Potato peel

The thin jacket surrounding the tuber, sometimes peeled away before cooking and sometimes left on, as with baked potatoes, boiled new potatoes, and wedges. Keeping it on the plate is often encouraged, because the skin concentrates fiber together with vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, and iron found in smaller amounts in the flesh. The caution is greening: light-exposed peels synthesize chlorophyll alongside the bitter, mildly toxic glycoalkaloid solanine, so deeply green or sprouted areas should be trimmed. Otherwise, well-scrubbed skins add texture and nutrients to many potato dishes.