What is the first thing you do after peeling a banana? You throw away the peel because you have no need for the yellow skin, or so you thought. Bananas provide you with potassium, magnesium, fiber, vitamin B6, manganese, and vitamin C, but as it turns out, the peels exhibit impressive health benefits. In fact, you can use the peels to help whiten teeth, clear up acne, boost hair health, and much more. Learn about the best banana peel uses in this article!
The banana peel is the outer shell of the banana fruit. Every banana peel has some nutritional value, but the nutritional profile may differ depending on the variety and maturity of the fruit. Generally speaking, the peel contains protein, fiber, amino acids, antioxidants, iron, and calcium. Additionally, the nutritional value and health benefits of the peel will vary depending on the fruit’s maturity. Peels also contain phytochemicals and antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, which benefit the teeth, skin, hair, and more. Read on to see how banana peels can benefit your health.
Banana Peels May Whiten Your Teeth
A 2015 study found that banana peels demonstrated antibacterial activity against bacteria that cause periodontal diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis. The bacteria that banana peels were effective against were P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans. This study, and other studies for that matter, haven’t focused on directly applying banana peels to teeth. That said, practitioners of natural healing claim that rubbing the inside of a banana peel on your teeth is great for teeth and gum health.
Banana Peels Soothe Your Skin
The anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties in banana peels may help soothe the skin. According to research, the banana peel may relieve symptoms of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Banana peels may also relieve bug bites, skin irritations, and sunburns. Other studies indicate that the antimicrobial activity of banana peel may inhibit the growth of infection-causing bacteria.
Banana Peels Polish Your Shoes
Forget about messy shoe polish that may stain your towels, clothes, and skin. Banana peels are the all-natural shoe polish to keep your leather or faux leather shoes shiny and looking good. All you have to do is rub the inside of the peel on the shoes and watch the scuffs disappear. Buff and wipe any banana peel residue off your shoes with a soft cloth and your shoes will be ready for date night!
Banana Peels Enhance Compost
If you are going to discard banana peels, don’t simply toss them in the trash. Adding them to a compost bin, or simply chopping them and burying them in the dirt, can help enhance your garden. If you don’t want to bury them in the dirt, you can soak the banana peel in water for a day, and then pour that water into the soil. The banana peel water almost acts as natural fertilizer because the nutrients infuse into the water.
Banana Peels Reduce Under Eye Puffiness
A lot of beauty and skin care products contain banana or banana peel, or a tincture made from banana. The peels work to brighten and soften the skin because they contain vitamin E, which may help fade dark spots and scars. The potent antioxidants in the peels also work to protect against oxidative damage, which can accelerate aging. Cut the banana peels into smaller pieces and place them under your eyes for 15-30 minutes. Rinse with an everyday cleanser and you’ll notice the difference in your eye appearance.
Banana Peels May Purify Water
This sounds crazy, but it may be useful if you are ever in a survival situation, have a banana peel, and need clean water. Researchers noted that minced banana peels were able to remove lead and copper from river water. For that reason, researchers deemed banana peels a low-cost tool for purification, but more research is necessary.
Banana Peels May Remove Warts
As mentioned earlier, banana peels may relieve inflammation and irritation from inflammatory skin issues. Some people claim that banana peels may help get rid of warts. The reason for this is because the peel’s enzymes penetrate the root of the wart, while the moisture from the peel softens the wart. Tape a small piece of banana peel inside-down over the wart and leave it on overnight. Continue to do this and the wart should be history in three weeks.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
