Seven ingenious ways to use fruit and vegetable peels!

Zee Media Bureau/Udita Madan

Imagine you're eating a fruit. You peel the fruit, devour the juicy, delicious pulp, enjoy every second of it, relish it and you're done.

Now what do you do with the fruit peel? Why, throw it of course, what a question to ask!

This is exactly where you're going wrong. Stumped? Don't be.

It's second nature for everyone to throw away those fruit skins and peels away right after you're done enjoying the benefits of what's inside it. But what you weren't probably aware of, was that fruit skins are also helpful and can aid you in everyday life.

Want to know what they are? Then you need not look any further!

Given below are seven amazing ways you can use those fruit skins or peels for your benefit. Take a look!

1. Revitalizing your skin: Soft, fuzzy peaches have skin that is rich in vitamin A and potassium, which are great for your skin. So, next time you treat your taste buds with the fleshy fruit, don’t forget to pamper your skin. Add a little white sugar to the inside of the peach's skin and then use it as a gentle scrub on your face. Your skin will feel hydrated and revitalized.

2. Keep brown sugar from solidifying: Lemon zest is great for keeping brown sugar from turning hard. You can simply throw a piece of lemon peel in the brown sugar jar, ensuring that you completely remove the pith and pulp. It will help in keeping the brown sugar moist and soft for months in the cabinet.

3. Plant pots: Watermelon, grapefruit, coconut and avocado shells make perfect plant pots to grow your seeds. After you scoop the pulp out of your favourite citrus fruits or avocados, use their shells to make your own biodegradable seedling pots. Put mud and seeds in the shells and hang them to let your seedlings to start sprouting in spring. Once the seeds begin to grow, you can plant the entire pot in the ground and save yourself a little time, space and money!

4. Cracked heels: Papaya peel is rich in vitamin A and papain which can help remove dead skin from your soles and make them feel refreshed. Just rub the pulpy side of the papaya skin on your feet soles for cleaner, softer heels.

5. Soothing the eyes: Tired and puffy eyes are a daily beauty hang-up and nothing seems to work on them. Potato peels to the rescue! Yes! All you have to do is gently press the inside of the peel onto your eyes and let it stay for 10 to 15 minutes. The vitamins in potatoes are great for relieving inflammation.

6. Making jelly: If you like your apples peeled, you could use the rind to make jelly. It will involve some of your time but the delicious homemade apple jelly/jam will be worth it. And all you need is the apple peels, lemon zest, water and sugar.

7. Treating diarrhoea: Strange as it may sound, fruit peels have an amazing effect on diarrhoea, especially pomegranate skin. Boil pomegranate skin in water, add a cinnamon stick and allow it to cool. Drink the mixture and it will help to cure diarrhoea. You can make this in advance if you want and stick it in the fridge.