Fruits and vegetables are allies of health and well-being. Their colors and scents invade our tables. Often to consume them we deprive them of their peels, sometimes forgetting that it is their outer shells that contain so many nutrients! In fact, very often experts recommend consuming some foods with their peels on, precisely because they are rich in vitamins and minerals. Of course, it is always best to make sure that fruits and vegetables come from organic farming to avoid ingesting pesticides! But that’s not all, peels can also serve for much more. Let’s find out together how to reuse the peels of as many as 7 foods that are always present on our table or in our refrigerator.
Apple
As many of you already know, the peel of the apple contains about half the nutrients of the flesh (not surprisingly, it is often recommended to eat it with its entire peel). Rich in fiber and vitamins, it also has antioxidant properties, which counteract the action of free radicals and slow cell aging.
Apple peel can be reused in many ways:
- You can make excellent herbal teas from apple peels by boiling them with a little water. They have unique flavor and produce digestive and depurative effects.
- To perfume closets. By drying apple peels in the sun or on the radiator, you can add them to a perfect homemade potpourri, along with cinnamon and rose petals. Your cupboards will smell good!
- If you chop up apple peels along with other nutrients, you can make eco-friendly fertilizers with which to feed your garden!
Lemon
Lemon peel is perhaps the most versatile. It can be used for just about anything! Knowing its antibacterial, strengthening and disinfectant properties, we can use it as a universal remedy. Let’s see how right now.
- Lemon peel can be used to remove stains from clothes, for example, those of grease or stubborn dirt. Just rub the peel on the stain and leave it overnight and if necessary, add some baking soda.
- It can also be used to remove odors from the surfaces of cutting boards. By rubbing the peel on the wooden material, it will not only smell but also be disinfected.
- There are also those who then use the inner part of the peel (i.e., the white part) to whiten teeth by rubbing the slice on the tooth wall. This procedure should be practiced with caution in order to prevent the enamel from wearing away, as the lemon is acidic.
- Or, again, it can help soften dark spots on the face by applying the peel where you feel it is needed. But beware. Lemon is a photosensitizing food; it can make the skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays. For this reason, it is best to do this in the evening or when you are not exposing yourself to the sun.
Potatoes
It is great to be able to reuse potato peels! They are really useful both in the home and for personal care! They are rich in potassium, manganese and vitamins! They help with nasal congestion with suffumigation, or rest them cold on the eyes if we have dark circles under our eyes. In addition, potato skins have soothing and anti-inflammatory powers, making them perfect for relieving sun and house burns. And not only that! They are great for making nourishing hair compresses. Just blend them, apply to hair and leave on for about 30 minutes and rinse. The hair will be reborn. Potatoes can also be used as homemade fertilizer.
Onion
Onion is one of the most widely used seasonings in cooking, like garlic. There are so many opportunities to reuse its peel:
- We can make onion infusions by boiling the peel cut into strips in hot water to counteract sore throat discomfort.
- If your clothes have lost their hue and vibrancy, you can dye them with onion peel. Boiling them until they release the color, insert the cotton or linen garment and leave it on until it reaches the desired color.
- It seems that the onion peel infusion can also relieve pimples and acne. After it has cooled, you can rinse your face with the liquid. The smell is not the most pleasant, but it will have an antibacterial action on the skin.
Orange
Orange peels are also part of our article today! As with lemon, they too can be dried to make an inexpensive, super-scented potpourri. Then, because they are also good to eat, you can also make candied orange peels, or chocolate. Or make a healthy vitamin C-rich orange marmalade. The outer wrapping of oranges is very convenient in case you want to make homemade candles. You will simply need 1 orange and some vegetable oil (either corn or sunflower oil).
First, you need to hollow out the orange, leaving the center stem. Fill the empty space with the oil and light the candle. If, on the other hand, we grate the peel and thoroughly mix it with whole grain fine salt, we can make a great homemade body scrub.
Bananas
We’re not talking about slipping on banana peels! In fact, banana peels are very good for you! For example:
- To relieve itching from insect bites by gently rubbing the peel on the affected area.
- Facilitate healing of small scratches by always rubbing the peel
- To polish shoes. Wipe banana peel (as if it were a cloth) over the surface of the shoe to make it shinier and revitalize it
Cucumber
Cucumbers are a vegetable rich in beneficial substances for our bodies. They are very rich in water and very low in calories. But thanks to its countless properties, we should not limit ourselves to eating it only. Cucumber peels can be used to prepare a restorative and moisturizing hair pack (bundling it with some evo oil and an egg). Or we can use the sliced peels to relieve puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. In fact, cucumber is known precisely for its soothing and deflating actions. Peels placed in the freezer (thus cold) can be placed on the eyes and the results will be seen even after just one night. Cucumber peel also produces a soothing effect in cases of sunburn and superficial burns.
Contraindications
It is not recommended to use the indicated foods if you have allergies or hypersensitivity to one or more of the components. Consult a physician or specialist to assess your health condition before acting on your own initiative. Also consult a physician if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
