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Save Your Peels, Seeds, & Stalks — They May Be The Healthiest Part Of Your Produce
Are you getting enough fiber? If you're reading this in the U.S., then your answer is likely no. The average American consumes about 16 grams of fiber per day, but the recommended amount is generally considered to be 25-38 grams per day.
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients—it supports digestive health, helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, promotes feelings of fullness, and is linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers and premature death.
So how do you close that gap in your diet? A new study suggests the answer may already be in your kitchen1, hiding in food scraps that you instinctively throw in the trash.
The research behind root-to-tip eating
Scientists at King's College London analyzed 12 common fruits and vegetables, comparing the fiber content of the parts people typically eat against the parts they throw away, like peels, skins, stalks, and seeds.
In 10 of the 12 foods tested, those discarded "root-to-tip" parts contained more fiber than the parts we actually eat. In some cases, the gap was substantial. Here's the breakdown by food.
- Pineapple skin and core contained 453.7% more fiber than the flesh. That means the scraps alone could provide as much fiber as five traditional servings of the fruit. Pro-tip: cook the pineapple skin before eating it to avoid the spiky texture and stomach irritation.
- Butternut squash skin and seeds packed 9.25 grams of fiber per 100 grams, which is nearly as much as a bowl of bran flakes and close to a third of a day's recommended fiber intake.
- Kiwis with the skin on have approximately 8 grams of fiber, compared to under 3 grams when you take the skin off. Our favorite fiber supplement actually has green kiwifruit in it and provides 6 grams of fiber per serving.
- Watermelon rind delivered 2.10 grams of fiber per 100 grams. Most people avoid the outer white flesh and green skin of the fruit, but it is completely safe to eat.
- Cauliflower stalk and seeds had nearly 4 grams of fiber per 100 grams, which was 112% more fiber content than what you get from cauliflower florets.
- Bell pepper seeds and inner membrane had over 200% more fiber than the commonly consumed crunchy, colorful walls.
Not every scrap is a nutritional upgrade. Broccoli stalks actually contained 28.4% less fiber than the florets, so in that case, the part most of us already eat is the more fiber-rich choice.
The environmental factor
Another benefit of using the peels, skins, stalks, and seeds of your produce is that it reduces food waste, which remains a massive issue. Roughly 60 million tons of food are wasted annually in the U.S., and 45% of the food wasted is produce, according to the ReFED, a non-profit dedicated to fighting food loss and waste.
The researcher noted that the scraps they analyzed represented between 25% and 48% of the total weight of the produce they studied.
That means a significant portion of the fruit and vegetables people buy, and pay for, ends up in the trash rather than on the plate.
Why people don't eat these parts
To understand what prevents people from eating food scraps, researchers introduced a 'root-to-tip' menu at King's College London that incorporated the parts of fruits and vegetables are usually throw away.
When they tested the concept with a focus group of 40 university staff and students, three barriers came up repeatedly:
- General discomfort with the idea of eating these parts
- Concerns about digestibility
- A lack of reliable nutrition information online, especially on social media
When asked about root-to-tip eating, the focus group considered fiber content the strongest motivator to engage with it. An increase in fiber intake outweighed the environmental benefits.
Small swaps, not a diet overhaul
The goal of this research isn't to prescribe eating a specific amount of fruit skin, per day, but to make better use of overlooked parts of produce as part of everyday meals. Plus, getting fiber from a wider of sources may increase the nutrient's benefit.
In practice, that could look like leaving the skin on kiwi fruit instead of peeling it, tossing broccoli stalks into a stir-fry instead of the compost bin, or working bell pepper seeds into a dish rather than scraping them out. And the best part of these kitchen hacks is that none of them require a trip to a specialty store or a dramatic shift in how you cook.
It's worth noting that the study only measured 12 types of produce, and fiber content was tested in its raw form, so cooking methods could change both fiber content and how easily the body breaks these parts down.
Additionally, the researchers add that larger-scale change in how the food system treats produce scraps will likely require caterers and food manufacturers to rethink how they use scraps, not just individual households adjusting their habits at home. Still, any progress to reduce food waste is good progress, especially if you're also getting the fiber-supportive benefits.
The takeaway
This isn't about forcing down unpalatable food or chasing perfection. It's about recognizing the nutritional value in parts of produce most of us have been conditioned to toss. Small shifts, made consistently, can add up to real benefits for both your fiber intake and the amount of food waste you generate.
So next time you're prepping produce, consider leaving the peel on, saving the stalk, or working in the seeds. It's a simple switch that could mean more fiber, less waste, and a little less guilt about what's going in the bin.
