Don’t throw away fruit peels!

You’ve probably heard more than once how important eating fruits and vegetables is. All of us have a preference when it comes to such diet which is fine. What’s not fine is throwing away the peel. By doing that, you’re depriving yourself of many vitamins, minerals and fibers. There’s an interesting fact about citrus peel – it contains larger quantities of vitamin C compared to the citrus fruits’ meat.

Lemon and orange
The peel of the said citrus fruits which we get rid of most of the time actually has a lot to offer. Try making a traditional Christmas cake without a touch of grated lemon or orange peel. Seems like a bad idea, right? I don’t know if you know this, but you can also make candied orange and lemon peel. You take orange or lemon peel, cut it in strips, then cook it in sugar and let it dry out. This snack smells and tastes good, and goes perfectly with a nice hot cup of tea. More importantly, you’ve provided your body with a daily dose of beneficial foods because the peel contains antioxidants, flavonoids, in other words, components which play an important role in eliminating free radicals. The peel also contains limonene, a cyclic terpene, which gives it that slightly bitter taste, as well as protects our body from the UV radiation and prevents the onset of skin cancer.

Apple
If you ask me, the apple is the best fruit there is – we’ve all heard the saying ”An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. Sadly, a lot of us make the same mistake of not eating the peel. You see, the peel is rich in phytonutrients, more so than the meat.

Banana peel teeth whitening
You definitely have to try this. The next time you eat a banana, don’t dispose of the peel, I repeat, don’t do it! Use it to achieve a perfect smile instead. Before brushing your teeth, take a piece of the peel and gently rub it along your teeth. The peel is rich in potassium, magnesium, and manganese which will help whiten your smile. You can do this twice a day, in the mornings and evenings before you brush your teeth the regular way. You won’t have to hide that beautiful smile of yours no more.
Banana peel is also good for removing coffee stains from clothes.

Kiwi
If you want to boost your immune system with a dose of vitamin C and fibers, the next time you reach for that kiwi sitting in the fruit basket on the table, don’t lose the peel, eat it instead. Don’t forget to wash it thoroughly though.

Cucumber
Ever since I was little, my mum would use the cucumber peel to make our salad more interesting. It proved to be the perfect facial skincare toner. I’ve tried it myself, and I have to say I like it. It’s very refreshing, and nourishing thanks to vitamins C and K, and vitamin B complex.

 

  

Translation: A. Slišković