Introduction: Apple peels, orange peels, eggplant peels... Do you easily throw these fruit and vegetable peels into the trash in your daily life? In fact, peels are not only a barrier for fruits and vegetables to resist external damage, but also a "reservoir" of nutrients. Many peels also have the effect of preventing and treating diseases.
The peels of the following fruits and vegetables have outstanding health benefits, so don't throw them away casually.
Apple Peel — Anti-aging
Apple peels are rich in pectin and dietary fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis. They are also rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and other polyphenolic substances, which have strong antioxidant activity and can resist aging.
Dietary advice: When eating apples, it is best to wash them thoroughly and eat them with the peel.
Orange Peel — Regulating Qi and Resolving Phlegm
From the perspective of Chinese dietary therapy, orange peels can regulate qi, resolve phlegm, relieve coughs, and calm wheezing. They are also beneficial for people with arteriosclerosis or vitamin C deficiency.
Dietary advice: You can dry the orange peels and steep them in water for drinking. You can also add orange peels to dishes to create a special flavor, such as orange peel porridge. Adding a few pieces of orange peel to meat soup can make the soup taste fresher and reduce greasiness.
Watermelon Peel — Clearing Heat and Relieving Summer Heat
Watermelon peel is rich in minerals and vitamins, just like the flesh. It has the effects of clearing heat and summer heat, purging fire and relieving vexation, and lowering blood pressure.
Dietary advice: Remove the outer green skin of the watermelon peel, and you can eat it cold with sauce, stir-fry it with meat, use it as a filling, or make it into soup.
Pear Peel — Clearing the Mind and Moistening the Lungs
Pear peel is a traditional Chinese medicine with high medicinal value. It contains more vitamin C and inorganic salts such as iron and zinc, and has the effects of clearing the heart and moistening the lungs, reducing fire and promoting body fluids, and treating colds and coughs.
Dietary advice: Wash and chop the pear with its peel, add rock sugar, and simmer it in water to treat coughs.
Winter Melon Peel — Promoting Urine to Reduce Edema
Winter melon peel not only contains a variety of vitamins and minerals but also various volatile components, and has the effects of relieving summer heat, strengthening the spleen, and promoting urination to reduce dampness.
Dietary advice: Winter melon peel is relatively thick and hard. It is recommended to cook it with the peel when making winter melon soup.
Tomato Peel — Preventing Cancer
Lycopene, which is abundant in tomato peel, is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants ever discovered. It can prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases, improve the body's immunity, and prevent cancer.
Advice: Whether eaten raw directly or cooked in dishes, wash the tomatoes and eat them with the peel.
Kiwi Peel — Anti-cancer
Kiwi peel is rich in antioxidants and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic effects. The antioxidant content in the peel is three times that of the flesh. In addition, kiwi peel can also combat staphylococcus and E. coli.
Dietary advice: Juice the kiwi with its peel, then filter and drink it.
Eggplant Peel — Strengthening Blood Vessels
Eggplant peel contains substances such as vitamin P, B vitamins, and vitamin C. Its most praiseworthy effect is strengthening blood vessels, making it an excellent dietary choice for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Dietary advice: When cooking eggplant, just cook it with the peel.
Banana Peel — Protecting the Eyes
Banana peel extract is rich in serotonin, which helps relieve depression. Lutein in banana peel can protect eye cells from UV damage.
Dietary advice: Boil the banana peel in water for 10 minutes, then let it cool and drink it.
Pineapple Peel — Protecting the Stomach
Pineapple peel (after removing the prickly outer part) is not only rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C, but the bromelain in it can break down food and remove dead tissue from the digestive tract, protecting the stomach and preventing cancer. In addition, the bromelain content in pineapple peel is twice that of the flesh.
Dietary advice: Remove the prickly outer part of the pineapple, juice it with the peel, and drink it; or cut off the pineapple peel, wash it, put it in a pot with water, bring to a boil, and cook until it loses its color to make pineapple water for drinking.
Grape Peel — Lowering Blood Lipids
Grape peels contain more resveratrol than the flesh and seeds of grapes, and have effects such as lowering blood lipids, anti-thrombosis, preventing arteriosclerosis, and enhancing immunity. Grape peels are also rich in dietary fiber, pectin, and iron.
Dietary advice: It is recommended to wash the grapes thoroughly and eat them with the peel.
Small Reminders:
1. When eating fruit and vegetable peels, it is best to choose organic fruits and vegetables. If conditions are limited, those with green food certification are also acceptable. If neither is possible, then freshness should be the standard.
2. When washing, you can soak them in warm water for 1-2 minutes and scrub with a soft brush. If necessary, you can also blanch them in hot water.
3. It is not recommended to use detergent to wash fruits and vegetables, because detergent itself is a chemical substance and may cause secondary pollution.