Despite the fact that a peach is comprised of approximately 87 percent water, the fruit often has an incredibly sweet and delicious flavor. Believed to have originated in China, where the fruit and the tree from which it comes have long symbolized longevity, the peach is an extremely popular fruit. In fact, due to the significant demand for peaches, thousands of varieties of the fruit have been developed over the years, though many of the best types were only eaten by nobility for many years in Europe. Extensive commercial peach-growing operations that made the fruit more accessible and affordable to a much wider consumer base began in the United States in the 1800s. Today, the country produces about 20 percent of the world’s supply.