- Kirsty Jaeger
- The conversation*
November 23, 2022
Credit, Getty Images
caption,
Pesticide residues and dirt can be removed with a brush when washing
Many people have a habit of peeling fruits and vegetables. But often it is not necessary. The peel contains important nutrients. In addition, discarded fruit and vegetable peelings contribute to climate change.
Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and many phytochemicals (plant chemical compounds) such as antioxidants (substances that protect your cells from damage).
Not eating enough of these nutrientdense foods is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
In 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that around 3.9 million deaths a year worldwide are due to people eating too little fruit and vegetables.
Eating 400g of fruit and vegetables per day, as recommended by the WHO, is an elusive goal for many people.
Could eating fruits and vegetables with skin help in this matter and add important nutrients to the diet of the population?
No doubt it can help.
For example, nutritionally important amounts of vitamins such as vitamin C and riboflavin and minerals such as iron and zinc are found in the peels of these roots: beets, turnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, and radishes; also in ginger (rhizome) and in white potato skins (tuber).
And the US Department of Agriculture claims that the peeled apple contains 15% more vitamin C, 267% more vitamin K, 20% more calcium, 19% more potassium and 85% more fiber than its peeled version.
In addition, many peels are rich in biologically active phytochemicals such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Another reason not to throw away the peels is their impact on the environment.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), uneaten food, including peels, accounts for 8% to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. (Food that rots in landfills releases methane, the most potent greenhouse gas.)
New Zealand alone reports an annual waste of 13,658 tons of vegetable peelings and 986 tons of fruit peelings a country of just 5.1 million people.
Given the nutritional content of the peel and its contribution to food waste, why do people peel fruits and vegetables?
Some really need to be peeled because the outer parts are inedible, don’t have a pleasant taste, are difficult to clean, or are harmful, like bananas, oranges, melons, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, onions, and garlic.
Peeling can also be a necessary part of the recipe, for example when preparing mashed potatoes.
But many peels, such as potatoes, beets, carrots, kiwis, and cucumbers, are edible—yet they are peeled.
Some people peel fruits and vegetables because they are concerned about pesticides on their surfaces.
Pesticide residues are certainly retained at or just below the surface, although this varies by crop species.
But most of these residues can be removed by washing.
In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that people wash products under cold running water and scrub the bowl with a stiffbristled brush to remove pesticides, dirt, and chemicals.
Preparation techniques such as boiling and steaming can also reduce pesticide residues.
But not all pesticide residues are removed by washing and cooking. And people concerned about their pesticide exposure may still want to peel.
Lists of pesticide levels in fruit and vegetables are available in some countries for example the Pesticide Action Network produces one for the UK. This can help you decide which fruits and vegetables to peel and which peels to eat.
If you want to learn more about fruit and vegetable trays and what you can do with them, you can find plenty of suggestions online, including help on using trays for compost, feeding a worm farm, or incorporating them into recipes.
With a little research and creativity, you can help reduce waste and increase your fruit and vegetable consumption.
Definitely worth trying.
And you’re helping to achieve one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: halving food waste by 2030.
* Kirsty Hunter is Professor of Nutrition at Nottingham Trent University in the UK.