Eat the peel? Antioxidant Power of Peels and Seeds
A Vegan Health Article from All-Creatures.org

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From Michael Greger, MD
http://www.DrGreger.org

More and more diseases--Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease--are being linked to what's called "oxidant stress" in the body, which is the tissue damage wreaked by free radicals in our diet and environment. To prevent these diseases we rely on the superheroes and heroines of the body, the antioxidants found predominantly in whole plant foods like fruits. Most studies measuring the antioxidant power in fruits, though, has only studied the pulp of the fruit. In the most comprehensive study of it's kind ever published, a recent study out of China measured the antioxidant power of the pulp, peel and seed fractions of 28 different fruits,.[1]

Researchers found that with a few exceptions, the peel and seeds of fruit has more antioxidants than the pulp. So for example, the peel of kiwi fruits, for example, has about three times the antioxidants than the inside of the fruit and the peel of fruits like pomegranates have almost 30 times the antioxidant punch. Grape seeds have a hundred times more antioxidant power than the pulp! So grapes with seeds are healthier than seedless, but only of course if one actually chews the seeds up.

If you do choose to not to peel nutrition off your fruit, it's particularly important to wash them under running water and to buy organic.

References:

1 Nutrition Research 23(2003):1719.

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We began this archive as a means of assisting our visitors in answering many of their health and diet questions, and in encouraging them to take a pro-active part in their own health. We believe the articles and information contained herein are true, but are not presenting them as advice. We, personally, have found that a whole food vegan diet has helped our own health, and simply wish to share with others the things we have found. Each of us must make our own decisions, for it's our own body. If you have a health problem, see your own physician.