Put that peeler down! You could miss out on numerous health benefits if you peel off the skin from these fresh vegetables and fruits.
The skin of vegetables
and fruits is generally richer in fiber, antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins than the flesh. Some fruits and veggies lose their nutritional value when peeled. Here we have listed a few fruits and vegetables that you should consume without peeling.
Do not peel grapes, cherries, and berries
It is recommended to eat cherries, grapes, and berries without peeling them. Apart from the fact that it is quite challenging to peel these fruits and impossible to peel most berries, note that the skin is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. The skin of grapes is particularly beneficial as it constitutes the highest amount of antioxidants in the whole fruit.
Do not peel peaches, pears, and plums
Eat your plums without peeling, as their skin contains antioxidants called chlorogenic acid and is also a rich source of vitamin C. Similarly, if you are peeling the edible skin of a peach and a pear, you are most likely losing all their nutrition and fiber too. The skin of these fruits holds half of the dietary fiber, valuable nutrients, and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. So, try eating these fruits without peeling their skin.
Do not peel brinjals and zucchini
Keep the skin of eggplant if you want extra flavonoids, magnesium, and fiber. Another reason to keep zucchini and brinjal skin is for their water content. Brinjal is 92 percent water, while zucchini is 95 percent water.
Do not peel potatoes
The skin of potatoes contains iron, fiber, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. Instead of peeling away those nutritious benefits, you may use a vegetable brush to scrub the potato gently before cooking.
Do not peel cucumbers and kiwis
You may not know this, but the skin of a kiwi is surprisingly edible. It is rich in vitamin C, and consuming kiwi with its peel triples the amount of fiber. As for cucumbers, consume them with the peel for potassium, vitamin K, and fiber.
Remember, the essential tip is to thoroughly wash these veggies and fruits before consumption if you are keeping the peel.
