The co-founder of ZOE said he has a “sneaky tip” people need to know about
Professor Tim Spector has shared some much-needed advice to people to eat ‘superfoods’. “Contrary to popular belief, there’s no set criteria for a superfood.
“It’s just a word for a food or drink that’s considered by some to be highly nutritious”, Holland & Barrett explain. Speaking about food that boasts numerous health benefits, Tim Spector, an epidemiologist and founder of Zoe Health, shared a “sneaky tip” to make these superfoods even healthier.
In his Channel 4 series, titled What Not to Eat, he shared the tip that’s not only free to do, but it requires no extra steps. He explained: “Whole foods are filling, nutritious and delicious. And I’ve got a sneaky tip to make them even better for you. To peel or not to peel. That is the question.”
Answering his own question, he continued: “For me, it is generally to avoid peeling. This is for two reasons.
“The first is polyphenols, because most of these defence chemicals that plants produce are really good for us – and they’re in the skin. What they do is they help our microbes to proliferate, which boosts our immunity and helps us in all kinds of ways.”
Using foods like apples, potatoes, and kiwis as examples, all of which are highly beneficial, he highlighted that keeping the skin intact can deliver surprising health advantages and may even help reduce the risk of various illnesses.
The professor noted: “An apple is something that most people bite into, and some people do peel, but they would be losing out on large amounts of the nutrients. Up to almost 30 times more of these defence chemicals are in the skin than they are in the flesh.
“Another example is kiwi fruit. Most people will peel it, but 50% extra fibre is what you get when you eat that [kiwi] with the skin.” As he bit into an unpeeled kiwi, he said: “Just as good as eating with the flesh – and less messy.”
He then added: “For your potatoes, try and keep the skin on because it’s got five times more fibre in it, so you’re missing out if you don’t do that.”
According to Bupa, fibre can help:
- improve our blood sugar control
- boost our digestive health
- reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease
- reduce blood cholesterol levels
- stimulate healthy bowel movements
- help people maintain a healthy weight
But “don’t overstress about it if you can’t, because use the peelings, don’t throw them away. You just put them in a roasting tin, you add a bit of olive oil and a bit of salt and hey presto, you’ve got some fantastic crisps that are absolutely delicious.”
Backing up his thoughts, one study said: “Bioactive plant compounds, including phenols, are responsible for the nutritional quality and sensory characteristics of fruits and vegetables, among other functions.”
It notes that the following fruits and vegetables offer numerous benefits in their peels. These include:
- Apple
- Banana
- Orange
- Kinnow
- Melon
- Mango
- Pomelo
- Pomegranate
- Kiwi
- Carrot
- Onion
- Garlic
- Potato
- Spniach
- Tomato
- Eggplant
- Black radish
- Jackfruit
Focusing specifically on apple peel, another study concluded: “Apple peel is considered as a valuable by-product obtained during processing of apples. It is a rich source of phytonutrients and dietary fibre, thereby indicating its significant potential in functional foods development.”
What superfoods do you eat, and will you start to eat more food with the skin on? Let us know in the comments.
