Are your fruits and vegetables shelled or unshelled? It is a controversial issue that it should be consumed.
Peeling, usually pesticides It is a preference for reducing drug residues such as. However, removing the bark causes one of the nutrient-rich parts of the plant to be removed.
Fruit and vegetable peels are nutritious
The peels are loaded with beneficial nutrients. The amount of nutrients they contain depends on the type of fruit or vegetable. However, unpeeled ones contain higher amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds compared to their peeled counterparts.
A shelled dew elmaIt contains 332% more vitamin K, 142% more vitamin A, 115% more vitamin C, 20% more calcium and up to 19% more potassium.
Similarly, a boiled potato with the skin may contain 175% more vitamin C, 115% more potassium, 111% more folate, and 110% more magnesium and phosphorus than a peeled one.
Fruit and vegetable peelscontains much higher amounts of fiber and antioxidants. For example, up to 31% of the total amount of fiber in a vegetable is found in its skin. What's more, antioxidant levels, fruit peelIt may be 328 times higher than meat.
Therefore, eating fruits and vegetables without peeling themincreases nutrient intake.
Food with their peels keeps you full longer
Fruit and vegetable peels It reduces hunger and helps to feel full for longer.
This is largely due to its high fiber content. While the exact amount of fiber varies, fresh fruits and vegetables may contain up to a third more fiber before the skin is peeled.
Many studies show that fiber keeps you feeling full for longer. Fiber provides a feeling of satiety for longer by physically stretching the stomach, slowing the duration of excretion or affecting the rate at which satiety hormones are released in the body.
Studies show that a type of fiber known as viscous fiber found in fruits and vegetables is effective in reducing appetite.
Fiber is also used as food for bacteria living in the gut. When these bacteria feed on fiber short chain fatty acids they produce and increase the feeling of satiety.
In a review of 38 of 32 studies, it was reported that participants experienced an increase in satiety following increased fiber consumption. Also, several studies have observed that diets rich in fiber reduce hunger and therefore the number of calories consumed per day, which in turn leads to weight loss.
Therefore, shelled fruits and vegetables can help reduce hunger and even lose weight.
Unshelled fruits and vegetables may help prevent some diseases.
Fruits and vegetables, which are beneficial plant compounds that may reduce the risk of several diseases antioxidants includes. The main function of antioxidants is to fight unstable molecules known as free radicals.
When free radical levels are too high, it can cause oxidative stress that can damage cells and potentially increase disease risk.Researchers think that antioxidants may reduce the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Certain antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables lower the risk of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in antioxidants, although research is more concentrated in their skins.
In one study, taking peach skins resulted in a 13-48% reduction in antioxidants. In another study, antioxidant levels were 328 times higher in the peels of fruits and vegetables than in their meat.
Therefore, to maximize your antioxidant intake from fruits and vegetables, you should eat them with nuts.
The skins of some fruits and vegetables are inedible
It can be difficult to peel some fruits and vegetables. For example, avocado and zucchini skins are inedible regardless of whether they are consumed cooked or raw.
Eating other fruits and vegetables such as pineapple, melon, banana, onion, and celery with their skin is inedible due to their hard-to-digest texture. These are usually peeled off and discarded.
Same way, citrus fruitshas a hard and bitter crust. Their peels are generally inedible and thrown away.
Pesticides are widely used to reduce crop damage and increase yields. Contrary to traditional belief, this insecticide is found in both organically and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables.Although some pesticides get into the flesh of fruits and vegetables, many remain in the outer shell.
Washing is the way to get rid of pesticide residue loosely attached to the surface of the shell. But peeling removes toxic substances almost completely.
For example, a recent review reports that about 41% of pesticide residues found in fruits are washed away with water, and this removal is doubled by peeling.
Which Fruits Are Eaten With Their Shells?
The skins of some fruits and vegetables are safe to eat, but some may not. Below is a list of fruits and vegetables that can be consumed with or without peeling:
Before eating fresh fruits and vegetables, it is necessary to wash them thoroughly with water to remove unwanted residue from their surface.
Why fresh food should be washed?
Whether or not there is a global pandemic, properly washing fresh fruit and vegetables minimizes the entry of potentially harmful residue and microbes into the body.
Fresh foods are handled by a large number of people before they are bought from the market or market. It is best to assume that not every hand touching fresh food is clean.
In addition, people who are in the same environment with food can cough or sneeze, so there may be viruses or bacteria on the food.
Sufficiently washing fresh fruit and vegetables before eating significantly reduces residue that can be found on them before they enter the refrigerator.
Washing fruits and vegetables with water
Washing fresh fruits and vegetables in cold water before eating is a good hygiene and food safety practice.
Before starting to wash fresh food, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Make sure that all containers, sinks, and surfaces that you will use to wash your food are also thoroughly cleaned.
Start by cutting off any rotten or visibly rotten areas of the food. Common methods that can be used to wash different types of food are as follows:
Company production fruits and vegetables
Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and turnips, as well as fruits with tighter skins such as apples, lemons and pears, should be brushed with a clean, soft-bristled brush to better remove residue.
Green leafy vegetables
The outermost layer of cruciferous vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, chard, leeks and Brussels sprouts should be removed, then dipped in a bowl of cold water and rinsed with clean water in another bowl.
Delicate fruits and vegetables
Strawberries, mushrooms and other types of food that are more likely to splinter can be cleaned with a steady stream of water and gentle friction, using your fingers to remove any residue, such as sand.
After rinsing the food thoroughly, dry it using a clean paper or cloth towel.
As a result;
The peels of fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making them the most nutritious parts of a plant.
It can be eaten with most fruit and vegetable peels. Those that cannot be eaten with their peel are difficult to digest due to their hardness and those with a bitter taste. As much as possible, it is necessary to eat fruits and vegetables without peeling them.
Washing fresh fruits and vegetables helps to minimize surface germs and residues that can make you sick.
