Turn waste into health benefits

Fish heads, orange peels, grape peels... are things that people often throw away without knowing that they contain many beneficial vitamins and minerals.

Professor Fariba Dehghani, from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (Cornell University, in New York), leads a research team to find the best way to utilize the discarded parts of foods, fruits, vegetables, seafood, including fruit peels and eggshells.

“Food is being wasted seriously. Some parts of food are thrown into the trash, while they can be recycled into high-value products such as functional foods rich in vitamins, minerals, nutrients and creating energy that is beneficial to the body,” said the professor.

Orange peel is good for health. Photo: Bodyandsoul.

Globally, food waste is widespread. It is estimated that in 2011, nearly one-third of all food consumed by humans was wasted (that is, about 1.3 billion tons of food thrown away each year). If fully utilized, this amount of food could feed all the hungry people in the world. This waste is most evident in the food industry, where valuable parts of food are discarded from production to retail.

To avoid waste, Professor Fariba advises everyone to practice making full use of the beneficial parts of processed foods to create products that are truly beneficial for health.

Orange peel

Consumers often just like to eat the sweet orange segments and throw away the peels. The orange juice industry throws thousands of tons of orange peels into the trash, not realizing that they are wasting a rich source of fiber and throwing away wonderful anti-cancer properties.

Recent studies have shown that orange peels contain many antioxidants that help fight cancer. “Scientists are focusing on methods to extract useful essences from orange peels,” the professor said.

Grape skin

We love eating grapes with their sweet flesh, not knowing that grape skins are full of good nutrients, especially resveratrol. A study at the University of Missouri found that resveratrol makes malignant tumor cells more responsive to radiation treatment. Previous studies have shown that this substance has a similar effect on prostate cancer cells.

Fish head

Fish heads, brains, and cartilage are rich in nutrients and contain vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, and calcium. Earlier this year, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations called on people to eat more seafood because it is more nutritious than meat. Professor Fariba said her research team is looking at how to effectively use discarded parts of this seafood, such as fish heads, fish bones, fish scales, etc.

Soybean products

A study from the University of Illinois found that the lunasin peptide in soybeans is often removed in soy milk factories, even though it contains many anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

What Professor Fariba Dehghani is concerned about is how to utilize the waste in the soybean fermentation process to produce vitamin MK-7. Research shows that instead of eating 5 kg of cheese, we only need a teaspoon of oil produced by this technology to strengthen bones, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Celery leaves

Chop and add a handful of celery leaves to soups, salads or juices for a delicious flavor. The leaves can also be eaten raw as a substitute for cilantro or parsley.

Coffee beans

The nitrogen in discarded coffee beans makes a great source of compost. You can also turn it into an exfoliating scrub by mixing a handful of ground coffee beans with a little water or olive oil and applying it to your skin.

Chicken bones

After cooking the chicken, use the bones to stew, add vegetables or other herbs, and you will have a delicious pot of broth.

Eggshell

Crush dry eggshells, mix with an egg white to create a skin whitening mask that helps remove toxins from your skin.

Used tea bags

The tannins in tea help soothe and soften all skin types. Placing a chilled tea bag over puffy eyes or sunburned skin will provide immediate relief. You can also add a few tea leaves to a foot bath to kill odor-causing bacteria.

According to Vnexpress.net