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Eating leftover fruits and vegetables, such as peelings and stems, can benefit the body and provide fiber that most people don't get, British researchers have found.
(This is a translation of a BBC correspondent's material. The original in English can be read here).
These parts of plants are often unfairly ignored, although they are rich in dietary fiber. Scientists urge using whole foods from root to top, including watermelon rinds, pineapple cores or butternut squash seeds.
Fiber aids digestion, helps keep you full longer, and reduces the risk of heart disease and bowel cancer. Despite this, most adults do not consume enough of it. According to official data, only 4% of people get the recommended 30 grams per day.
With stems, seeds and peel
Typically, the skins of fruits and vegetables contain more fiber than their flesh.
For example, if you eat a kiwi with its peel, you can get 50% more fiber than if you eat it peeled.
In their study, scientists from King's College London analyzed 12 types of fresh produce: beets, bell peppers, broccoli, butternut squash, cauliflower, celery root, kale, fennel, kiwi, leeks, pineapple and watermelon.
They found that many plant parts that are usually thrown away contain more fiber than what we are used to eating.
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Fiber is essential for normal bowel function and helps prevent constipation.
Project leader Dr. Rachel Gibson noted that the results indicate that people are throwing away a significant amount of fiber.
“It’s not just a loss of nutrients, but also a financial loss—essentially, you’re throwing away a significant portion of what you already paid for.”
Banana peel curry?
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An experiment was conducted in the canteen of King's College London: staff and students were offered dishes made from all edible parts of plants - from roots to tops - for example, banana peel curry.
Researchers recommend trying using kiwi peel, broccoli stems (for example, when stir-frying vegetables) or bell pepper seeds in home cooking.
Although heat treatment can change the fiber content, it usually does not destroy it completely. The nutrients are best retained by steaming, microwaving or quickly frying.
Gibson emphasizes that this is not about forcing people to eat bad food.
“The point is to see the nutritional value in parts of plants that we tend to throw away,” she says.
She admits the idea of trying such food may be daunting for some.
During the experiment in the student canteen, some were also afraid to eat it.
Yet within nine weeks, root-to-top meals accounted for a third of the university cafeteria's total hot food sales.
At the same time, those who chose new dishes were less likely to finish their portions compared to visitors who ordered food from the regular menu.
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Kirsten Jackson, a nutritionist with the British Dietetic Association who specializes in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), says that such foods are quite healthy - as long as the food is washed thoroughly.
She suggests using pineapple cores to make smoothies, but advises against using the hard peel.
Some plant stems may need to be cooked or finely chopped to make them more palatable, she said.
“Just because a stalk of broccoli doesn’t fit into today’s dinner doesn’t mean it should be thrown away. Chop it up, freeze it, and add it another time to a soup or stir-fry dish,” she says.
Jackson advises increasing your fiber intake gradually to avoid bloating. With irritable bowel syndrome, this amount of fiber may be more difficult to tolerate.
And some parts of plants are not worth eating at all, warns the British Nutrition Foundation. Green potatoes and rhubarb leaves contain toxic substances, and stems or seeds that are too tough may not be suitable for young children.
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