Over the past year, discussions about the nutritional value of food have been all the rage. It used to be said that eating fruits and vegetables with their skins on meant too much pesticide exposure, which could easily lead to cancer. Now, it's said that you must eat them with their skins to prevent cancer. This leaves the public at a loss. Is something as simple as a fruit or vegetable peel really that complicated?
In most fruits that can be peeled, the peel and the part just beneath it are often the parts richest in antioxidant components. This is because the parts richest in antioxidants are usually the parts exposed to sunlight; and a natural reddening or yellowing of the color also signifies an increase in antioxidants. At the same time, the outer parts usually contain higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and the large amount of dietary fiber in the peel is also beneficial to the human body.
In fact, for some fruits with soft skins, like tomatoes, apples, pears, peaches, and apricots, eating them with the skin on doesn't compromise the texture either. The skins of ripe pumpkins, mangoes, persimmons, and some grapes are not that difficult to eat either.
So, what about the issue of pesticides? In reality, consumers need not be overly concerned about pesticides for three reasons: First, our country's regulations do not allow the use of highly toxic pesticides in foods that are eaten directly, such as fruits and vegetables, and a batch of medium and high-toxicity pesticides has recently been banned. Second, the currently commonly used organophosphate pesticides in our country have a short residual period and can decompose within a few days. Third, most fruits are eaten several days or even months after they are picked, and the pesticides have basically decomposed by then.
If you really don't like eating the skins of certain fruits and vegetables, it's no big deal. You can make up for it by consuming more fiber and antioxidants from other foods, such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and nuts. Why be so rigid about fruit peels?