7 Fruits & Vegetables You Should Never Peel For The Sake Of Your Gut Health

You're cooking dinner and are just about to reach for the potatoes. Do you grab a peeler too? What if I told you that this is a nutritional blunder of epic proportions, and you're basically throwing the most valuable part of your produce into the bin?

There are many peels that you can eat, but there are some that you cannot. The skin of an avocado, mango, and cantaloupe, for example, is inedible. Here's a bit of guidance on the produce peels that are high in fiber and how to use them:

The same rules apply to sweet potatoes, except these are even easier because they tend to be less dirty on the surface.

If you're new to this, I suggest running water over the skin first to reduce its furry texture. Make sure you remove the rough ends. They are technically edible, but even I wouldn't go that far in the quest for fiber. 

Around 45% of an apple's fiber is found in the skin. Apple skins are also high in pectin, which is great for gut health3. Give them a good rinse under water and polish them with a cloth to remove any outer waxiness. Then chop, bite, or consume however you like. You can even leave the peels on for apple pie!

The stems of broccoli are higher in fiber than the florets, but these are often thrown away too. To preserve them, cut any brown bits off the ends of your broccoli, chop up the stems, and use them as you do your florets. They're tasty in a stir-fry or bake, and using them up can save you a fair bit of food waste.

The skin of all types of pumpkins is edible, but some may realistically be too tough to eat. The best way to consume the skin is to roast it or barbecue it. If your recipe needs peeled pumpkin (pumpkin pie anyone?), then you can save the peels and roast them in the oven with a little olive oil and sea salt until brown and crispy. 

Please stop peeling your carrots. Yes, the peels can be slightly bitter, but you're throwing away fiber plus a heap of important nutrients4. Just give them a rinse under water, cut off any surface blemishes, and you're good to eat them either raw or cooked. 

If you've ever juiced a cucumber, you know that the only part that comes out is the green skin. Nearly the entire inside is water. The fiber and beneficial compounds like chlorophyll all collect in the skin, so don't toss it. If your cucumber has seeds, try to include them too. They are another source of fiber that often gets thrown away. 

The next time you're cooking dinner, keep these peels on and enjoy the extra hit of fiber. By giving your produce the dignity of keeping its skin, you'll do your gut (not to mention, the planet) a favor.