In all probability, the first thing you do when eating an orange is tear
off the peel and chuck it straight in the trash. Well, guess what? By doing
this, you’re missing out on a load of nutrients. For example, an orange peel
has nearly twice the amount of vitamins as the flesh inside, and though it
might sound a bit gross at first, there are plenty of ways you can incorporate
orange peels into your diet.
The same can
be said for a lot of fruits and vegetables. Below are 10 foods with nutritious
peels that you should be eating, alongside some suggestions on how you can add
them to your diet.
Apples
An apple’s
skin contains around half of the apple’s overall dietary fiber content. A
medium-sized apple delivers 9 milligrams of vitamin C, 100 IUs of vitamin A,
and 200 grams of potassium. By taking off the peel, you lose a third of those
nutrients. To add to this, the peel has 4 times more vitamin K than its flesh,
about 5% of your daily value. Vitamin K helps to form blood clots when you have
a bad cut, and also helps to activate the proteins your body needs for cell
growth and healthy bone maintenance.
An apple’s
skin also contains the antioxidant quercetin, which can help lung function,
ease breathing problems, and protect your lungs from irritants. Furthermore,
it’s also believed to be able to fight off brain tissue damage and protect your
memory.
Potatoes
A potato’s skin packs more iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, vitamin
B6, and vitamin C than the rest of the potato. For example, 100 grams of potato
peel packs seven times more calcium and 17 times more iron than the same amount
of potato flesh. Throw away the skin, and you’ll lose up to 90% of a potato’s
iron content and half of its fiber.
Oranges
The peel of
an orange packs twice as much vitamin C than the fruit inside. It also has
higher concentrations of vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and
riboflavin. The peel’s flavonoids have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory
properties.
As nutritious
as orange peels are, you’re probably not going to want to start eating oranges
whole as the peel is bitter and hard to digest. Instead, grate the peel and
sprinkle it on to of a salad or in a vinaigrette dressing.
Cucumbers
The skin contains most of the cucumber’s antioxidants, insoluble fiber
and potassium. It also contains most of the vitamin K. The next time you have a
salad, make it a point not to peel your cucumbers.
Kiwis
You’ve probably been spooning out the green flesh from inside your kiwis
for years, but this fruit’s fuzzy exterior is also edible. In fact, the skin
contains more flavonoids, vitamin C, and antioxidants than the fruit – and
double the fiber. So, ditch the spoon, wash the kiwi, and eat it like a peach.
Eggplant
An eggplant’s
purple color comes from a powerful antioxidant known as nasunin, which helps to
protect against cancer, especially in the brain and other parts of the nervous
system. It’s also believed to have anti-aging properties.
Eggplant skin
is also rich in chlorogenic acid, a phytochemical that boasts antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties, and promotes glucose tolerance.
Mango
Researchers
have found that mango skin contains properties that are similar to Resveratrol,
which helps to burn fat and inhibits the production of mature fat cells. Mango
flesh was also tested, but this did not produce the same results, which
suggests that you need to eat the skin in order to get this beneficial property.
Mango peel
also contains larger quantities of polyphenols, omega-3, and polyunsaturated
fatty acids than its flesh. Mango skin also contains compounds that fight off
cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Mango skin
can be eaten raw, or cooked along with the insides. Another way to eat both the
flesh and the skin is to pickle the entire mango.
Carrots
Since the skin of a carrot is the same color as what’s beneath it, the
peel and its flesh have similar nutritional value. However, the highest
concentration of phytonutrients is found in a carrot’s skin or immediately
underneath. Just wash the carrot rather than peeling it.
Onions
Like apple and mango skin, an onion’s skin contains quercetin. Although
the skin is not directly edible, you can draw out some of its nutrients by
adding it to a stock.
Banana
Banana peel
contains a lot more fiber than banana flesh, and is just as rich in potassium.
The peel also contains lutein, a powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in
maintaining healthy eye function. The amino acid, known as tryptophan, is also
more concentrated in the peel than in the flesh. This amino acid helps to ease
depression by increasing the body’s levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in
the brain that affects mood.
Although the
peel has a bitter taste and a tough, ropey consistency, an overripe banana
becomes thinner, sweeter, and easier to chew. You can also put the peel through
a juicer with the rest of the banana. Or, you can boil the peel for several
minutes to make it softer, or throw it in the frying pan.
