Would you let your kid eat orange peel?

[SarahBear]

Leo really likes fruit. He enjoys oranges and doesn't care whether or not the peel is on! If your kid was enjoying biting into an orange with its peel, would you just let them have at it?

Edit: Let's assume the orange is organic.

 

[Bekah78]

I eat lemons with the peel still on, I would say it's ok. I did read once that the white part of the citrus fruit peel is good for preventing cancer. Don't know how true that is though.

 

[Scout]

I'd have no problem letting daughter eat the peel of an organic orange.

 

[Larkspur]

I put grated or chopped citrus peel, or preserved skin into recipes all the time. (And marmalade is pretty much completely composed of citrus peel!)

It's fine to eat. The pith underneath is the bit that's quite bitter, but if it doesn't bother him, I can't see that it will do him any harm.

 

[Zephram]

If he'll eat it, let him eat it. There's no reason he can't, it is used a lot in cooking and baking. Most people don't eat it because of convention and it can taste bitter, but if he likes the taste then let him at it.

 

[erinprime]

My daughter used to eat orange peels all the time. I stopped giving them to her after a family friend who happens to be a dentist saw this and told me that the peels have a much higher acid content than the juice itself and the acid strips enamel from teeth. I have not been able to find information about it online, so I am not sure if it is true or not but I would rather not risk tooth decay. For a long time she would get mad if she saw a peel that she couldn't have so I had to peel them out of sight, but she eventually got over it.

 

[LoveCakes]

The only thing I'd worry about is it being hard to digest but orange peel is used in cakes and loads of recipes, I wouldn't worry

 

[_Meep_]

I'd be happy she was eating something relatively healthy as she is going through a really shitty jag at the moment ... she does still 'like' oranges, but say it was raw broccoli for example, I'd certainly be in no rush to cook it as it were!

 

[jd83]

I don't see the harm in it. I use citrus peel shavings in many recipes. The inner part would probably be too bitter for me personally, but if it doesn't bother him, let him have at it.

 

[MindUtopia]

Yeah, I would. I mean, I would wash the orange first, but I can't see any harm in it. Or show him how to peel it and see if he can get the hang of it himself. My 3 year old loves to peel oranges. It can keep her occupied for awhile!

 

[LoraLoo]

My only concern would be how digestible it is, but if he's not having any bother with it then it's obviously not an issue for him.

 

[SarahBear]

Yeah, I would. I mean, I would wash the orange first, but I can't see any harm in it. Or show him how to peel it and see if he can get the hang of it himself. My 3 year old loves to peel oranges. It can keep her occupied for awhile!

He's 13 months old. It might be a bit early for him to get it.

 

[_Meep_]

Hehe. I peel off little flaps for mine and let her pull them off. He might be able to do that!

 

[SarahBear]

I could give it a try. Perhaps he could try with some of the citrus with looser skin. Yesterday after coming in from work (I work in an office that is at home but separate from the house and my husband is a stay-at-home dad), I saw an orange on the floor with somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of the skin eaten off! I asked my husband about it. Must have been a long day because he didn't know how it got there.

 

[_Meep_]

Love the quirks of little children! He obviously enjoys intense flavours right now!

 

[SarahBear]

Yes he does!

 

[hanni]

I'd just be a bit worried about how acidic is it and any possible damage to his teeth. Maybe just make sure he has a good drink of water after.