World hunger is a major issue. While westerners trash perfectly good fruit scrap unconcerned, hungry stomachs in the third-world countries are scavenging daily just to at least, get through the day. It’s frustrating, disappointing, and saddening. Plant-based produce is palatable from the root to its flower. It’s a shame when people take only the beautiful part and garbage damaged parts. Thus, western countries contribute the most pollution while wasting food so much good food in a mindless manner.
When you slice your carrot, you typically cut the edge off and throw it in the trash. However, what most people don’t know that carrot edges can add an extra gist to your pickled pesto and kale. If you’re innovative enough, vegetable and fruit scraps can be a great recipe for a pure vegan highly nutritious plant scrap dish. Oddly speaking, while we enjoy what’s inside the fruit: its vitamins, minerals, and mouthwatering sweetness, the peeling, on the other hand, can have more nutritious compounds than what was inside it. So, try not to throw perfectly good nutritious plant scraps and be inventive and make something new and sustainable.
Fruit Scraps You Should Eat
Strawberry Tops
You can actually eat strawberries without trimming any part of it. Eat the entire thing including the leaves. Strawberry leaves are also very nutritious and packed with vitamin C and antioxidant. If you feel like eating the top and the leaves are not for you, use it anyway. Drop it on top of your pitcher with cold water and let it flavour it and add a more refreshing feeling. You’ll be extra fancy and hydrated.
Kiwi Skins
Kiwi skin may look like something not very palatable, but it is in fact armed with more nutrients than the actual fruit. It is high in fibre, antioxidants, and vitamin C. The next time you eat kiwi, don’t waste time and energy peeling it, grab it and bite it right away. If you can’t take the idea of biting into the brown textured hairy skin of kiwi, blend it along with all your other fruits in your morning smoothie.
Citrus Peels
Citrus peels look like they belong to the trash. The thick quality of its peelings doesn’t seem so friendly in the mouth. However, citrus peels are edible. They’re best mixed with other dishes, meat recipes, roasted vegetables, or leftovers. Citrus peels will elevate the taste of your bland dish and drizzle an extra zest and aroma to your meat and vegetables. If you don’t feel like eating rubbery citrus peels, boil it in syrup and have candied peels for dessert or garnish.
Pineapple Core and Peel
The pineapple peel itself doesn’t really look so inviting. The core, on the other hand, is just as good as the actual fruit. So, if you just bought a pineapple and dissected the core and peels, don’t throw it away. You can make a tepache out of it. A fermented Mexican juice recipe that brings a lot of benefits to your gut. The core of the pineapple is filled with fibre and bromelain. These enzymes are helpful in keeping your digestive process balanced. The core will be a great addition to your afternoon refreshment. All you need is water, raw pure sugarcane, brown sugar, and pineapple core.
Apple Cores
How do you eat your apples? Do you take the peel off, scrape the best part, and throw the core away? The whole apple is good to it. Hence, there’s no need to peel or run around your teeth on the core and scrape only the juicy softer parts. The seeds are also very edible and nutritious. They contain the best good bacteria in apples. It will help in your digestive health significantly.
Watermelon Rinds
Watermelon rinds are actually not that bad. Apart from the nutrition that resides in it, raw watermelon rind can be eaten raw so you’ll enjoy its refreshing crunch with every bite. Eating watermelon rinds is like eating cucumbers. You can also pickle it or mince it and add it to your fruit bowl for an extra crisp.
