Is Apple Peel Nutritious? Nutritional Value and Function of Apple Peel

Are apple peels nutritious? Do you need to peel an apple to eat it? When eating apples, you should keep the peel, because the part where the peel and pulp are connected contains the most vitamins, but when peeling, this part is discarded. So, what nutritional value does apple peel have?

Are apple peels nutritious? Nutritional value and functions of apple peel

1. The function of apple peel

The ursolic acid contained in apple peels can not only strengthen muscles and help lose weight, but can also effectively control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The medical community has repeatedly used facts to prove this proverb. However, experts have recently reminded those who like to peel off apple peels: throwing away apple peels makes you lose a lot of nutrients. The ursolic acid contained in apple peels can not only strengthen muscles and help lose weight, but can also effectively control cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

With the emergence of other diseases and increasing age, muscle atrophy also appears, and the incidence is high. Patients with muscle atrophy need to stay in the hospital for long periods of time for treatment. Not only are they unable to return home, but they also have to bear huge medical expenses. In order to actively prevent muscle atrophy, Dr. Christopher Adam, an expert on the mechanism of hormones affecting the body at the University of Iowa, set out to develop a drug that can strengthen muscles and help older people reduce the risk of fractures. He conducted detailed research on 1,300 compounds, hoping to find a compound that could combat muscle atrophy based on the principles of gene changes during muscle atrophy. As a result, he accidentally discovered this "very interesting compound" - Xiong Acid.

Researchers added a small amount of ursolic acid to the daily diet of experimental mice and conducted a series of health assessments on them. The results showed that their muscles became stronger and more powerful, as well as their cholesterol levels and other blood lipid levels. (Excessive blood fat can lead to clogged arteries and heart damage) has also decreased, and even lost a lot of weight. Experts explain that ursolic acid can enhance the effectiveness of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1, and these two hormones are the key to strong muscles. In an article published in the internationally renowned medical journal Cell Metabolism, Adam said: "Among the yet-to-be-established treatments for muscle wasting, we speculate that ursolic acid is a potentially effective therapeutic substance that can not only treat muscle conditions caused by and muscle atrophy caused by age factors, and can also treat obesity and diabetes.”

In addition to apple peels, foods such as cranberries and prunes also contain ursolic acid, but the concentration is highest in apple peels. "If you eat a healthy diet, you're going to get it, but if you're eating junk food, you're definitely not going to get it," Adam said.

Other recent studies on apples have found that an apple a day can lead to a longer life. Experiments conducted on fruit flies found that fruit flies that consumed apple extract increased their lifespan by 10%, and became more mobile and in better physical condition when they got older. Researchers investigated women's daily diet and found that those who ate apples regularly were 20% less likely to suffer from heart disease and stroke.

2. Nutrition of apple peel

Apple peels are rich in antioxidants and bioactive substances. Eating apple peels is good for health.

Apple peels contain many biologically active substances, such as phenols, flavonoids, and octacosanol. These active substances can inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme that causes blood pressure to rise, helping to prevent chronic diseases. Such as cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, reducing their incidence.

The intake of apple peels can reduce the incidence of lung cancer. Foreign studies have shown that apple peels have stronger antioxidant properties than pulp. The antioxidant effect of apple peels is higher than that of other fruits and vegetables. The antioxidant capacity of ordinary-sized apple peels is equivalent With the antioxidant power of 800 mg of vitamin C.

The octacosanol in apple peel also has the effect of anti-fatigue and strengthening physical strength. Apple peel can inhibit the enzymatic activity of tartar and the growth of bacteria in the oral cavity. It has an anti-corrosion effect and can protect teeth. It can also make the skin white and tender, prevent the production of melanin, and have beauty effects.

Functional foods are developed by extracting bioactive substances from apple peels. As a valuable food additive, apple peel powder can be used to produce fortified foods. Adding a small amount of apple peel powder can increase the polyphenols in food. , the content of flavonoids.

It is recommended that when you eat apples, it is best to clean them and eat them with the skin on.

3. Cleaning of apple peels

If you are worried about the contamination of the apple skin, you can leave the apples you buy home in the open for about 3 days to help evaporate residual pesticides (if any); rub the skin of the apples with salt before eating, and the dirt will be effectively washed away. And table salt also has a bactericidal effect.