We all have grown up having salads with peeled carrots and cucumbers. Not only salad, we mostly prefer peeled vegetables for all our cooked and uncooked preparations, as we feel they are much cleaner and healthier to consume. But do you know that throwing away fruit and vegetable peels could mean you are losing essential nutrients?

In our day-to-day life, peels are often discarded to save us from the harmful effects of pesticides. However, taking off the peels may indicate removing one of the most nutrient-rich parts of plants. It is interesting to note that apple peels contain soluble fiber that helps to reduce cholesterol and maintain our blood sugar levels. While coconuts and pineapples need to be peeled for obvious reasons, you can skip peeling fruits and vegetables like potatoes, eggplant, pear, plum, and apple.

Here are some reasons that will definitely convince you to practice #NoPeelNovember this year:

Fruits and vegetable peels packed with essential nutrients: Unpeeled fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of fiber, minerals, vitamins, and other beneficial plant compounds as compared to peeled produce. Aditi Sinha, a mother of a week-old baby girl, said, “During my pregnancy, my doctor also suggested that eating fruits and vegetables unpeeled can significantly increase nutrient intake in the body. However, one must thoroughly clean unpeeled fruits and vegetables to avoid the risk of pesticide poisoning. For best results, I use ITC Nimwash. Nimwash is a 100 percent natural-action vegetable and fruit wash that removes pesticides and 99.9% germs with its natural cleansing properties. Being powered by neem, the solution is safe for consumption for both me and my baby.”

Peels can help combat diseases: Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, which are known to reduce the risks of heart diseases, neurological disorders, and certain types of cancer. Interestingly, antioxidant levels are higher in fruit and vegetable skins than in their pulps. Thus, to maximize your intake of antioxidants from fruit and vegetables, make sure you eat them unpeeled.

They help you feel fuller for a long time: Fruits and vegetable peels have high fiber content, which can help reduce hunger. Fiber acts as food for the friendly bacteria living in your gut. When these bacteria feed on fiber, which ultimately helps you feel full for longer hours.

So, this month let’s take a pledge for #NoPeelNovember and consume fruits and vegetables that have been made safer for us!