Apples are one of the most popular fruits in the world for many reasons. Besides being delicious and a wonderfully versatile ingredient, they are among the top three most produced fresh fruits globally. [1] And despite being a seasonal fruit, apples are available all year round because they’re easy to store and transport. [2] This makes them much easier to include in your daily diet than most other fruits.
Another thing that apples have going for them is the wide variety of essential nutrients and potent phytonutrients they contain. [3] These compounds are what make apples a bona fide superfood and are the main reasons why eating an apple a day can really keep the doctor away. However, unlike oranges and bananas, if you want to get the most out of the apples you eat, you’ll have to eat them with their skin on because that’s where most of the nutrients you want are concentrated.
Everything that’s good about apple peel
Eating fresh, organic apples (with their skin on) as part of a healthy diet is linked to many health benefits. Not only does it have a positive influence on your physical health, but according to New Zealand researchers, eating 7 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables every day is also great for your emotional well-being. [4]
Thanks to the impressive nutrient profile of apples, it’s not hard to believe that they can have a great impact on your overall health. According to data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one medium-sized (182 grams, g) raw apple’s peel can give you the following nutrients: [5]
- Dietary fiber, 17% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin A, 2% of the DV
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin), 2% of the DV
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), 3% of the DV
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 4% of the DV
- Vitamin C, 14% of the DV
- Vitamin E, 2% of the DV
- Vitamin K, 5% of the DV
- Magnesium, 2% of the DV
- Phosphorus, 2% of the DV
- Potassium, 6% of the DV
- Copper, 2% of the DV
- Manganese, 3% of the DV
Among these nutrients, the amounts of vitamin C and fiber in apples stand out the most. Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential nutrient and a powerful antioxidant that resides in the skin and flesh of apples. Although it is widely reported that vitamin C is predominantly found in the flesh, a study published in the International Journal of Food Properties suggests that this depends on the apple variety. [6] [7]
Vitamin C is important for the health of your skin and immune system. [8] Your body needs vitamin C to produce collagen, a structural protein that gives your skin strength and elasticity. [9] As an antioxidant, vitamin C also helps protect your skin from harmful free radicals, which are known to accelerate skin aging. [10] By helping you maintain optimal vitamin C levels, apple peel can support healthy, glowing skin.
The protective effects of vitamin C on your skin also benefits your immune system. After all, your skin plays host to a variety of immune cells, which serve as your body’s first line of defense. [11][12] Additionally, as reported by a study published in the journal Nutrients, vitamin C plays a crucial role in your body’s natural defenses as it supports the healthy functions of various immune cells. [13]
A significant amount of apple’s fiber content can be found in its peel. Apple peel contains two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. Both types of fiber are linked to many of apple’s reported health benefits. Pectin and lignin are the major sources of soluble fiber in apples while cellulose and hemicellulose comprise most of the insoluble fiber. [14] You can get high amounts of insoluble fiber (70%) from apple peel and soluble fiber from the fruit’s juicy flesh. [15]
According to a study published in the journal Nutrients, soluble fiber offers considerable heart benefits. Instead of being broken down by digestive enzymes, soluble fiber is instead fermented by good bacteria in the colon. [16] This process results in the production of short-chain fatty acids, which can support healthy blood cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range. [17] What’s more, studies show that SCFAs can also support a healthy digestive system by helping maintain intestinal barrier integrity and optimal mucus production. [18]
Another way soluble fiber benefits your heart is by supporting the healthy functions of your blood vessels. Soluble fiber is also called viscous fiber because it forms a thick, gel-like substance when it absorbs water. This viscous material can entrap dietary fat and cholesterol and carry them through your digestive tract, thus facilitating their elimination through your waste. [19][20] This action supports a healthy cardiovascular system.
Viscous fiber can also have a beneficial effect on your appetite. According to a study published in the journal Foods, soluble fiber can slow gastric emptying, or the movement of food to your small intestine. [21] This has the effect of making you feel full for longer, which can help reduce your food intake throughout the day. A study published in the journal Nutrition Bulletin also reveals that the higher the fiber’s viscosity, the greater its effect on your satiety. [22] Because apple peel is a good source of pectin, a viscous fiber, consuming apple peel can help you achieve sensible weight management goals when combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
While soluble fiber supports your heart health, insoluble fiber does wonders for your digestive system. As its name suggests, insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water, but it can attract water into your stools to soften them up. [23][24] Insoluble fiber also helps move food through your digestive tract, which is great for your digestion. By supporting bowel regularity and easing digestion, the insoluble fiber in apple peel can help keep your digestive system healthy.
To maximize the digestive benefits of apple peel, make sure that it’s from organic apples. Research from Austria has found that besides being free of harmful chemical pesticides, organic apples also host a more diverse range of beneficial microbes, or probiotics, than conventionally grown apples. [25] Like the good bacteria in your gut, probiotics are capable of producing SCFAs, which can support a healthy digestive system. Compared to organic apples, the study found that conventionally grown apples have considerably fewer probiotic bacteria and even harbor potential foodborne pathogens.
When it comes to phytonutrients, chemical analysis reveals that apple peel is a veritable source of potent antioxidants. In fact, according to a study published in the Nutrition Journal, apple peel contains up to six times more antioxidant polyphenols than apple flesh. [26] This is why the antioxidant activity of one serving of apple peel (100 g) is equivalent to 1,500 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C despite containing only 5.7 mg of the antioxidant vitamin. The apple peel polyphenols responsible for this antioxidant activity are procyanidins, catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, phloridzin and quercetin.
Apple peel antioxidants offer additional support for your heart and joints. According to studies, free radicals tend to oxidize lipids, forming highly reactive products that can harm healthy cells. When the cells lining the inside of your blood vessels suffer this type of damage, it triggers a cascade of reactions that eventually disrupts the flow of blood to your heart. [27][28] Apple peel antioxidants can help support a healthy heart by neutralizing harmful free radicals and protecting blood vessels from the disruptive effects of lipid oxidation.
In a similar way, the antioxidant polyphenols in apple peel can help you maintain healthy joint function and mobility. According to a study published in the journal Orthopedic Reviews, free radicals can cause significant damage to your cartilage and synovium. [29] Cartilage is the flexible tissue that cushions the ends of your bones and allows them to move with ease. Synovium, on the other hand, is the membrane that surrounds your joints and helps keep your cartilage healthy. [30] By protecting your cartilage and synovium from free radical damage, apple peel polyphenols can support healthy joint function and mobility.
To recap, here are the 7 amazing health benefits of organic apple peel:*
- Provides an abundance of powerful antioxidants
- Supports healthy joint function and mobility
- Supports healthy heart function
- Supports healthy digestive function
- Supports healthy immune function
- Supports healthy, glowing skin
- Supports sensible weight management plans
