Did you know that you can actually eat the fuzzy peel of a kiwi fruit? Did you also know that an unpeeled potato has more nutrients in it than a peeled potato? There’s also a big reason why pastry chefs caramelize various citrus peels to use as edible decorations to their delicious creations, and it’s not just because these are delicious.

The peels of these fruits and vegetables are all edible.

Care to know what other fruits and vegetables you peel that you actually do no need to peel? Here’s that list:

1 Potatoes

Yes, potatoes don’t need to be peeled. Potato skins can be fried into rustic potato chips. The peels are where half the dietary fiber of the potato is so when you peel potatoes, you will be eating less fiber than if you ate it without the peel. You can even leave the eyes that are beginning to sprout!

2 Kiwi

The fuzzy skin of the kiwi fruit is actually edible. It’s a thin peel and while its fuzzy texture might turn you off, it’s edible. If you find this texture unpleasant, you can gently scrub off the fuzz with a clean towel, a vegetable brush, or scrub scrape it off gently with a spoon.

3 Kalabasa and pumpkins

The kalabasa has a hardy outer skin and normally, this is removed for dishes. However, this too is edible and needs only to be cooked and simmered to become tender and entirely edible. Even the seeds are edible, especially if you roast and then toss them in a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. It makes for a delicious snack!

4 Kamote or sweet potatoes

Just like the potato, kamote and sweet potatoes of all colors can be eaten with the peels still on. Just remember to scrub well since these are grown in the ground and the skins can still harbor dirt. Scrub well and remove any stubby roots.

5 Carrots and labanos

Carrots and the labanos or daikon radish are both edible without being peeled. As with all vegetables that do not need to be peeled, scrub well to remove any outer dirt from the skins.

Did you know that if you have carrots and labanos with the stem on, they will last longer in storage? This is good news, especially since the carrot tops or the leaves are also edible. You can use the tops of the carrots, also known as carrot greens, as a leafy garnish in salads and can be added to pesto, chimichurri sauce, and other finely chopped herb mixtures.

6 Watermelon Rinds

This is another surprising ingredient that you might not think was edible: the rinds of watermelon. While many of us may disregard these in favor of the sweet red parts, the pale yellow-green rinds are edible, too. One great reason to save this is to make it into a delicious pickle. If you love kimchi, you’ll love that you can transform the rind into watermelon kimchi.

7 Calamansi

You’ll be surprised how flavorful the zest of the calamansi is! The zest of these tiny citruses together with almost all the citrus fruits is edible. The pith is an unpleasant bitter-tasting part of the fruit but the zest is super flavorful. Steep these in your beverages, in sauces and syrups, toss them in dishes, or even caramelize and use to make desserts even more appetizing.

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