Nutrition facts and health benefits of fruit peel

Fruit peel in general is peeled off or scraped in majority of fruits even when it is edible. Nevertheless the peel is being recognized as one of the essential component of our diet as it contains many vital nutrients and non-nutrient compounds which play important role in wellbeing.

In-fact peel of some of fruits like blueberries, grapes, guava, and kumquat contain more anti-oxidants such as anthocyanin pigments, tannins, catechins…etc than in the pulp or flesh. Blue or purple color fruit peels are rich in anthocyanidin glycosides while yellow color fruits have xanthin, carotenes and lutein pigments. Major component of these pigments are present just underneath the skin.

Peel is rich source of dietary fiber also known as NSP (non soluble polysaccharides) like hemi-cellulose, pectin, tannins, gum…etc. These compounds increase bulk of the food and helps prevent constipation by reducing gastro-intestinal transit time. They also bind to toxins in the food which helps to protect the mucus membrane of gut and thus cuts colon cancer risk. Furthermore, dietary fibers bind to bile salts (produced from cholesterol) and decrease their re-absorption, thus help lower serum LDL cholesterol levels.

Peel is low in calories, sugar, and fats; and is from cholesterol. It adds to the bulk of the food and helps cut down overall food intake.

Nevertheless, the peel of some fruits contains considerable amounts of mineral and vitamins, especially in guava and citrus fruits. Certain fruits peel like in orange contains more vitamin C (ascorbic acid) than its juice. The peel provides 136 mg per 100 g of vitamin C whereas the same in its pulp is just about 71 mg. Likewise the peel is rich source of vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, minerals such as calcium, selenium, manganese, zinc...etc several fold more than its pulp. Please read the orange peel USDA nutrition data table below for example.

Recent scientific trial studies suggest that certain compounds in passion fruit peel has bronchodilator effect and can help relieve bronchospasm in asthma patients. A trial study conducted by Watson RR and his collegues at Tuscon University AZ, suggests that oral administration of the purple passion fruit peel extract reduces wheeze and cough and improves shortness of breath in adults with asthma. (Related link-Pubmed.gov)