Throwing Out the Health Food Baby With the Bathwater

Whole Fresh Fruits - the valuable pectin fibre is found in the skin and pulp. Figs, prunes and raspberries have the highest fibre content.

Quercetin is a powerful anti-oxidant found in apple skins

Ounce for ounce, you'll usually get more antioxidants in the wild blueberries as their small size means you're getting more skin per ounce and, of course, the skin is where the health-promoting goodies are.

Since many nutrients are in the skin, don't peel before using.

The beta-carotene present in the skin is a natural protector for the common skin cancer, melanoma. Also, the slight yellowing of the skin can make a tan look deeper.

Commercial varieties remove the best part but if you make your own, there is nothing to prevent you stirring pulp back into the juice. Juicing breaks open plant cells so as to make the nutrients available, as long as you don't throw away the best part

Resveratrol is synthesized by plants in response to stress like lack of nutrients and fungal infection. It exists in the skin of both red and white grapes.

Scrub instead of peel to retain the most nutrients in the fragile skin.

The yellow part of the skin (zest) of lemons has most of the limonoids in the fruit. Nectarines

Much of the fibre in fruit is in the skin of nectarines. To get the full benefit of fibre, wash the fruit well and then eat the whole fruit - with the skin.

Healthy phytochemicals include terpenoids found in the skin of citrus fruits, and limonoids in the outer skin (zest) of lemons and oranges (inhibit tumor growth).

Much of the full, deep flavor and nutrients in peaches are found in the skin.

Most of the vitamin C in pears is concentrated in the skin, as is some of the fibre, so peeled, canned pears are less nutritious than fresh.

Persimmons have very high concentrations of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the skin. 'Fuyu' peel, for example, has more than four times the already excellent amount in the flesh.

Plums have only moderate amounts of soluble gums and pectins in the flesh, as well as small amounts of cellulose and the non-carbohydrate food fibre lignin in the skin.

The greatest concentration of antioxidants in the potato was in the skin, Howard noted. Preliminary studies by Miller and Howard point to patatin, the major water-soluble protein in potatoes, as being the possible source of the antioxidant activity.

Tomatoes contain significant amounts a number of different antioxidants, including: lycopene (a carotenoid), phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). As these antioxidants are found mostly in the skin it is important to eat the skin as well as the flesh of the skin.

Most of the goodness is in the brown stuff that is removed.

The best part is removed, so use wheat berries (bulgur)

Wheat Berries (Winter and Spring) Wheat berries are whole kernels of wheat, including the outer bran coating and the wheat germ. They can be cooked for use in casseroles and soups or as a nutritious nutty-tasting side dish. They can also be sprouted for use in salads and breads.

Some of these skins have a strong flavour which you may find unpleasant. The answer is to blend with something more pleasant. Orange zest for example tastes great if you blend it with the rest of the orange. If it is still not sweet enough for your liking, add a handful of raisins (the seeds and skins are good for you) or a banana.

Non-organically grown apples and soft fruits are heavily sprayed. If organic alternatives are not available you are better off peeling them even though vital nutrients in the skin will be lost.

Apple cores concentrate agricultural poisons so don't use them if not organically (without agricultural chemicals) grown.

If you can't buy organic produce you can buy special surfactants intended for washing your fruit and vegetables. Most of the chemicals don't wash off in plain hot water.