Whether you are raw vegetables, fruit salads or cheating a fruit for dessert, the question can arise: should we peel our seasonal foods or keep the skin for more benefits?
Fruit skin: an underestimated nutrient concentrate
The skin of fruits and vegetables is in fact full of often ignored benefits. Do you doubt it? Note, for example, that the apple skin contains about twice as much fiber as its flesh, as well as a high concentration of phenolic compounds, powerful natural antioxidants. The latter help protect our cells from oxidative stress caused by pollution, UV rays or tobacco smoke, factors related to cell aging and chronic diseases such as cancers, type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
This phenomenon is not exclusive to apple: the skin of pears, grapes and citrus also contains vitamin C, essential oils and antimicrobial properties. On the vegetable side, the skin of the potatoes, carrots, cucumbers and eggplant contains fibers, potassium, polyphenols, even specific antioxidants such as eggplant nasaline, which protects cellular membranes. So why do we strive to remove this skin?
The back of the medal: pesticides on the skin
The fault of pesticides of course! Because if we used to peel the fruits and vegetables, it is mainly to avoid the ingestion of pesticide residues, present on the surface of many conventional fruits and vegetables. Although European standards limit these residues, some studies show their persistence even after washing.
According to Alexandra Murcier, nutritionist and member of our expert committee: “We advise to systematically avoid consuming the skin of non -organic fruits, and therefore peeling them. For organic fruits, even if they are less exposed, it is important to wash them well to eliminate any potentially harmful trace linked to transport or contact with animals.”
Solutions exist to reduce the pesticide load without removing the skin: washing with running water, suitable brushing, or soaking in a mixture of water and bicarbonate or vinegar can eliminate up to 80-90 % of residues. But is it very effective and practical?
Peel or not to peel, what is the right reflex?
But then what to do? The nutritionist underlines several facts to make your decision:
- The skin often contains more fibers, essential for lowering the glycemic index of fruit, trapping food cholesterol and helping to normalize the bloodsterol level. “”But if some fruits have more vitamins in the skinthis is not a general rule “ she said;
- Pesticide risk is real especially for non -organic fruits, which justifies peeling in this case.
According to Alexandra Murcier, it is therefore possible to keep the skin .. on a condition.
“We can favor consumption with skin for” organic “fruits, well washed, especially grapes (beware of contamination), kiwi whose skin is rich in fiber and edible, and apple whose polyphenols are more concentrated in the skin.”
Rather than systematically peeling, it is a question of adopting a reflected approach according to the origin, the mode of production, the fruit or vegetable concerned, and the means available to clean it.
Some exceptions to know
Some skins are not, however, edible, and can even be toxic. This is particularly the case with the skin of green potatoes, which contains solanine, a toxin that can cause nausea, headache and other serious symptoms. It is therefore necessary to peel them, even avoid their consumption.
Finally, washing its fruits and vegetables well, whether organic or not, remains an essential reflex to make the most of their benefits while minimizing the risks.