Apples are appealing for a very good reason. A study shows that the apple’s anticancer properties lie in the peel. And what is true for the apple is the same for other functional foods. The reason that phytochemicals are concentrated in the peel is that the membrane is the first line of defense for the fruits and vegetables against insects, fungus and bacteria. Humans have developed a resistance over generations for these phytochemicals.

The cancer research

Researches from the University of Cornell published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry analyzed the chemical composition of apple peels and identified a group of phytochemicals that proved potent against at least three different types of human cancer cells: breast cancer, colon cancer and liver cancer.

Cancer researchers say they’re just beginning to understand exactly which compounds found in fruits and vegetables are responsible for these healthy benefits. Much of the recent researches have focused on the anticancer properties of a group of phytochemicals known as phenolics, which are typically found in the seeds and skins of functional foods.

The take home message

When you can, eat the peel – that is where the anticancer agents are. For the popular assumption that pesticides are concentrated in the peel, government safety standard are rarely busted and the gain of eating the peel outweigh the danger of the trace pesticides left if you do not wash the fruit or vegetable first.

Reference

Phytochemicals of apple peels: isolation, structure elucidation, and their antiproliferative and antioxidant activities. He X, Liu RH. J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Nov 12;56(21):9905-10. Epub 2008 Oct 2