Bananas are lesser-known superfoods. Everyone knows they’re unimpeachable potassium sources, but they’re actually nutrient-rich like few other fruits.
It comes as no surprise that banana peels are healthy too. After all, the same nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in the fruit are present in the peels.
Rich in phenolics, bioactive compounds, and vitamins, banana peels are good for your health, but you’ll soon discover they’re also handy to have around the house. Here are 14 surprising things banana peels can do for you.
#14 – Can Polish Silver
Banana peels have salts like potassium, and also citric acid, which react with each other to clean metals, including silver. An excellent cleaner without being abrasive, your silverware and jewelry will recover their bling, and you don’t even have to use protective gloves.
#13 – Reduce Skin Soreness
Compounds in banana peels have anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce skin soreness caused by irritation or sunburns. The moisturizing abilities of the peels can also make your skin relax and reduce redness and inflammation.
Apply the still moist peels over the sore skin and let it sit for a few minutes.
#12 – Make your Hair Shine
Because banana peels have so many nutrients and vitamins, they can restore your hair and bring back its natural shine.
Grind them into a paste to make a hair mask and apply fifteen minutes before taking a shower. You’ll notice results immediately, and it’s not only the looks, your hair will also feel softer.
#11 – Keep Your Teeth Healthy
Banana peels have antibiotic properties and can help avoid mouth maladies like gingivitis and cavities. Make your peels into a paste and apply it directly to your teen before washing them. Banana peels can also freshen your breath.
#10 – Reduce the Visibility of Scars and Acne
Since banana peels have vitamin C and D, and lots of polyphenols and carotenoids, there’s anecdotal proof of scars fading after constant treatment. Small scars like the ones caused by acne will fade faster.
Apply moist banana peel paste over the scar and leave overnight. Repeat until you see results.
#9 – Are Great for Plants
Plants love banana peels, especially their leaves. This is a well-kept secret but rubbing banana peels to plant leaves will give them a shiny, clean look and add vitality to them. This is particularly useful for large-leaf house plants.
#8 – And for Composting Too
Not only the plant leaves, but the roots can enjoy all the healthy compounds in banana peels. Add them to your compost or simply bury the peels in between your plants to see them grow healthy.
Banana peels might also keep insects away, and a fertilizer that also protects the plants from pests is every gardener’s dream.
#7 – Brighten Your Skin
Banana peels have lots of vitamin C and vitamin E, which are often used in makeup and moisturizing creams because they make your skin soft and shiny.
Antioxidants in banana peels can also repair damaged skin cells and even erase a few wrinkles.
#6 – Can Help You Ripen Other Fruit
Here’s a handy trick. If you have unripe fruit like apples or avocados, put them inside a paper bag along with a banana. The natural gas emanating from the fast-ripening yellow fruit will ripen all surrounding fruit. Leave them overnight over the counter and see the fantastic results.
#5 – Can Make a Great Cup of Tea
By adding banana peels to hot water, you’re leaching all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals which are easily dissolved in water. This makes an excellent tea that tastes quite good too!
Dried banana peels work best, and have long shelf lives, so store them in a mason jar and make banana tea whenever you want.
#4 – Relieve the Itch
Mosquito bites and common garden rashes can be quickly relieved by applying moist banana peels or banana peel paste over the affected area. Banana peels are suitable for the skin but also have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s an all-natural remedy too.
#3 – Can Shine Your Shoes in a Hurry
Rubbing banana peels on your shoes, mainly over leather, will lift the material’s color and add a beautiful shiny look that will last all day. Do this only when you have no other alternative because banana peels are organic matter and might attract bugs.
#2 – You can Bake with Them
You might not know this, but banana peels are edible, especially when part of a baking project. Banana bread and banana muffins rely on baked banana peels to add flavor and texture, and they come with lots of added health benefits.
#1 – They Make Lovely Sweet Treats
In case you’re craving for something sweet, banana peels can be candied by boiling them with sugary water and baking them for a crunchy all-natural snack.
Add Bananas to Your Grocery List Today
They are not only an excellent food, but bananas are also great to have around, so make sure you always have a few of them sitting on the counter. You never know when you’ll need its extraordinary peels.
Resourcefulness is a virtue, and all-natural products can substitute store-bought with similar, or better results. Who knew banana peels were so useful?
