Bananas are one of the healthiest fruits you can eat, being loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins A, B6, and C, potassium, manganese, magnesium, folate, riboflavin, niacin, and iron.
They are also more or less perfectly portioned and easy to grab-and-go. Bananas are delicious on their own, but nicely augment cereal, fruit salad, and even ice cream.
But we’re not here today to talk about the banana fruit, but rather its peel. Generally discarded as trash, banana peels are actually edible and provide a whole assortment of added health benefits. Surprised? As it turns out, people use banana peels to improve digestion, lower cholesterol, and heal common skin problems.
You can both eat your banana peel and apply it topically to see the benefits. At least one potential application has nothing to do with your body at all.
One thing is for sure – you will stop throwing these valuable wrappers in the trash after you discover all the incredible things they can do.
1. Stop Itching
Starting off with a topical benefit, banana peels are great for relieving the painfully distracting itch of bug bites. Massaging the raised bumps with the inside of a banana peel can provide instant results. This remedy is also reported to work on rashes caused by poison ivy or poison oak.
Science hasn’t figured out why it works, but you can’t argue with results. People who have tried it report that one application relieves itching all day.
2. Whiten Your Teeth
There are lots of expensive ways to whiten teeth, and a lot of them use harsh bleaching agents that can actually wear away your enamel. This weakens teeth and can cause sensitivity. But guess what? Banana peel can whiten teeth naturally and gently due to its potassium content.
You don’t even have to chew the peel, but rather rub the inner side on your teeth every day for about two weeks. Results should start to show up after a handful of treatments.
3. Improve the Quality of Your Skin
Banana peels contain a lot of antioxidants that are great for your skin. To minimize the look of lines and wrinkles, simply rub a banana peel directly on the affected areas and leave the sticky residue for about 30 minutes before washing your face.
For all-over moisturizing, mash the peel into a paste, stir in one egg yolk, and spread the mixture evenly over your face and/or neck. Leave it for 5 minutes and then wash it off. The same treatment is also good for psoriasis, eczema, and pimples.
4. Get Better Sleep
Tryptophan is a natural chemical that supports the quality of sleep. Serotonin is a feel-good chemical that helps you relax. Banana peel has a good amount of both. So downing a banana peel before bed can go a long way towards ensuring an uninterrupted and productive night’s sleep. The serotonin in banana peel can also keep your mood even all day.
Of course, the benefit is reduced if you are made anxious by the idea of eating the peel, so again, scraping the inside or adding the peel to a smoothie can help that medicine go down.