Have You Ever Wondered What Banana Peels Are Capable of? Know It All Here!

Do you love to eat sweet and soft fruit bananas? You are quite likely to say Yes, or maybe No if the fruit does not appeal to your taste buds. So let me ask me this- Do you like eating banana peels? LOL! I know you might think I’m nuts, but people do eat them because of their nutritional value, health benefits, and fibrous nature.  

The bananas are rich in calcium, potassium, iron, carbs, and Vitamin A & C. However, banana peels are safe to eat and offer additional nutrients such as Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Fiber, and Protein. In addition, the level of ripeness may also affect the health benefits a banana or banana peel would offer.

You might still say no, but my banana peel haters, let me tell you something about the healthy and unique benefits of these banana peels. 

1. Banana Peels Help in Improving Your Mood

Depression becomes a part of everyone’s life; it comes and goes. Banana peels can encourage serotonin that makes you feel happy and energized. Vitamin B6 in banana peels helps improve sleep and thus positively affects mood too.  

2. They are Healthy for Your Heart

Banana peel is richer in soluble or insoluble fiber like the banana pulp itself. These fibers help lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart diseases.

3. They Help Maintain Your Weight and Keep You Slim and Fit

The skin of the banana is loaded with nutrients and fibers and is low in calories. It protects the accumulation of additional pounds around your waistline.

4. They Increase Your Potassium Level

It is rich in the potassium content, which helps in balancing the acid regulation in your body. 

5. They Help You Get Perfect Sleep 

The skin of bananas is rich in tryptophan compound, which is a necessary amino acid to get a good night’s sleep. 

6. They Prevent Lethal Diseases Like Cancer

Banana peels include compounds like polyphenols, carotenoids, and other antioxidants that have the power to protect from the cancer-causing free radicals and cells that cause cancerous tumors. 

The riper, blackened bananas are shown to aid white blood cells in fighting off disease and infection. It is found that the green, unripe peels can increase your antioxidant levels and help reduce your cancer risk.

The studies on the anti-cancer properties of banana peels were conducted in test tubes and not humans. However, more research is needed to learn about how banana peels can help lower cancer risk in people.

7. They Guard Your Red Blood Cells’ Breakage

These blood cells can deliver oxygen to your body tissues, and banana peels help guard the breakage of red blood cells.

8. They Enhance Your Vision

Lutein is the yellow pigment that improves night vision, and the banana skin is rich in it. Also, vitamin A, which is in abundance in bananas & their peels, keeps the eyes strong and healthy. Thus it helps in enhancing your vision.

9. They Help Relieve Depression

Bananas have high levels of tryptophan and Vit. B6 is rich in banana peels, which can help relieve depression and other mood disorders. Tryptophan turns into serotonin as it breaks down, thus improving the mood.   

10. They Aid Digestive Health 

The fiber-rich banana peels can regulate the digestive system and relieve constipation as well as diarrhea. It can be specifically beneficial for people with Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome. The underripe, green bananas are known to be more effective in treating digestive issues.

Concluding Thoughts 

Some of the great ways to consume banana peel are making delicious smoothies, baking it with cinnamon and sugar, turning it into banana vinegar & adding it to salads, and frying and caramelizing it to use as an ice cream topping.

Not only their health and nutritional benefits, but we must also pay heed to its environmental benefits. So let’s minimize this waste of banana peels by consuming them in the most delicious ways and prevent them from being dumped into landfills.