PT Recipe: Peel Appeal

An apple a day—peel included. The peel gives cancer a one-two punch.

By Greg Isaacson, published on November 01, 2007 - last reviewed on December 06, 2007

An apple a day… you know the rest. Just don't forget the peel. Compounds in apple peel called triterpenoids have potent anticancer effects—choking liver-, breast-, and colon-tumor cells—according to a recent Cornell study. Researchers identified a dozen triterpenoids that either kill or inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the lab. Previous research has shown that fresh apples fight cancer in humans and rats, owing to their rich supply of several healthy substances such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. But the major cancer busters in the peel may account for much of the apple's disease-fighting prowess. It's still best to eat an apple's insides too, but for antitumor power, the skin trumps the flesh.

Play The Skins

Keep your eyes, er, peeled for these healthy sheaths.

Peel: Orange & tangerine

Compounds: Flavonoids

Effect: Reduce cholesterol

Peel: Pomegranate

Compounds: Phenolics & flavonoids

Effect: Improve heart health

Peel: Red grape

Compounds: Resveratrol

Effect: May increase longevity by activating sir2 genes

Peel: Tomato

Compounds: Carotenoids

Effect: Help prevent colon & prostate cancers

Classic Apple Pie

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 90 minutes

Ingredients

⅝ tsp salt
½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
½ cup ice water
2 ¼ cups flour
8 Granny Smith apples
1 tbsp. lemon juice
⅔ cup white sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg white

Directions

Crust: Combine ½ tsp. salt, shortening, vinegar, powdered sugar, ice water, and 2 cups of flour. Form dough into ball. Split into two halves and roll each into flat disk on floured surface.

Filling: Remove apple cores, leaving peels intact. Slice apples into thin segments and add lemon juice. Coat with sugar, ¼ cup flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ⅛ tsp. salt.

Combine: Place bottom crust in pan and fill with apple mixture. Cover with top crust and cut slits with knife. Brush with egg white. Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F, then another 40 minutes at 350°F.