Professor Tim Spector, a leading health expert, has advised people to stop peeling fruits and vegetables to retain vital nutrients. He highlights that the skins of apples, kiwis, and potatoes are rich in polyphenols, natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that boost immunity.
On his Channel 4 show What Not to Eat, Spector explained that polyphenols in plant skins help gut microbes proliferate, enhancing overall health. He noted that an apple's skin contains up to 30 times more defence chemicals than the flesh, and eating kiwi skin provides 50% extra fibre.
Potato skins offer five times more fibre, which the NHS says can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer. For those who must peel potatoes, Spector suggests baking the peelings with olive oil and salt to make healthy crisps.
Spector also recommends swapping white rice for grains or beans to aid weight loss, and choosing snacks like fruit, dark chocolate, or nuts over sugary treats. Dark chocolate, he says, is rich in polyphenols that act as 'rocket fuel' for gut microbes.
