A lot of young Americans have be so inquisitive and one of the questions they frequently asked is ” Can you eat peach skin?”.The answer is yes. This is because peach skin contains a lot of nutrients ranging from fatty acids to various forms of vitamins. Peach skin also contains an antioxidant which is very good and useful for the skin. Peaches are delicious fruit packed with a lot of nutrients and while some people enjoy eating them raw, others enjoy them cooked or baked.
Some people also enjoy eating them with their skin on, others would rather not, and you would wonder if any possible health damages could be done when you eat the skin of peaches.
In this article, we review the possible benefits and downsides of eating peaches with their skin on.
CAN YOU EAT PEACH SKIN?
You are probably used to peeling off some fruits such as bananas and pineapple before eating them, so maybe you think eating peaches with their skin on might be awkward and maybe even unsanitary.
But there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating peaches with their skin on once you have washed them properly.
This is similar to the question ” Can you eat salmon skin?” You don’t find nutrients only in the flesh of peaches. The skin is also full of vitamin A, antioxidants, and fiber. So the answer is yes, you can eat peach skin.
BENEFITS OF EATING PEACHES WITH THEIR SKIN
Researching on the topic “Can you eat peach skin?”, we discover that peaches are good source of vitamin C, niacin, vitamin E, vitamin K and minerals such as potassium, copper, and manganese. But what benefits are there from eating peaches with their skin on? Let’s look at list of things you stand to benefits from eating peach skin:
(1) They provide antioxidants that help you fight free radicals that cause oxidative damage and can lead to disease.
(2) Peach skin contains about 3g of fiber found in the peach as a whole, and fiber helps to promote bowel movements and prevents constipation. It is even said to reduce the risk of having heart disease.
(3) Studies have shown that peach skin contains a significant amount of antioxidant compounds like polyphenols, caffeic acid, and cholinergic acid which can help fight against oxidative damage to the liver, kidney, and brain.
(4)The phenolic and carotenoid compound present in the peach skin makes it a potent anti-cancer fruit. That is, it lowers your risk of having cancers like lung cancer and breast cancer.
Peach skin is not toxic but generally helps to improve health. More research is carried out to find out more about its benefits.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF PEACHES
Peaches are very nutritious fruits, filled with vitamins and minerals. The nutritional profile below is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). One small peach provides:
Calories: 51g, Fat: 1.9g, Sodium : 0mg, Carbohydrate: 12.4g, Fiber: 1.9g, Sugar: 10.9g, Protein: 1.2g and vitamin A: 20.8mcg
WHAT TO DO WITH PEACH SKIN
Regardless of the benefits you now know you can get when you eat peaches with their skin on, you probably still can’t eat your peaches like that, but you are interested in obtaining those healthy benefits. Well, let me informed you of other ways you can put the skin of your peaches to good use instead of just discarding it.
(1) You could make a jam out of the peels of your peach.
(2) You could make a delicious peach syrup too, which you could use for toppings over your waffles or pancakes and even ice cream.
(3) You could boil it and you will have a delicious peach tea.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE DOWNSIDES TO EATING PEACH SKIN?
When you see a fruit that looks fuzzy, your first instinct is usually to not eat the skin because it may be contaminated orbecause of the presence of pesticides. This is one of the downsides of eating peach skin.
The skins of fruits and vegetables in most cases ate treated with chemicals and have a higher concentration of pesticides than their flesh, and this causes a major concern about the effect of pesticides on health.
Research has shown that the consumption of peach skin exposed to pesticides may over time lead to the development of certain diseases and cancers. However, the effect of pesticides on humans could depend on the type of pesticide and how exposed you were.
Nevertheless, if this is your major concern, it can be averted if you ensure to wash your peaches properly with water before consuming them. Another downside of eating the skin of peaches is that it can cause digestive discomfort for those with moderate to severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or other digestive issues. For these people, the dietary recommendation is to avoid eating unpeeled and most raw fruits.
CAN PREGNANT WOMEN EAT PEACH?
According to traditional Chinese medicine, peaches are considered “hot” or “warm” foods and so should not be eaten during pregnancy. However, consuming peaches while pregnant can be very beneficial to both you and your unborn child as it is a safe way to increase your iron, zinc, vitamin A and C supply and even add a little protein and a few healthy calories to your meal.
Your digestive system can be more sensitive than usual when you are pregnant, so the best thing to do would be to talk with your doctor or a nutritional advisor about what’s best for you.
CONCLUSION
In this post, we have consider the topic ” Can you eat peach skin?” in different interesting and research sub-headings. Eating peach skin is not toxic to humans, but if you are concerned about it being contaminated, probably from pesticides, you could wash it thoroughly and properly with water before consumption.
But you must know, the skin of peaches contain antioxidants that can help you fight off certain disease and lower your risk of suffering cancer. It also contains fibre and vitamins.
And if you find eating peaches with their skin on awkward, there are other ways you could prepare the skin, like boiling it for tea, so you can get the complete nutrient from your peaches. Hope this article ” Can you eat peach skin?” have answered your questions.