Reported by BBC Health
Eating fruit and vegetable scraps such as peels and stalks could provide a health boost that most of us are missing, say UK researchers , external .
They say scraps are an overlooked source of dietary fibre and are encouraging people to try "root-to-tip" eating, including watermelon rind, pineapple core and butternut squash seeds.
Most adults do not get enough fibre. Official figures , external show only 4% meet the recommended 30g a day, despite its well-known benefits for gut health.
More from the original report
Fibre aids digestion, helps you feel fuller for longer and is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and bowel cancer. , external
As a rule of thumb, the skins of fruit and veg pack more fibre than the insides.
Eating a kiwi with the skin on , external provides 50% more fibre than having a peeled one, for example.
For their study, the scientists at King's College London analysed 12 raw or uncooked fresh foods - beetroot, bell pepper, broccoli, butternut squash, cauliflower, celeriac, curly kale, fennel, kiwi fruit, leek, pineapple and watermelon.
They found many discarded parts contained more fibre than the sections people typically eat.
watermelon rind contained 2.10g of fibre per 100g – roughly equivalent to the fibre in a slice of wholemeal bread
butternut squash skin and seeds contained 9.25g per 100g – nearly as much fibre as a bowl of bran flakes
pineapple skin and core contained five times more fibre than the flesh
broccoli stalks contained fibre, although a bit less than the florets
Fibre is essential for your gut to work properly and helps prevent constipation.
Project lead Dr Rachel Gibson said the findings suggested people are throwing away a significant amount of fibre.
"This isn't just a nutritional loss, it's also a financial one; you're effectively throwing away a substantial portion of what you've paid for."
The college has been experimenting in its canteen , external , offering staff and students root-to-tip meals, such as banana skin curry.
At home, people might want to try leaving skins on kiwi fruit, using broccoli stalks in stir-fries, or adding bell pepper…