To Peel Or Not To Peel

Most old adages are grounded in truth. Take the one about “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, which touts the health benefits of apples. You would be hard pressed to find anybody that argues apples aren’t nutritious. In literature, apples are often referred to as a favored fruit of the Gods. Apple eaters do fall into two distinct categories though, those that are peel eaters, and those that are not. Because my son wouldn’t eat the peel when he was little, my Mom would slice off the peel, eat it, and give the fruit of the apple to him. Should you peel an apple before you eat it? That’s a personal choice really, but when you peel an apple you miss out on some very important phytochemicals, many of which are antioxidants offering beneficial health effects. Studies show that most of the phytochemicals found in apples are concentrated in the apple’s peel. Then of course there’s the loss of heart healthy fiber when an apple is peeled. The soluble fiber found in apple peel has been shown to lower levels of the bad form of cholesterol that can clogs arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. Still it is your choice. Thankfully, my son now eats his apples, peel and all.