Recently, there has been a heated discussion about whether to eat fruits and vegetables with their peels. Some say that eating them with peels exposes you to too many pesticides, which can cause cancer, while others insist that you must eat them with peels to get the nutrients. This leaves people confused. Can something as simple as a fruit peel really be that complicated? In fact, to determine whether a fruit or vegetable should be eaten with its peel, you first need to identify the type. Some are healthier when eaten with their peels, while others can "cause illness" if eaten with them. You should definitely not eat the following fruits and vegetables with their peels.
Eating the peels of fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes can easily lead to poisoning
NO. 1: Sweet Potato Peel
Sweet potato peels contain a lot of alkali, and eating too much can cause stomach discomfort. The peels of sweet potatoes that have brown or black spots are infected by "black spot bacteria," which can produce "sweet potato ketone" and "sweet potato ketone alcohol." When these enter the human body, they can damage the liver and cause poisoning. In mild cases of poisoning, symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to high fever, headache, shortness of breath, convulsions, vomiting blood, coma, and even death.
NO. 2: Potato Peel
Potato peels contain "solanine," a toxic substance that is almost entirely concentrated in the peel, especially in the parts that have turned green or sprouted. It accumulates in the body and causes poisoning when it reaches a certain level. Because the poisoning is chronic and the symptoms are not obvious, it is often overlooked.
Some people like to cook beef with potatoes that still have their peels. Even after cooking, the solanine remains in the peel. If consumed in large quantities, it can cause symptoms like vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea. Because the poisoning is chronic and the symptoms are not obvious, it is often overlooked.
NO. 3: Ginkgo Peel
The peel contains toxic substances such as "ginkgolic acid," "ginkgolic acid hydrogenation," "ginkgolic acid hydrogenation sub-acid," and "ginkgol." When they enter the human body, they can damage the central nervous system and cause poisoning. In addition, the cooked flesh of ginkgo should also not be consumed in large quantities.
NO. 4: Persimmon Peel
When persimmons are unripe, tannic acid is mainly found in the flesh. After they ripen, the tannic acid is concentrated in the peel.
Once tannic acid enters the human body, it reacts with the proteins in food under the action of stomach acid to form a precipitate—persimmon stone. This can store toxins and cause various diseases.
NO. 5: Water Chestnut Peel
Water chestnuts often grow in paddy fields, and their peels can accumulate harmful biological waste and chemicals. Additionally, water chestnut peels also contain parasites. If you eat unwashed water chestnut peels, it can lead to illness. Furthermore, it should be noted that water chestnut peels contain a lot of starch, so diabetics should be cautious when eating them.