Surprising Uses of Fruits and vegetable peels

The outer skins of fruit and vegetables are filled with flavor and vitamins, experts advise that all parts of fresh fruits and vegetables promote good health; it is a common practice to throw away the peels or outer covering of most fruits and vegetables. You may have not known this but the peels of some fruits and vegetables are edible and extremely nutritious. These leftover peels can be brought to a variety of uses in the kitchen. So, don't just throw them away yet. 

·         Peel is a rich source of rough dietary fibers, These compounds increase the bulk to the food, and help prevent constipation

·         Peel is low in calories, sugar, and fats; and is free from cholesterol. It adds bulk to the food and helps cut down overall calorie intake.

Multiple insecticide sprays are common in the field of fruits. Certain amounts of this may be deposited deeply in their skin. So wash fruits thoroughly before use. Organically farmed fruits are, therefore, recommended for safe use of their peel.

1.    Apple peel - apples are filled with ample amounts of antioxidants and vitamin c, but the peel has five times more antioxidants than its pulp.By removing the peel u lose about a third of all the nutrients it contains.Researchers of the journal of agricultural and food chemistry have found that the peel has anti diseases and anti-cancer properties as well, so eat an apple with peels. Apple peels could be used in making apple jams or jelly.

2.    Banana peel –we usually throw away banana peels but it contains way more fibre and potassium than the flesh.  Banana peels are rich in nutrients and carbohydrates. It consists of vitamins B6, B12, magnesium, more potassium. It can be used as a teeth whitener and removing acne. researchers have found that banana peels have properties to fight depression, hence while using raw banana use it along with peels. It is a good pain reliever and heals psoriasis as well - you just need to apply it on the infected area. Make a banana sugar scrub: Sprinkle sugar on the flesh side of banana peels and use as a soft, exfoliating loofah. Rub gently all over your body and then rinse in the shower. 
      other use this peel is for teeth whitening - u can simply rub the fleshy part of a banana peel on teeth for some time and then rinse with water.  
     Always use a fresh banana peel and never keep an unpeeled banana for too long as it may be harmful to health

3.    Grapes and berries peel – American scientist Wallace h. Yokoyama has found in a research that peels of grapes and berries lower cholesterol levels in the blood .

4.    Orange peel - the peels of orange contains twice as much vitamin C  as whats inside. it  also contains higher concentrations of riboflavin , vitamin B6 , calcium , magnesium and potassium . Orange peels are known to keep your skin healthy, you don't have to throw them away in any case. For a skin tonic, rub orange or grapefruit peels on your face (avoiding your eyes) and then gently rinse with warm water. You can mix water and orange peel (dried and grounded) and apply to your scalp it helps get rid of dandruff.

          although the entire peel is bitter and difficult to digest .you can grate the peel and sprinkle it on salads , ice creams , chocolates .You can also make candied orange peels. All you would need to do is to place the strips of orange peel in a saucepan filled with water and bring it to boil. Now, drain the water from the peels.In a small saucepan, mix together sugar and water and bring it to boil until it turns sticky.Add the peels and cook for at least 45 minutes, until the peels become translucent.Drain any extra amount of syrup from the peels and set them aside to cool.Store these in an air-tight container and eat them whenever you like.A similar process can be followed for lemon peels too.

5.    Potato peels – While most of us throw away potato peels, very few know that it is filled with nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, vitamins, and magnesium. potato peel packs seven times more calcium and 17 times more iron than the same amount of potato flesh. ditch the skin and you will also lose up to 90 % of potato's iron content and half of its fibre. It helps boost metabolism and helps control blood sugar. Being an antibacterial agent, potato skin is also good for your skin. Besides, it helps in preventing cancer

 Make tasty potato crisps - Mix potato peels with enough lemon juice and olive oil to evenly coat. Spread the potato peels in a layer on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees, stirring once, until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Season to taste. Relieve your peepers: Potato peels can reduce puffiness around eyes; press the moist side of the fresh peels to the skin for 15 minutes.

Make stock: Boil potato peels, onion skins, carrot peels, leek ends, etc. for vegetable stock. (Also save fresh herb stems for this!)

6.    Avocado peel -  Did you know you can use avocado peel as a rich face moisturizer? It contains lots of fatty acids which are great for your hair and skin. If you've just used an avocado in a recipe, grab the peel and rub it over your face and hair, leave it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off.

7.    Cucumber: The outer skin contains a number of antioxidants and is rich in insoluble fiber, vitamin K, and potassium. While vitamin K helps in bone maintenance and cell growth, the presence of beta-carotene is beneficial for eye health.

8.    Kiwi: The skin of kiwi contains more nutrient than the fruit itself. It consists of a lot of fiber, flavonoids, antioxidants and vitamin C, which are helpful in boosting immunity, heart health, and lung health . so wash kiwi and eat it like a peach . if u find the fuzz unappetizing, scrape it off first.

Make delicious Jelly - You can actually use peels of apples (or in fact, pretty much any fruit you choose and even some veggies such as corn) to make jelly by combining these ingredients:

I. Peels of chosen fruit

II. Sugar (enough to suit your taste)III. Lemon peel (to protect the fruit from decomposing and fermenting)IV. Pectin (helps the substance jellify)V. Water (depending on the consistency you prefer)

After finely chopping up the fruit peels of your choice and combine the rest of these ingredients, you can easily make a healthy and delicious treat from what would have been something decomposing in the trash!

9.  eggplant peels - 

eggplants purple skin colour comes from antioxidant nasunin , which helps protect against cancerous development, especially in brain and other parts of nervous system. it also has antiageing properties . eggplant skin is also rich in chlorogenic acid , it boasts antioxidant and anti inflammatory properties , and also promotes glucose intolerance. 

10.  Mango Peels - Mango skin contains resveratrol , which helps burn fat and inhibits the production of mature fat cells . mango flesh does not have this properties. it also contains compounds that fight off cancer ,diabetes and heart diseases. 
the skin of mango can be eaten raw or cooked along with the insides , or u can eat pickle of entire raw mango.

11. carrot Skin - carrot skin is of same color as whats directly beneath it, the peel and its flesh have similar nutritional properties . just rinse the carrot thoroughly rather than peeling it.

12. onion peels - the outside of onions skin contains quercetin . although that skin is not directly edible , you can extract out some nutrients by adding washed peels to stock.

13. peels of vegetables like bottle guard , ridge guard , bitter guard , pumpkin, radish etc are all very nutritive and should not be thrown away .