Why fruit, vegetable peels are good for you!

My mom insisted that both my sister and I eat our fruits with the peel - always. Ditto with vegetables. And whenever she cooked bottle gourd (lauki), a separate subzi of its skin, usually combined with sprouts or potatoes was also served alongside. Similarly, she never threw any bitter gourd peel; they were made into a spicy, tangy dry subzi too. Often while helping mom depod the peas, both my sister and I would chew the soft peels too along with raw peas. We were a peel eating family through and through.

So as soon as I could, I got on my son's case. Have been trying for years, but nothing seems to work on him. He continues to peel and eat - even apples! Though I never questioned my moms' reasoning ('have the peels as all of the vitamins are near the surface' she'd say), I decided to arm myself with some solid information before sitting down to talk with my son. Reason, I realised works with him. So be it.

More orangey!
It definitely applies to citrus fruits I found. Research done at Purdue University published way back in the Journal of Nutrition 1999 indicates that the monoterpenes in citrus fruit, which are the oils that give oranges and lemons their special smell, may help prevent skin, liver, lung and stomach cancers. But the catch is that these oils are found mostly in the peel. Plus a study done in 2004 and published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by US and Canadian researchers found that orange, tangerine peels could be better than drugs for lowering cholesterol. The compounds, called polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) found in these peels, researchers state have the potential to lower cholesterol more effectively than some prescription drugs, and without side effects. Apparently the white pulpy inner peels of the oranges contain herperidin (this compound is also present in the fruits' flesh but in smaller amount), an antioxidant that besides lowering cholesterol, also helps normalise blood pressure. Orange peels have pectin too, which is a natural appetite suppressant and also helps to normalise blood sugar.

How to eat them
Trouble though is that these studies yielded no clues on how to get used to the bitter taste of an orange or lemon peel. So here's what you can do - add tiny bits of peels to the juices as you churn the fruit in a blender; simply boil them in water and have as orange/lemon peel tea and it's great for insomnia too; dry and powder them and add on cakes and salads; or just chew them up bit by bit - the taste will grow on you. Plus your heart will thank you loads.

Apple of your eye
Apple's appeal too lies in its peel. We all know that apples pack a wallop of antioxidants (polyphenols), especially vitamin C for healthy skin and gums. But what is really important to know is that these polyphenols are five times more prevalent in the skin than the flesh of the apples. In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (May 8, 2007), researchers found that the apple peel may account for the lion's share of apple's anti-cancer and anti-disease properties. They analysed the chemical composition of apple peels and identified a group of phytochemicals that work against at least three different types of human cancer cells: breast, colon and liver.

How to eat them
Wash them well to wash off the insecticide sprays, but eat this doc's favourite fruit with the peel on. Or better still buy organic

Power of blue
Thankfully grapes and blueberries are not peeled and eaten-green but it's time to stop discarding the guava peels. These blue peels contain more anti-oxidants (such as anthocyanin pigments) than the pulp or flesh that can potentially fight cancer, aging, inflammation, and neurological diseases. In an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2010, a chemist from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wallace H. Yokoyama and his co-investigators reported that all the hamsters that were fed blueberry-enhanced rations (peels and juice byproducts) had from 22 to 27 per cent lower total plasma cholesterol than hamsters fed rations that didn't contain these. Well, if it's good for the hamsters' heart, then probably the same holds true for us too, reckon the researchers.

How to eat them
Chew into them whole, that way you won't be tempted to peel them.

Digested that? Here's more!
If you are feeling depressed, all you need to do is to peel a banana and eat it! Eat the peel, that is. And you thought that the peel was just fodder for cows and comic situations?

The scientists at Taichung's Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan claim that an extract of banana peel is not only an excellent remedy for depression, but also protects your retina - the bit of the eye that actually 'shows' you stuff. They found that banana peel is richer in serotonin (a hormone vital in balancing moods) than the fruit. Low levels of serotonin in the brain are believed to cause depression. Plus the peel also contains lutein, an antioxidant from the carotenoid family, which offers nutritional protection to the eyes and helps the retina cells to regenerate.

How to eat them
The researchers suggested you boil that peel and drink the water a few times a week during the evening.

Digest this too...
Everyone loves the pink flesh of a watermelon but how about its rind? Experts say that the white part of the rind (between the green and the pink) contains large amounts of citrulline, an amino acid, is rich in vitamin C, beta carotene, and lycopene and also contains smaller amounts of vitamin A, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, and even Zinc. May be that's why Russians wat it so often.

How to eat them
It obviously doesn't taste as good as the pink flesh, so maybe you can juice it along with watermelon flesh and add a little sugar. You can even blend it up with other fruits in a watermelon rind smoothie and consume a ton of nutrients in doing so (see box for a recipe idea). But please wash it very very thoroughly to get rid of bacteria, pesticides and dirt and have in small quantities - it is an unfamiliar food so might give you an upset tummy.

Similarly pomegranate rind has double the antioxidants as compared to the fruit but can't think of how it can be eaten. You could maybe dry it and add to subzis or drink as chai (like orange peel tea).

Vegetables aren't far behind
A popular restaurant in Goa - Souza Lobo, now with a branch in Delhi, has a best-selling dish that has people swarming there but surprisingly it is made of potato peels. I am sure there are other chefs experimenting with other peels elsewhere too. Coming to potato skin, it is loaded with vitamin C and B6, potassium, manganese and copper. So next time you make mashed potatoes, just scrub the potatoes really well and leave the peels on, ditto for stews and yes, even french fries.

Try and avoid peeling radish as it is rich in allyl-isothiocyanates (which gives a peppery pungent flavour to this root vegetable) and is an anti-oxidant. So, next time you make mooli parantha, wash it properly and simply grate along with the peel. Or have some unpeeled, washed radish with some rock salt.

Cucumber peels besides being very high in fibre are also a hidden source of beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A, which is fabulous for your eyes. In Andhra Pradesh, people make a tasty and healthy cucumber pickle with its peel (see recipe).

Need more reasons!1. Peel is a rich source of dietary fiber also known as NSP (non soluble polysaccharides) like hemi-cellulose, pectin and more. These compounds increase bulk of the food and helps prevent constipation, cut colon cancer risk and help lower serum LDL cholesterol levels
2. Peels universally are low in calories, sugar, and fats; and free from cholesterol
3. They add satiety and helps cut down overall food intake (read help in weight control)

Wash them rightSelect fruits that are fresh, organic and without surface cuts, blemishes and bruises. Wash the fruit thoroughly in running water to remove surface dust and soil. Place the fruit in a bowl of salt water for about 30 minutes and wash again in cold water. This way you make sure any surface insect eggs/larvae are removed. Gently pat dry using soft cloth.

Recipes to try
Watermelon rind chutney
Take only the white portion of the rind (separate the pink inner flesh, and also trim off the outer green skin) and cube into half inch pieces.
In a pan add in the rind cubes (3 cups), ½ cup sugar, ½ cup minced ginger, 1 tbsp green chilli, and garlic each, ½ cup vinegar, ½ cup water, 2-3 crushed black peppercorns, and ½ tsp salt.
Bring to boil over medium heat and let it simmer for 50 minutes.
Keep stirring to dissolve sugar.
Now let it cool, transfer into an airtight container and chill for a day to let the flavours settle.

Ash Gourd chutney
Peel the gourd and chop the peels fine.
Boil in a little water till soft and then grind with a little coconut, fried green chillies, lemon juice and ginger.

Orange Candy peels
Make the sugar syrup with 2 cups water and 1/2 cup sugar.
Bring to a boil and add orange rinds.
Boil for 30 minutes and remove from heat.
Place on wax paper and let them dry.

Andhra cucumber pickle
Cut the cucumber into two halves, de-seed the cucumber and cut it into small pieces (about 2 cups).
Mix 3 tbsp red chilli powder, 3 tbsp mustard powder and 1 ½ tbsp salt.
Take a wide vessel, add the above spice-mixture and the chopped pieces.
Mix well and slowly add 4 tbsp til or sesame oil and combine with the pieces till well coated.
Now put the cucumber pieces in a ceramic jar, cover with a tight lid and keep at a moisture-free dark area overnight. 

Next day, mix with a dry clean ladle

The Impact Zone Brief: "Hide and Seek" - Francis Walsh 04.05.12

Good morning. In the attached video you’ll notice right away that I have my months wrong. It seems I’m stuck in March. I thought about cutting a new one but said that the second take always leaves out the best news. Life is lived LIVE so I don’t think correcting the errors we make makes us any better. I want you to feel free to make a mistake and share it anyways. We’re in it together. When you look I should be easy to find. If I’m not, try again.

Space is consuming because it is so big no one man or woman could ever know everything there is to know about it. Something’s are always there yet still unexplained. I try to uncover what is missing and that is a good endeavor to have. Those things that we have available to learn from we should spend some of the time dealing with the most prevalent questions. The things that I run into on a regular basis are:

• The Powers that Be
• Weather
• Earthquakes
• Space
• Economy
• Aliens
• Numbers
• Science

The next thing I must recognize are the speakers because the person who speaks about these things has everything to do with what you will hear, good or bad. I suggest that the number one thing I run into these days is apparently competent people speaking in totally incompetent ways. If what they say is really what they feel, we’re in a whole heap of shit because these folks have no idea when to stop talking about something that really has no bearing on our happiness. That’s right; OUR happiness is at stake, not theirs.

I made the comparison to yesterday’s severe weather in northeast Texas. The storms arrived mid-day and because everyone was up and alert, there appears to have been minimal casualties though damage reported involves hundreds of structures that were inhabited when they were struck by the power of circulating wind. Here was bad news that was received quickly and processed to the best of human ability. The result was more people survived the storms than perished. No one had time to prepare but the weather the storm. There is something missing from the actual event and what we’re used to, “premature warning”.

I cannot tell you how little I listen to because you might get the feeling I’m not aware of the world around me. The activities that I involve myself in are all-consuming when I am doing them and fortunately for me I have more than I can do so I’m usually very busy keeping us informed about space. Space…… is a big place.

No bigger than the trouble down on Earth though. I could spend the rest of my life with my head in the vacuum located outside our atmosphere and some men and woman have. Devoted to learning what we may not know already or looking for an object we know nothing about. Those tasks are life-long efforts or they fill some space between this decade and the next. I must admit that I would like to hide sometimes. But honestly that feeling propels out to the front so that the message won’t be lost just because of me. I’m not the biggest or the brightest but when you stand me up next to a pure conspiracy artist I find there is no comparison. I don’t just cry about something going wrong in order to make my world feel right. I’d rather go to a mountain and scrape around for some gold than waste my time bemoaning life on Earth. “Woe is us, friend…. Woe is us.”

To each his or her own and so goes you and me. I think about the 120 people who receive this morning message when I hear back from the few of you who speak to me about these emails. I want to thank you for reading them and sharing your thoughts with me. You might find your thought coming out of my mouth but I know where the thought came from and I am thankful to have 120 brains thinking similarly. Your brain is my brain when you share your ideas and questions with me. You don’t have to take ownership of my brain because I know how hard that can be for even me. No worries.

I do worry about being fooled though and I get the feeling that there are many who are fooling themselves into thinking that someone else has all the answers. The answers are there for us if we want to find them. We can do it ourselves or we can let someone ‘behind the scenes’ do it for us. While I rely on some reporters some of the time I have not found many people who I would trust not to deliver some news that must be rediscovered before the truth comes out of the report. I still think it’s alright not to know an answer or say that the answer came from a source readily available to everyone. I choose not to think the world is out to get me but rather I should be out in the world trying to make it better. I see a lot of talking going on.

Today’s FIBER:

Wed April 4, 2012

There’s something that needs to get done today and you won’t be able to get to it until later than you said. Use this as a good reason to do a little more than was expected.

I have included a video on the Transit of Venus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spYZ8sZBTv0 which will be a big event occurring June 5th, 2012. There is also an eclipse occurring May 20th, 2012. There will be events that are available through ATW (http://www.astronomerswithoutborders.org) for both those events as well as all of April. This month is GAM (Global Astronomy Month) and the folks over at ATW have a full month of events. Check out their robotic telescope events and get involved. Another great LIVE celestial event site is http://events.slooh.com/ who broadcasts important live events on that page.

WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) images are to infrared astronomers what a treasure map would be to a pirate. Hidden within millions of pictures are the objects you hear about entering the solar system and destroying our way of life. Some scientists will spend a career looking at pictures taken by WISE and some men will never look even though their answers lie within.

Some WISE scientists are looking dwarf stars, comets, and asteroids while others are responsible for creating a map of the universe. Infrared wavelengths are invisible to the naked eye but become visible to an infrared telescope by the heat signature they produce. The recent release of the All-Sky data from WISE on March 14, 2012 represents the remaining images taken during the cryogenic, hydrogen cooled operation of the telescope.

WISE images will answer questions about our solar system that have been at the forefront of fringe astronomy. Any theory that attempts to answer every question with a potential object from space should have a voice to the contrary until some proof has been uncovered. Amateur research may find these images a fork in the road; they answer an original question or become the basis for more questions to be asked. The purpose of WISE was to map the universe by its heat and the mission was a complete success one and a half times over.

It was launched from Vanderberg Air Force Base on December 14, 2009 at 8:09:33AM local time. Its Delta rocket carried 1,650lbs of satellite into low Earth orbit which it traversed fifteen times a day. On board was a 15.75-inch infrared telescope capable of recording four different wavelengths. WISE was positioned over Earth’s terminator line and was always pointed away from the Sun. It took an image every eleven seconds overlooking the dark side of Earth except when the Moon traversed its field of view.

The telescope was built to run with and without its cryogenic coolant for a period of time using two out of the four infrared wavelength imagers when all the hydrogen had been used. NASA had a plan but did not immediately begin its program to operate the telescope once the hydrogen had been consumed until its planetary division undertook a search for NEO (near Earth object) and potentially hazardous asteroids (PHA). It was not until NEOWISE proposed and received funding to extend the mission four more months after cryogenic loss.

WISE and NEOWISE data are two different data sets and were compiled using different methods and for different reasons. Any research into WISE satellite images should begin by looking at the original mission and the original pictures released to the public from the cryogenic period of operation.

It’s important to know what WISE can see and what it cannot. The first thing to know is that it cannot see things in the Kuiper belt because they are too cold. The infrared cameras on WISE start to ‘see’ things when the objects they are looking at reach a temperature of 70-100 Kelvin; a Kelvin is 1.8 degrees. The next thing to know is about size. WISE could see a Jupiter-sized object as far out as a light year and an object the size of Neptune as far as 700 AU away. Now that we know what we can see, let’s try to discover how to look for them ourselves given a particular area of space. Our part of space is located near Regulus and will include a stop at CW Leonis to get our bearings before heading out.

"With the release of the all-sky catalog and atlas, WISE joins the pantheon of great sky surveys that have led to many remarkable discoveries about the universe," said Roc Cutri, who leads the WISE data processing and archiving effort at the Infrared and Processing Analysis Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "It will be exciting and rewarding to see the innovative ways the science and educational communities will use WISE in their studies now that they have the data at their fingertips."



Here is your link to the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive:
http://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu/applications/wise/#id=Hydra_wise_wise_1&projectId=wise&startIdx=0&pageSize=0&shortDesc=Position&isBookmarkAble=true&isDrillDownRoot=true

The dashboard for the WISE allows you to access the images.

Example: (enter any one of the following names or coordinates to see the same object):
Messier 81, m81, NGC 3031, n3031, UGC 05318, or
09h55m33.1730s +69d03m55.061s
09 55 33.1730 69 03 55.061
147.8637519 69.3022964 equ b1950
148.8882208 69.0652947 equ j2000
142.0918406 40.9001409 gal





“This publication makes use of data products from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, which is a joint project of the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory/California Institute of Technology, funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.”

Whitney Clavin, whitney.b.clavin@jpl.nasa.gov. You can also contact the JPL Media Relations office at 818-354-5011.


I think that’s it!


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Here’s a video just for you, from me.

http://youtu.be/Q1WWrcjzQy8


Francis Walsh