From the cork of an apple, to the skin of a kiwi, Registered Nutritionist and founder of Honestly Nutrition, Gabi Zaromskyte reveals the 4 unexpected things she eats to gain more nutritional value from food and why...

As a nutritionist, I’m often asked about my own diet and if there is anything I don’t eat or follow any dietary rules. Because I follow the non-diet approach and apply it to myself and equally to my clients, there is nothing really that I don’t eat (unless it’s a personal taste preference), because no food is inherently bad and nothing is off limits. Instead I’d like to share some of the things I try to eat more of to enrich my diet:

The Core of my Apples and Pears

I eat the cores of my apples and pears. I cut them across through the core, take out the seeds and that way, I have a bit of the core in every slice of my apple or pear. I do this because the skin of the fruit, the outer flesh and the core all feed different gut microbes. This is important because a diverse gut microbiome is linked to a wide range of physical and mental health benefits.

Fruit & Vegetable Skin

I don’t peel some of my fruit and vegetables. I eat my potatoes, carrots, kiwi fruit with the skin on. As mentioned, the skin not only feeds different gut microbe species compared to the flesh, but it also contains fibre. Fibre is essential for a healthy gut microbiome. Washing your produce with apple cider vinegar or salt water wash can help remove excess pesticides.

Fermented Foods

Yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, other pickled vegetables, as well as good quality sourdough bread or kombucha are all fermented foods. They contain live bacteria, known as probiotics, which play a crucial role in gut health and hence, overall health. Some ways in which you can include more fermented foods in your diet include adding kefir to your morning muesli bowl or porridge, and adding a variety of pickled vegetables to pop the flavours of your meals. I love choosing kombucha over fizzy drinks when I want something other than water.

Whole Foods

We live in the age of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which is a blessing and a curse, because UPFs are making us less healthy, but our lives easier. While UPFs are normally associated with fast food, not UPFs are unhealthy. There is a wide range of healthier alternatives that are also UPFs, such as protein bars or powders, green antioxidant powders or even lentil crisps. However, eating lentil crisps is not the same as eating whole lentils. A whole food over its processed alternative is richer in macro- and micronutrients. The way that the body metabolises whole foods is different, giving a more favourable blood sugar and blood lipid response, which can be protective against chronic illnesses and weight gain, among other issues. While a protein bar can be a great and filling snack on the go, a better alternative to a chocolate bar, and it has its place in a balanced diet, next time you’re going for it and if you have the chance, swap it for Greek yoghurt with a sprinkle of nuts and seeds for example, and you’ll get more out of it.

More about Gabi

Gabi holds a degree in MSc Nutrition from Kings College London and trained in CBT for eating disorders. Her specialism is in gut health and blood sugar balance in particular, as these are areas which she believes have powerful effects on every effect of physical and mental health.