My grandfather was very fond for apples. Every afternoon, around 2pm, he would take an apple out of his bag, and start peeling it with his knife before cutting it into pieces to share with us. I have fond memories of those times. Not until later in life, did I realize that the peel that my grandfather so painstakingly removed from our apples was actually edible and had nutritional value.
Many of us grew up seeing our parents and/or grandparents peeling potatoes, carrots and other produce and we didn’t think anything of it. It was just the way we were brought up. So, when we became adults we automatically found ourselves doing the same thing. But, little did we know, that what we were discarding was full of nutritional value.
Why is the peel good for us?
The outer layer of many fruits and vegetables, such as apples, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, kiwis, pears, peaches and broccoli stalks, are loaded with vitamins, minerals, insoluble fiber and antioxidants (phytonutrients). When weconsume the skins of these fruits and vegetables, we increase our daily intake of these powerhouse nutrients, which are effective in combating many diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, diverticulitis and vision loss (cataracts and macular degeneration).
How do I eat the skins?
Even though the skins of some produce look dirty and unattractive because it was grown in soil, they are actually edible and nutritious. Just scrub your produce thoroughly in running water prior to consuming it and buy it organically grown to avoid chemical residues that are common with conventionally grown produce.
Why is it important to buy organic produce?
Conventional farming methods treat produce with pesticides, which then accumulate on the outer layer. Eating pesticide residues may be harmful to your health. So, eating the skin may not be the best idea for conventionally grown produce. But, if you buy organically grown produce, you don’t have to worry about ingesting pesticides. Organic produce does not use pesticides in their farming methods, so you will find little to none in your produce. However, you should still scrub the produce underwater to remove other contaminants.
The bottom line:
Buy organic varieties to reduce your exposure to pesticides on your produce and don’t peel way the skins or you will be depriving yourself of the nutrients that the peels are bursting with. Just think of the value that you get by eating the whole fruit or vegetable instead of throwing a portion away!
Source: Mail Online