Biggest fibre boost could be scraps in your bin, experts say

The college has been experimenting in its canteen, external, offering staff and students root-to-tip meals, such as banana skin curry.

At home, people might want to try leaving skins on kiwi fruit, using broccoli stalks in stir-fries, or adding bell pepper seeds to dishes, the researchers suggest.

While cooking can change the fibre content, it doesn't usually destroy it all.

Steaming, microwaving, or quick sautéing tends to preserve nutrients best.

Dr Gibson said: "This isn't about perfection and this isn't about forcing people to eat unpalatable food – it's about recognising the nutritional value in components we've been conditioned to discard."