A Tough Peel To Swallow
Should you peel your fruits and vegetables? Are there health benefits of eating the peel, rind, skin, etc. of fruits? The biggest question is HOW?!
All parts of most fruit and veggies are edible and full of nutrients. YES, you can eat the fuzzy skin of a kiwi, watermelon rind, orange and banana peels, mango peel, potato skin, and even more vegetable skins! Others including pineapple, melon, onions, avocado, are often hard to chew and digest, but if cooked properly it can be beneficial to consume. Some are best when not consumed raw including squash and pumpkin seeds so the peels can become soft. Some peels contain pesticides so be sure to wash well if you’re planning on eating the outer part. The additional part of fruit that people don’t usually eat are full of nutrients including extra fiber vitamin A, K, C, calcium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, antioxidants and potassium.
Fiber will help to keep you fuller longer, decreasing appetite by slowing down the absorption of food through the gastrointestinal tract which in turn can aid in weight loss. Eating the peel, rind, and skin of fruit will not result in weight loss unless a caloric deficit is attainable, but it is easier to maintain a caloric deficit when consuming whole foods. Having a nutrient dense diet, a colorful plate, and a balanced diet of lean protein sources, whole grains, fruits and vegetables along with exercise will aid in weight loss and improve other health benefits by keeping you satisfied and maintaining appropriate levels of micronutrients. Weight loss is not the only benefit of eating the strange parts of fruit. There are other benefits including reduction of waste and creation of new food recipes. Think about how much waste we create by throwing away parts of fruit! We’re not only hurting the environment, but we could be increasing our health from eating these peels, rinds, and skins that we are trashing. If you decide to discard the outer layer of fruit, it is best to start a compost pile or bin so you can help the environment.
So how do you eat these things? Well, you can eat some of them raw and simply bite into them but I wouldn’t recommend it. Baking, sauteéing, blending, candying, etc. are all great ways to consume the odd parts of fruit and veggies. Have fun with creating recipes that taste good and provide tons of micronutrients! Next time you make a smoothie, toss a whole kiwi, banana, and orange in there! Just make sure your blender is top notch or chop up the fruit prior to blending it! You could also puree the entire fruit and bake some kind of superfood granola bar. When cooking vegetables, avoid using the microwave for more than two minutes. This can decrease the micronutrients in the food. Some fruit and vegetable peels, rinds, and skins can be hard to clean, digest, or taste bitter, so do some additional research to see how to properly cook them or use them in your recipes.
AB
Comments
Post a Comment