10 Benefits and Uses of Banana Peels: Never Throw Away Your Banana Skin

We normally eat a banana and throw the peel away without realizing the banana peel uses. It sounds strange, but there are several benefits of banana peels in everyday usage. Check out these home remedies using banana peel and reap the amazing results.

Bananas are an excellent fruit full of nutrition, loaded with potassium, and they also come packaged well. They are regulars at most dining tables all over the world. They are available throughout the year and are a favorite fruit. As for banana peel nutrition, they contain a lot of antioxidants and minerals, along with vitamins and enzymes so hang on to them.

Let’s Check Out The Top 10 Uses For Banana Peels

1. Shiny Teeth – Banana Skin Teeth Whitening

Whiten your teeth dramatically and cheaply using banana peel!

• Just rub your teeth using the inside portion of the banana peel for a few minutes and lo and behold! You will find all stains gone and it makes your teeth several shades whiter.
• The peels contain plenty of vitamins and minerals that are safe and good for the teeth.
• They are not abrasive like other commercial whiteners and also come at a cheaper price.

Tip: You can brush your teeth with toothpaste and then use the banana peel or vice versa.

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2. Removing Warts – Uses of Banana Peel

We’d all love to get rid of those ugly warts on our skin. Sometimes, they disappear on their own, but there are also several over the counter remedies available as well. Banana peels are an excellent natural remedy to get rid of those unsightly warts.

• Cut out a small square from a fresh banana peel, around one to two inches in length and breadth. This should be sufficient to cover the wart.
• Cover the wart with the square banana peel with the inside part facing the wart.
• Stick it on using tape and leave it on overnight
• Remove in the morning and continue doing this till the wart disappear, which could be around a month or so, depending on how severe the wart is.

Note: The treatment is most effective if you use a ripe banana, so don’t use green banana peels.

Tip: To enhance the benefit, you can add some tea tree oil on the wart before covering with banana peel. Tea tree oil is a powerful anti fungal substance.

3. Removing Splinters

It can be quite a task to remove a sliver of glass or a splinter from your skin. Most of us go directly for that sterilized needle, which is quite painful or just go to the doctor. Well, there’s a simpler way with banana peels.

• Banana peels contain enzymes that draw foreign matter from inside to the skin surface.
• Cut out a small square piece from the peel of a ripe banana and use it to cover the area with the pulpy side facing the skin.

Tip: Store the rest of the peel in the refrigerator, in case you need to apply it again.

• Use surgical tape to keep the peel in place.
• Leave it on overnight on the skin
• By morning, the splinter should be on the skin surface. At times, it might also come out sticking on to the banana peel itself.
• Once it is pulled to the surface of the skin, you can use tweezers to pull the splinter or glass sliver out from the skin.

Note: In addition to removing the splinter safely, the antioxidants and Vitamin B6 present in the banana peel help the skin to heal as well.

• Also Read – 10 Incredible Health Benefits of Drinking Warm Lemon Water

4. Eating Banana Peels

The peel has a lot of vitamin B6; B12; magnesium; potassium; fiber; and protein. You might wonder how to eat the thick and rather bitter banana peel! Here’s how:

• Blend the banana peel to get banana peel extract and make it into a smoothie. You can also boil it for a few minutes to get more nutrients and antioxidants and then put it into a juicer along with other fruits.

Tip: Clean the peel well to remove all traces of pesticides.

• Alternatively, you can fry; bake or just boil it for a few minutes to break up the fiber and reduce the tough texture. It will then be easier to eat.
• Make banana vinegar and add it to your salads.
• You can also add them to stews; soups; jams and so on.

Tip: Make sure to use the peel of a ripe banana, as the skin is thinner and sweeter, due to the presence of a hormone called ethylene released when it ripens.

5. Treating Hemorrhoids

In this condition, the veins near the anus and rectum get swollen, become itchy and even bleed at times. They can be inside as well as on the outer skin on the anus area. The banana peel has anti inflammatory characteristics and can reduce swelling as well as pain.

• Apply the banana peel on the hemorrhoids and secure the area with a bandage.
• Use a ripe banana peel and apply it directly on the hemorrhoid.
• Place it and fix it using a band aid to keep it on. Leave it on overnight.
• Change the peel after 12 hours.

Note: The hemorrhoid normally disappears within a week if used regularly.

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6. Benefits of Banana Peel for Skin

You can use the banana peel as a face mask; banana peel for acne and pimples, dark circles, banana peel for face for reducing wrinkles; insect bites and for treating psoriasis.

• Check out this banana skin face mask for acne and how to use banana peel for pigmentation as well. Take a small piece of banana peel and rub the inner pulpy side on the acne affected area till the inside peel changes to brown color. The skin absorbs the nutrients of the peel. Leave it on for about half an hour till it dries and then wash it off. You can also do this overnight.

(Pic Source: wikihow.com)

Note: Banana peel contains esterified fatty acids, which are used in Exorex lotion for treating both psoriasis and eczema.

• Take the white fibers on the peel by scraping it on the surface. Mix it with Aloe Vera gel and apply the paste around your eyes, while you relax for 15 minutes. You can use banana peel for dark circles. It moisturizes the skin and gets rids of dark circles; puffiness and bags under the eyes.
• You can use banana peels for wrinkles as well. Peel the banana skin and rub the inner fleshy part in circular motions over the wrinkles. Leave the banana peel on face overnight and wash your face in the morning.

Tip: Make a face mask mixing banana peel with egg yolk and applying to the face for removing wrinkles and preventing ageing.

• You can also use banana peel for skin problems. Treat psoriasis or scaly patches on the skin with banana peel. It contains antiseptic characteristics that can ease the symptoms. Prepare a past of banana peel combined with coal tar and apply to the affected area, leaving it on for about half an hour before washing off. You can also rub banana peel alone on the affected area till the peel turns brown.
• The sugars present in the peel can draw out the fluids from mosquito bites. Sanitize the skin and rub the inside of the peel on the affected area.

7. Banana Skin for Hair

Banana skin contains folic acid, which can add shine to your hair. It also keeps the hair well moisturized and the potassium and other oils in the skin keep your hair healthy.

• Place the peels in your shampoo or your hair conditioner and then use it as usual. This is one way to use banana peel for hair regrowth.
• Alternatively, make a hair mask by putting the banana peels in a blender and applying to the hair. Leave it on for half an hour and then wash it off. This is among the best banana peel uses for hair.

Read – What Causes Red Hair: Captivating Facts About Origin of Redheads

8. Banana Peel Fertilizer For Your Garden

Banana peels can make great fertilizers for your plants, as they contain plenty of potassium; phosphorous as well as calcium and minerals that your plants need.

• Fill mason jars with water and add the banana peel to it. Let it remain for two days. Remove the peel and water the plants using the banana peel tea water. This is one of the best banana tea benefits.
• Add pieces of banana peel( chop them up preferably) directly to roses and other plants.
• Toss the peels in your compost pile to get a rich banana peel compost.
• Dry the peels and then grind them. Add to your fertilizer. You can also mix it with Epsom salt, powdered egg shells and water to make a banana spray for your plants.
• Polish leaves of household plants with banana peel. Use it to repel aphids on your plants.

(Image: mamabee.com)

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9. Shine Silver and Leather

All you need are a rag cloth, a blender and banana peels.

• Blend a few banana peels with water to make a paste.
• Use a cloth or brush and apply the paste on the silver. Rub it all over then wash it off.
• As for your shoes, rub the peel all over the shoes to remove the scuffs. Take a soft cloth and remove residues. Now, you’re all ready to hit the town in your new fruity shoes!

10. Pain Relief

Bitten by a bug or a mosquito. Not to worry! Banana peels are here to rescue you.

• Massage the affected area with a banana peel to get instant relief from a bug or a mosquito bite.

Note: According to the Pain Research Institute, banana peel can be used in various medicinal purposes, including as an analgesic.

• Have a headache? Apply a banana peel to the forehead and at the back of the neck to get instant relief.

Wrap Up

Bananas are very tasty and also rich in Vitamin B6 as well as pectin and potassium, which can help you combat free radicals, prevent type 2 diabetes and also provide stimulation to the nervous system. But now that you know the benefits of the banana peel, it makes the fruit all the more valuable for health. So think twice before you casually throw away a banana peel into the trash bin the next time.