Hey there, viewers! Fruits and veggies are great for your health. We all know
that. But how you eat them has a lot of impact on the nutrients you’re getting.
Eating them raw or steamed will give you most of the nutrients, while frying or cooking them
at high temperatures will destroy a lot of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
But you’ll be surprised to know that even the simple act of peeling impacts their nutrition
levels. In today’s video, we’ll be talking about 7 fruits and veggies you shouldn’t peel,
and 4 fruits you should. From kiwis to cucumbers, we’ll be discussing
several fruits and veggies AND more. Let’s start with things you SHOULDN’T peel...
1. Berries, cherries and grapes Not only is peeling a berry a challenging
thing to do, the peels themselves have a number of antioxidants and nutrients. Something you
don’t want to miss out on. It’s necessary that you eat grapes with the skin on. The antioxidants are
countless. More than most fruits and veggies! One of the things you do before you eat fruits
and vegetables is wash them with water. This is because of all the pesticides that
might be on them. The moment people hear the word “pesticide”, they’re convinced
it's best to take the skin off. Not true! If you’re one of those people who peels the
skin off everything, you may be losing out on a lot of important nutrients. The skin
usually contains more fiber, antioxidants and nutrients than the flesh itself.
In fact, experts suggest that unpeeled fruits and vegetables can have as much
as 33% more fiber. The skin of fruits could have as much as 328 times more antioxidants
compared to the flesh. Of course, it’s not the same in every fruit and vegetable.
Do you love eating grapes, cherries, or berries? Which is your favorite? How do you
eat them? Share your preferences with the Bestie community in the comments below...
2. Pears, peaches and plums Similar to berries and grapes,
the skin of pears, peaches and plums are also rich in nutrients and antioxidants. In addition, the
skins of these fruits are also packed with fiber. One study showed that when the skins of peaches
were removed before being eaten, you end up with as much as 48%
fewer antioxidants than when the skin is on. Do you not like eating these fruits with the
skin? How about you try chopping them all together and mixing them in a big bowl? Drizzle some honey
maple dressing, and voila! Your fruit salad is ready to eat! If you like a little punch in your
salad, you can even add some freshly squeezed lime juice. You won’t even realize the skin’s still on.
3. Apples and apricots Apples are one of the
fruits you should never peel the skin off before eating. The skin of an apple has insoluble fiber,
and is also packed with vitamins A and C. It’s the same case with apricots. While they may not be as
popular as apples, apricots are still really enjoyable, and have a ton of health benefits.
These fruits are also rich in a flavonoid called quercetin. This particular flavonoid
can function as an antioxidant. Quercetin can reduce inflammation,
as well as your risk of cancer. It can also help with your blood pressure, and blood sugar.
4. Tomatoes Most people keep the skin
on anyways, but in case you were thinking about peeling a tomato, don’t. Tomato skin has a high
concentration of naringenin (narring-uh-neen). This flavonoid can reduce the chances of
inflammation, and also protect you from disease. In one study, results showed that cooking
tomatoes with the skin increased the number of nutrients they hold when you consume them.
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5. Kiwis and cucumbers Many people peel kiwis and
throw out their skins. They only seem to want to eat the flesh of the fruit. You’d be surprised
to find that the kiwi skins can be edible. More importantly, the fruit’s skin is packed
with vitamin C. Also, eating the skin increases the amount of fiber you consume by more than three
times what you would get by eating just the fruit. One vegetable people tend to peel the skin off is
cucumber. But cucumber skin is packed with vitamin K, fiber and potassium. Before you consume the
skin, you need to wash it well, and wipe it off. This is because the skin can have a waxy layer.
6. Eggplants and zucchini When you eat either eggplants or zucchini,
it would be better if you can keep the skin around. The skin of these vegetables are rich
with extra fiber, flavonoids and magnesium. Additionally, these skins have a high amount
of water in them. For instance, zucchini has 95% water, while an eggplant has 92%
water. Most of the nutrients you get from these vegetables are through the skins.
7. Potatoes Potatoes can be used in a variety of ways,
whether you boil them, fry them or mash them. Whichever way you choose, the skin is usually
peeled off first. You shouldn’t be doing this! The potato peel is packed with fiber, iron,
vitamin C, potassium and folate. Rather than peeling the potatoes,
it’s best to gently brush the potato and scrub it off before you throw it in the pot.
There are some fruits and vegetables with skin you should definitely peel
off before eating. But that doesn’t mean you just throw the skin away. You
can still make use of the nutrients from the skin of these next types of foods...
But before we move ahead, here’s another video you might like. Fruits and veggies
give you a ton of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here’s a guide to every
vitamin you need and how to get them. Now back to foods you should peel...
1. Citrus Fruits
When you have citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges, you tend to peel off the skin
before you eat them. Peeling the skin off an orange is almost therapeutic. However,
you shouldn’t just throw the skin in the trash. Because citrus fruits are some of the most
antioxidant-rich foods you can have, you can cook the skin. You may be asking yourself what
the purpose is? Well you can make it into a type of flavoring, and then use it for your meals.
2. Pumpkins and Winter Squashes You need to consume pumpkin in other ways
outside of a spiced latte. Pumpkins and winter squashes are both very good for you. These are
things you generally eat after taking the peel off. But you shouldn’t throw them away! Instead,
cook these skins and soften them up. This way, they’re a lot easier to eat.
3. Tropical Fruits There are tropical
fruits you should always peel before eating. This list includes pineapple, papaya, bananas,
and mangoes. Some of these are pretty obvious. I mean, imagine trying to eat
a pineapple with its skin on! That sounds like torture. Melons are on the list too.
All these fruits either have skins that are difficult to chew,
or they’re straight up inedible. 4. Avocado, Garlic, and Onions
Imagine trying to eat onion with its skin on! Sure, their skin is softer than most,
but it would taste pretty gross. If you try to eat the skin of an avocado,
you’ll find it’s very difficult to digest. While avocados are a great source of fiber, potassium,
folic acid and monounsaturated fats, the skin should be thrown in the garbage.
When it comes to garlic and onions, you will find that it’s nearly impossible to eat their skin.
They’re good enough for you without it. As you can see, there are many fruits
and vegetables that have more nutrients in their skin than in the flesh. This doesn’t
mean the flesh is terrible for you. The skin is just better in certain cases.
If you find the skin is too difficult to digest, it’s better to simply not bother with it. Even if
you lose out on their nutrients, you will still get your vitamins and minerals from the flesh.
Speaking of fruits, there are so many that provide terrific nutrients, it would be impossible to name
them all in one video. Have I sparked your interest, let’s keep the conversation going
with a couple more fruit-related videos, shall we? Here’s what you need to know...
Check out the 11 Most Nutrient Dense Fruits On The Planet! You can also try our video
on 9 Fruits You Should Be Eating, And 8 You Shouldn’t If You’re Diabetic.
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about eating a healthier diet.
Do you eat any of these fruits and veggies on the regular? Let us know in the comments below!