Why You Shouldn't Toss Potato Peels

In my youth, I read dozens of books and testimonies from Holocaust survivors who recounted how they survived thanks to the potato peels they ate. All of them are etched in my mind to this day: one was a cook in the kitchen of Auschwitz who ate the potato peels he cooked for the SS officers, another escaped with her family from forest to forest and subsisted on beet and potato peels distributed by the gentiles to their animals... and many more.

I remember always asking myself – how. How could a body with such complex systems manage to survive on such 'trifles'? After all, for nourishing the body, all the essential nutrients are required. I understood it as a kind of miracle, but hadn't grasped how this 'miracle' manifested in 'nature', that is, in the nature of a person who loves and is accustomed to eating substantial amounts of food.

When I returned to faith, I understood. The survival of these individuals during the war years was due to Hashem, who, in His great compassion, preemptively brought 'a cure' to the affliction by creating essential nutrients even in the peels of the fruits and vegetables we eat: Interestingly, potato peels contain vital nutrients and essentials, no less than the potato itself. Vitamin C, Vitamin B, calcium, phytochemicals (which, among other things, destroy cancerous cells), and more...

Potato peels are actually much healthier than the potato itself, since they contain much less sugar than an entire potato - this is also the reason why, in most diets around the world, potatoes are rarely included in the meal plan, and sweet potatoes are preferred instead.

The reason is simple: sweet potatoes contain a rich amount of beta carotene, zero cholesterol, and a minimal amount of fat. Similarly, potato peels are characterized, more or less, by the same nutritional values.

So what are the health benefits of eating potato peels?

Lowering cholesterol in the blood

Potato peels contain a high level of dietary fibers, polyphenols, and glycoalkaloids - substances that help mitigate the strong impact of cholesterol on our bodies.

Improving body functions during cancer and fighting cancer cells

The numerous phytochemicals found in potato peels help improve body functions during cancer and other conditions.

Boosting the immune system

Being rich in vitamins C, B, and calcium – potato peels maintain the natural strength of the immune system and renew its energy.

Balancing the craving for sweets

Although not scientifically proven, a user who tried a diet recipe incorporating potato peels in various ways into her daily menu wrote: “Last night, I ate my new sweet treat, potato peels. I baked them in the oven with my favorite spices and a little oil and felt like I was dining at a gourmet restaurant. I enjoyed it greatly, but let's skip that. This time, I didn’t hunt for sweets in the cupboard, like I usually do - sometimes even a quarter of an hour after finishing eating.”

Another user commented, stating that he is a professional dietitian and he has heard of this diet. “I don’t recommend overdoing it,” he wrote, “but I agree there’s something to it.”

Another user joined the discussion and wrote that she believes this is due to the high fiber content in potato peels. “The fibers expand in the stomach, giving a feeling of fullness as if you ate meat or another rich meal, and therefore the body doesn’t look for other additions. Yes, not even sweets.” In potato peels, there is a large amount of potassium and other minerals, as well as omega-3, consumption of which daily reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, or other heart diseases.

Finally, three tips for external use:

• Rubbing potato peels on graying hair will grant it a shade similar to your natural hair color within a few weeks.
• Potato peels rubbed on acne-prone skin and blackheads will improve its condition remarkably. The same tip is also excellent for treating dark bags formed under the eyes.
• Potato peels can also serve as a natural solution for soothing sunburns or other burns.