I really want to ask, should we eat the skin of kumquat?

As the weather gets colder, many families will buy a large pot of kumquat bonsai, which means a fruitful harvest in the coming year. Not only does it have a good meaning, kumquats are also very nutritious.

So what are the nutritional values ​​of kumquats? Should you eat the skin when eating kumquats?

Kumquat: High in dietary fiber, also provides vitamin C

Kumquat is a fruit native to my country. It is also called kumquat, kumquat, golden orange, Lu orange, mountain orange, four-season orange, Luofu, and golden bullet. It is generally eaten fresh and tastes sweet and sour. Yangshuo County in Guangxi, my country is the number one kumquat county in China. Its planting area accounts for more than half of the country, and its output can reach 65% in the country. It is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Kumquat".

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When you eat kumquats, your mouth is filled with not only the sweet and sour juice, but also the unique fragrance of citrus fruits. Researchers have found that the aroma of kumquats is mainly caused by olefin compounds. These compounds give kumquats a sweet, oily, pine-like and green grassy aroma, which, when mixed together, form the unique and pleasant aroma of kumquats.

Kumquat is not only delicious but also nutritious. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, carotene, potassium and magnesium.

1. Dietary fiber

The dietary fiber content of kumquat can reach more than 4 grams/100 grams. The United States Department of Agriculture Nutrition Database shows that the total dietary fiber content of kumquat is as high as 6.5 grams/100 grams, which is at the top among fruits. It is better than bananas, which we think have high dietary fiber, and is almost three times that of bananas.

The "Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Chinese Residents (2023 Edition)" recommends that Chinese residents should consume 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber per day. At present, insufficient dietary fiber intake is a shortcoming in many people's diets. Eating 100 grams of kumquats can supplement nearly 16% of the minimum daily dietary fiber intake.

Adequate dietary fiber intake can not only make us feel fuller and have easier bowel movements, but is also helpful in preventing chronic diseases, such as lowering postprandial blood sugar, improving insulin sensitivity, lowering total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, and helping with weight loss.

2. Vitamin C

The vitamin C content of kumquat is mostly around 35 mg/100 g, which is similar to that of orange, but better than that of tangerine and mandarin orange, nearly twice as much as them.

The "Dietary Nutrient Reference Intake for Chinese Residents (2023 Edition)" recommends that Chinese residents should consume 100 mg of vitamin C per day. Eating 100 grams of kumquats can help us supplement nearly 35% of our daily vitamin C needs. Vitamin C is not only a vitamin needed by our body, but also an important antioxidant. Adequate vitamin C intake can not only maintain immune function and skin health, but also prevent the occurrence of many chronic diseases.

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3. Folic Acid

Although many vegetables are rich in folic acid, folic acid is sensitive to heat. The folic acid loss rate of natural food is as high as 50% to 90% during cooking. Fruits can be eaten fresh, which is a more recommended way to supplement folic acid. The folic acid content of kumquat is not bad, at nearly 20 micrograms per 100 grams. Eating 200 grams of kumquats every day can supplement nearly 10%.

This is very helpful for women preparing for pregnancy and supplementing folic acid during pregnancy. The "Chinese Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus on Rational Clinical Folic Acid Supplementation" recommends supplementing 400 micrograms or 800 micrograms of folic acid per day starting from the time of possible pregnancy or at least 3 months before pregnancy until the pregnancy is 3 months old; 400 micrograms of folic acid should be supplemented in the middle and late stages of pregnancy.

4. Carotene

As a golden fruit, kumquat naturally contains some carotene, which is 7.4 times that of apples. Eating more carotene-rich fruits is good for eye health, especially for office workers who often work in front of computers, which can relieve symptoms such as dry eyes.

5. Potassium and magnesium

The potassium and magnesium content of kumquat are 144 mg/100 g and 20 mg/100 g respectively, both of which are better than apples. Dietary intake of more potassium and magnesium is helpful in preventing high blood pressure.

Kumquat also contains flavonoids, polyphenols, polysaccharides, coumarins, limonoid analogs, etc., which are all beneficial to health.

One kumquat weighs about 18 grams. Image source: provided by the author

However, the calories in kumquats are slightly higher than other citrus fruits, at 58 kcal/100 grams. Although it is delicious and convenient to eat one at a time, you should also control the amount. Be careful not to gain weight if you eat too much. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that the daily fruit intake be controlled at 200-350 grams. An ordinary-sized kumquat generally weighs 15-18 grams, and a larger one can weigh nearly 30 grams.

Do you eat the skin of kumquat?

I often hear people discussing the topic of "Should we eat the skin of kumquats?" The biggest difference between kumquats and other citrus fruits is that the skin can be eaten. The kumquat peel and pulp are difficult to separate. The skin contains 35 volatile substances and has a unique flavor.

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In addition, the vitamin C content of kumquat peel accounts for 80% of the total vitamin C content in kumquat. Every 100 grams of kumquat peel contains up to 200 mg of vitamin C. It also contains flavonoids, carotene and other nutrients, and has great edible value.

Some people may be concerned about the hygiene of kumquat peels, fearing that there may be pesticide residues. Don't worry too much about this. We can buy them from regular channels, such as large supermarkets, which will be more reliable. Just wash them carefully after you get them home. It is recommended to soak them in clean water for 10 to 15 minutes, and then rinse them with tap water for 10 seconds.

In addition to eating kumquats directly after washing, you can also try making tea with them after buying them home, such as kumquat lemon tea, kumquat honey tea, kumquat passion fruit tea, etc.

Summarize:

The small kumquats are delicious when washed and eaten in one bite. However, in order to control your weight, don’t eat them to the point of being unable to stop!

References

[1] Dai Rui, Wang Jiao, Yu Abin, et al. Current status of kumquat research and utilization[J]. Agricultural Products Processing, 2023, (03): 84-88+92. DOI: 10.16693/j.cnki.1671-9646(X).2023.02.019.

[2] Xie Yanchun, Chen Zhongna, Lin Xiaoshan, et al. Aroma analysis of different parts of kumquat fruit and blending technology of natural flavor kumquat essence [J]. Beverage Industry, 2019, 22(05): 50-55.

[3] Mo Yi, Liu Xingqi, Bian Rongyu, et al. Comprehensive comparison of fruit quality of different varieties of kumquat[J]. China Fruit and Vegetable, 2024, 44(01): 21-25+79. DOI: 10.19590/j.cnki.1008-1038.2024.01.005.

[4]https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168154/nutrients

[5] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[6] RoweS, CarrAC.GlobalVitaminCStatusandPrevalenceofDeficiency:ACauseforConcern?Nutrients(2020), https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12072008

[7] Li Li, Sheng Jinfeng, Sun Jian, et al. Nutritional value and comprehensive utilization status and prospects of kumquat [J]. Food Industry, 2015, 36(09): 220-224.

[8] Wang Juan, Liu Haichen, Wang Junbin, et al. Study on removing chlorothalonil residues from kumquat by soaking and washing [J]. Food Research and Development, 2015, 36(17): 28-31.

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, member of Chinese Nutrition Society, registered dietitian, health manager, public nutritionist

Review | Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center