersica

Smooth-skinned stone fruit, polyphenol-rich and refreshing

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
9 verified / 9
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 1 medium (142 g)

142gSERVING
  • Water 124.4 g88%
  • Sugars 11.2 g8%
  • Fibre 2.4 g2%
  • Other carbs 1.5 g1%
  • Protein 1.5 g1%
  • Fat 0.5 g0%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Fibre9%Vitamin C9%Potassium6%Niacin10%Copper13%Vitamin E7%Vitamin A3%Vitamin K3%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
62 kcal1.5 g protein2.4 g fiber0.45 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Fibre2.4 g9%
Vitamin C7.7 mg9%
Potassium285 mg6%
Niacin1.6 mg10%
Copper0.12 mg13%
Vitamin E1.1 mg7%
Vitamin A24 mcg RAE3%
Vitamin K3.1 mcg3%
Magnesium13 mg3%
Total sugars11 g22%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Nectarine?

Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) is a fruit used for counts toward fruit intake linked in large cohorts and dose-response meta-analyses to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. There is little human research on nectarines specifically; almost all evidence is shared with peach (the same species, Prunus persica) and with the broader whole-fruit literature. Large prospective cohorts and dose-response meta-analyses show that higher whole-fruit intake is associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and that roughly two fruit servings a day captures most of the benefit. In the pooled Nurses' Health and Health Professionals cohorts, peaches/plums/apricots as a group were neutral for type 2 diabetes risk (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.92-1.02), while whole fruit overall was modestly protective. Compositional studies confirm nectarines are rich in chlorogenic acid, catechins and procyanidins, with red skin and yellow flesh adding anthocyanins and carotenoids; the much-publicised anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of stone-fruit polyphenols come from cell-culture and rodent studies, not human trials. As a low-glycaemic, fibre- and potassium-containing whole fruit it fits cardiometabolic dietary patterns, but no randomised controlled trial has tested nectarine intake on a clinical outcome. Overall the disease-specific evidence is preliminary and indirect, while the case for nectarines as part of a high-fruit diet is sound.

Purported Benefits

✓Counts toward fruit intake linked in large cohorts and dose-response meta-analyses to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality
✓Low glycaemic-load whole fruit with fibre and polyphenols, fitting cardiometabolic dietary patterns
✓Supplies chlorogenic-acid and catechin polyphenols with antioxidant activity in lab assays
✓Provides potassium and fibre that support blood pressure and digestive regularity
✓Carotenoids (yellow flesh) and vitamin C contribute to antioxidant and provitamin-A intake
✓Hydrating, low-calorie snack useful within a weight-management diet

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
A typical serving is 1 medium nectarine (about 140-150 g), eaten fresh with the skin on (the skin concentrates anthocyanins and other phenolics). Roughly two servings of fruit per day is the intake associated with the lowest mortality in pooled cohort data, with little added benefit beyond that.
Active Compounds
Chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids (hydroxycinnamic acids)Catechin and epicatechin (flavan-3-ols)Procyanidins (condensed tannins)Anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, mainly in red skin)Beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin (provitamin-A carotenoids, yellow flesh)Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)PotassiumDietary fibre (pectin, cellulose)Quercetin and rutin (flavonols)

Safety & Cautions

Nectarines are a stone fruit (Prunus/Rosaceae); people with birch-pollen or oral allergy syndrome may react to the raw fruit (itchy mouth, throat tingling), and Prunus allergy is possible. The kernel/pit contains amygdalin and should not be eaten. Whole nectarines have no clinically important drug interaction and, unlike grapefruit, do not inhibit CYP3A4. Sorbitol and fructose can cause gas or loose stools in sensitive or IBS-prone people if eaten in excess. The modest potassium content is rarely an issue except in advanced kidney disease, and the natural sugars warrant normal portion awareness in diabetes. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Nectarine with any medicine.

Key Studies

Meta-analysis Wang 2021 ✓ Source
Two US cohorts plus a meta-analysis of 26 cohorts (~1.9 million adults, 145,015 deaths): about 5 daily servings of fruit/veg (2 fruit, 3 veg) gave the lowest mortality, with the fruit benefit plateauing at roughly 2 servings/day.
Meta-analysis Aune 2017 ✓ Source
Dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies: each 200 g/day of fruit and vegetables was associated with ~10% lower all-cause mortality (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.87-0.93), with risk reductions seen up to about 800 g/day.
Systematic review Reynolds 2019 ✓ Source
Series of systematic reviews/meta-analyses (185 prospective studies, ~135 million person-years): higher dietary fibre and lower glycaemic index/load were associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and lower incidence of diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Systematic review Del Bo' 2019 ✓ Source
Systematic review of polyphenol intake and health outcomes: total flavonoids and specific flavonoid subclasses (but not total polyphenols) were associated with lower risk of diabetes, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality; evidence for individual stone fruits like nectarine is sparse.
Compositional study Gil 2002 ✓ Source
Analysis of 25 nectarine, peach and plum cultivars from California: phenolic compounds contributed far more to antioxidant capacity than vitamin C or carotenoids; yellow-flesh nectarines carried 80-186 ug/100 g carotenoids and 5-14 mg/100 g vitamin C.
Compositional study Tomas-Barberan 2001 ✓ Source
HPLC-DAD-ESIMS of 25 nectarine, peach and plum cultivars identified hydroxycinnamic acids (chlorogenic, neochlorogenic), flavan-3-ols, procyanidins, flavonols and skin anthocyanins, with phenolics concentrated in the peel.
Compositional study Vizzotto 2009 ✓ PubMed
Evaluation of peach and nectarine [Prunus persica] breeding progenies showed wide variation in phenolic content, vitamin C and antioxidant capacity, supporting cultivar selection for higher bioactive levels.
Prospective cohort Muraki 2013 ✓ PubMed
Pooled analysis of three US cohorts (187,382 people, 12,198 diabetes cases): every 3 servings/week of peaches/plums/apricots had a neutral association with type 2 diabetes (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.92-1.02), while total whole fruit was modestly protective (HR 0.98 per 3 servings/week).
Animal study Noratto 2015 ✓ PubMed
In obese Zucker rats, polyphenol-rich peach and plum juice attenuated hyperglycaemia, insulin and leptin resistance, dyslipidaemia and LDL oxidation versus controls (animal model, not human).
9 sources cited · 9 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Nectarine

What is Nectarine used for?

Nectarine is most often taken for Counts toward fruit intake linked in large cohorts and dose-response meta-analyses to lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, Low glycaemic-load whole fruit with fibre and polyphenols, fitting cardiometabolic dietary patterns, Supplies chlorogenic-acid and catechin polyphenols with antioxidant activity in lab assays, Provides potassium and fibre that support blood pressure and digestive regularity. Smooth-skinned stone fruit, polyphenol-rich and refreshing

Does Nectarine work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. There is little human research on nectarines specifically; almost all evidence is shared with peach (the same species, Prunus persica) and with the broader whole-fruit literature. Large prospective cohorts and dose-response meta-analyses show that higher whole-fruit intake is associated with lower cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and that roughly two fruit servings a day captures most of the benefit. In the pooled Nurses' Health and Health Professionals cohorts, peaches/plums/apricots as a group were neutral for type 2 diabetes risk (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.92-1.02), while whole fruit overall was modestly protective. Compositional studies confirm nectarines are rich in chlorogenic acid, catechins and procyanidins, with red skin and yellow flesh adding anthocyanins and carotenoids; the much-publicised anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of stone-fruit polyphenols come from cell-culture and rodent studies, not human trials. As a low-glycaemic, fibre- and potassium-containing whole fruit it fits cardiometabolic dietary patterns, but no randomised controlled trial has tested nectarine intake on a clinical outcome. Overall the disease-specific evidence is preliminary and indirect, while the case for nectarines as part of a high-fruit diet is sound.

What is the typical dose of Nectarine?

A typical serving is 1 medium nectarine (about 140-150 g), eaten fresh with the skin on (the skin concentrates anthocyanins and other phenolics). Roughly two servings of fruit per day is the intake associated with the lowest mortality in pooled cohort data, with little added benefit beyond that.

Is Nectarine safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Nectarines are a stone fruit (Prunus/Rosaceae); people with birch-pollen or oral allergy syndrome may react to the raw fruit (itchy mouth, throat tingling), and Prunus allergy is possible. The kernel/pit contains amygdalin and should not be eaten. Whole nectarines have no clinically important drug interaction and, unlike grapefruit, do not inhibit CYP3A4. Sorbitol and fructose can cause gas or loose stools in sensitive or IBS-prone people if eaten in excess. The modest potassium content is rarely an issue except in advanced kidney disease, and the natural sugars warrant normal portion awareness in diabetes.

How many studies support Nectarine?

NutriDex cites 9 sources for Nectarine, graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/nectarine

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_nectarine,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/nectarine},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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