There are two reasons you need to stop peeling your veggies. The first reason is that it is a disservice to your health. The second reason and the most important reason is that it makes a big difference in the amount of food wasted each year.
Appreciate the Natural Beauty of Veggies
Not peeling your veggies is one step closer to appreciating and using vegetables in their natural state. Peeling them is a cosmetic tool that we use to make veggies look more appealing, even though the most colorful and attractive part of the vegetable is often the peel itself. You could say that leaving the peel on will make your dishes more vibrant and colorful, and therefore, more aesthetically pleasing.
The Peel is Full of Vitamins and Nutrients
When you peel a vegetable you are denying yourself of essential vitamins, minerals, and fibers. You are essentially throwing out the best part of the vegetable by peeling them. You are also limiting the nutritional value of your home cooking. The only time you do want to peel your veggies is if the peel is too thick and tough, like turnips.
Washing Veggies with Peel
Depending on the texture of the peel, you’ll need to wash a bit more thoroughly. But, you won’t have to scrub for any longer than it would take you to peel. Soaking the veggies will help loosen the dirt so you can get it off easily.
Adds Texture, not Flavor
Some think that adding the peel will alter the taste of your dish. The peel has very little impact on the flavor of the dish. Leaving the peel on may add a bit of texture, but it’s good for your teeth to have something rough to bite into and chew.
Reduce Food Waste
In the US, we throw away up to 40% of our food each year. Most of household food waste is due to poor planning, buying too much food, cooking too much food at a time, and not utilizing every part of the food we buy. Leaving the peel on the veggies will make a big difference in the amount of wasted food that ends up in landfills. Reduce food waste by using every part of the vegetables, and getting creative with leftover food recipes.
Sunrise Sanitation provides waste management services to counties in West Virginia and Maryland. We provide curbside pick up services for your home, business, and job-site. We also have 24/7 recycling drop off centers, and other services to help you manage your waste.
