Garlic & Onion Peels Are Surprisingly Healthy + 10 Ways To Use Them

From enhancing the flavor of your dishes to supporting sleep, here are all of the ways you can use garlic and onion skins to your advantage.

But the skin layers that are closest to the flesh of the vegetable? Well, that's a different story.

It's not just the veggie itself that provides nutritional benefits, the skin of garlic also contains vitamin A and C, and is rich in anti-inflammatory phenylpropanoid antioxidants1. Research has also found that garlic peels have powerful antimicrobial properties.

Here are a couple of ways to get the most out of your peels and keep them out of the trash:

From here, you can mix them into salads or sprinkle them wherever you need a flavor (and a crunch) boost. You can do the same thing with skins from shallots, too!

Any garlic lover will tell you that roasted garlic is an absolute drool-worthy delicacy. But did you know leaving the garlic in the skin while it roasts can take things up a notch? The skin keeps the garlic soft, contributes to the flavor, and ensures you're getting the beneficial nutrients found in the skin.

While any onion skins will do, red onions also contain high levels of anthocyanins, beneficial pigments that are also anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial3, and thus can contribute to glowy skin.

Aside from the fact that the act of sipping on tea is relaxing in itself, the tryptophan in onion skin tea may contribute to better-quality sleep4. If you combine the onion skins with another relaxing herbal tea, like chamomile, you may be able to really optimize the sleep-inducing benefits.

Now on to unique uses for onion peels:

The easiest way to reap the benefits of onion skins is through tea. Look, I know how it sounds, but stick with me for a minute. Onion skins are rich in various vitamins like E and C, plus an amino acid called tryptophan and the antioxidant quercetin. In fact, onion skins contain even higher levels of quercetin than the flesh and core, so don't knock it till you try it!

If you can't stomach the thought of drinking plain onion tea, you have another option: Add onion skins to your green tea as it steeps. According to one study5, doing so can help boost the bioavailability of the epicatechins—the main beneficial compounds, like EGCG, in green tea. EGCG can combat inflammation6, boost weight loss7, and help fight off various chronic diseases, like heart disease8 and diabetes9.

If dyeing your own fabric is outside of your DIY-willingness, you can use the colored water to dye Easter eggs instead.

While each type of skin has its own uses, you can also combine them for compounded benefits. 

Garlic and onions are the base of most soups, but why not throw the skins in, too? This not only boosts the flavor, but it also adds the skin's nutrients into your meal. Just make sure to strain the skin out before eating!

If soup isn't on the menu anytime soon, you can use garlic and onion skins to make a veggie stock to use later. Prepare your stock as you normally would, throw in the peels, and simmer for at least an hour (the longer, the better). When it's done simmering, put it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer until you're ready to use it. (More on how to freeze soup here.)

You can also use garlic peels and onion skins to flavor other savory dishes, like freshly baked bread or rice. Simply dehydrate the skins, then turn them into a powder by finely crushing them with a knife or pulsing them in a food processor. From there, you can add them to dishes just like you would garlic and onion powder.

Since both garlic and onion are antifungal and anti-inflammatory, applying garlic- and onion-infused tea topically may help relieve itchy skin. Just steep them in warm water like you would with a tea, but instead of drinking it, dip a cotton round in the mixture and apply it directly to the problem area.

Instead of tossing garlic peels and onion skins into the trash, make the most of them. You can use them to enhance the flavors of soups and stocks, dye clothes, and keep your skin supple and glowy.