Never throw away your peels when it comes to vegtables, warns a mum. In a video she urged people to instead keep them as they can surprisingly provide a number of benefits when it comes to your health and diet.
Taking to TikTok, Elle aka @elle_kvl, who has a motherhood and lifestyle account, said people should never throw their onion and garlic peels in the bin.
In the video, the mum washes the peels and pops them into a cake tin and bakes them in the oven. She then blends the skins to create a fine powder which she can cook with. In her caption she explains: “Did you know that onion and garlic peels are a rich source of fibre, antioxidants, and flavonoids and can even help to support your immune system.”
As well as this, the outer skins of onion and garlic provide an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E. Many people were not convinced in the comments though, with one asking if it had flavour. In response Elle said: “Yes! I use it for seasoning and flavoring on almost everything! And there’s a ton of flavor in the papery outer layers of onions, and same for garlic.”
Her advice comes as others also stress that peels have great health benefits. NHS surgeon Dr Karan Raj told his 5.3 million TikTok followers recently: “When eating an orange, don’t discard the orange peel. You probably don’t want to eat these directly but you can use the zest for extra nutrition.”
Orange peels are packed with nutrients, he said, stating: “The orange peel itself is rich in a soluble dietary fibre called pectin. The peels contain high levels of Vitamin C – sometimes as much as, if not more, the flesh of the fruit itself.” Dr Raj also noted the health benefits of the peels: “The peel contains carotenoids and polyphenols which are anti-inflammatory compounds. For example, you can have it as a topping on ice creams or even with cakes or yoghurt.”
A 2023 study also disclosed that peels have greater amounts of phenolic compounds. They also possess strong quantities of vitamin C, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity than the seeds and pulp of each citrus variety, the Mirror reports.
Dr Raj also warned people to keep seeds from butternut squashes and pumpkins. He said they were “a great source of plant-based protein”. And he even had some cookery tips, saying that people could roast the seeds and toss them into soups and salads.