Final answer:
Canned peaches in heavy syrup have more calories because the syrup is a concentrated sugar solution, which adds significant calories. The sugar increases osmotic pressure to prevent bacterial growth, but also raises the caloric content of the peaches.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason why peaches canned in heavy syrup have more calories is because the syrup is a concentrated solution of sugar, which adds a significant amount of calories. In the process of canning peaches in heavy syrup, the fruit is preserved by the addition of the syrup, which contains high concentrations of sugar. This sugar greatly increases the osmotic pressure, which in turn prevents bacterial growth by dehydrating any bacteria that were not killed during the cooking process. However, it is this same sugar that contributes to the higher caloric content of the canned peaches. The syrup does not enhance the absorption of calories; rather, it directly adds to the calorie count by being a rich source of carbohydrates. Furthermore, while water is involved in the preservation process, it is not responsible for increasing the caloric content of canned peaches. Lastly, it is not a natural property of peaches to have high calories; this is specifically caused by the addition of the sugary syrup during the canning process.