We all know that the fruit of a banana is nutritious and delicious; however, most people don’t realize that there are many unique ways to repurpose banana peels. Before you toss your next peel in the trash, try putting it to use in one of these incredible ways.
Banana peels contain a significant amount of nutrients and can be utilized for various health benefits such as headache relief, tooth whitening, splinter, wart and skin tag removal, and more.
Banana peels are full of nutrients and minerals that make them ideal for use in beauty routines. They speed healing when used for first aid and have beneficial uses around the home and garden.
Headaches
The high levels of potassium in banana peels help to speed the healing of headaches, including hard to treat migraine headaches. Banana peels can help ease the pain of headaches, both topically and internally.
To reduce pain topically, place a frozen banana peel on the back of your neck as well as on your forehead, flesh side toward your skin. The potassium of the banana peel will soak into the skin, bringing relief from the headache.
To ingest the banana peel as a tea, cut the banana peel into small sections and boil with 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. Strain the peel and drink the tea that remains.
Acne
Banana peels contain soothing elements, fatty acids, and antioxidants that combat the inflammatory process of acne. The anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties in the peels also help in the fight against this skin ailment.
As part of your daily beauty routine, cut a one-inch piece of yellow banana peel. A green banana will not work here, and rub the peel’s flesh side on the area of your face affected by acne until the peel turns brown. Allow drying on your skin for roughly 30 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Repeat this process 2-3 times a day for best results. You will find your skin feeling moisturized, refreshed, and toned.
Why are banana peels so beneficial?
Banana peels contain countless nutritional benefits like magnesium, which reduces swelling, and potassium, which aids in removing waste. Their peels also contain manganese, which reduces inflammation, the mood booster tryptophan, lutein, which aids in eye health. They are also high in antioxidants and phytochemicals, which neutralize free radicals reducing damage. They are truly amazing!
Splinters
Banana peels offer several helpful first aid uses. Removing a tough wood splinter or sliver of glass from your skin can be made more comfortable using a ripened banana peel. Tape an appropriately sized banana piece, peel on the skin flesh side down where the splinter or sliver is for a period of 5 to 15 minutes to help draw it to the surface. Usually, a 1-inch piece of banana will do.
The healing enzymes that exist in the banana peel will aid in this process. If the fragment is very deep in the skin, hold the banana peel to the skin with surgical tape, and leave it overnight. In the morning, the splinter should appear in the flesh of the banana. If it does not, you can repeat the process over the course of a few nights with new sections of banana peel.
Rashes
The banana peel oils are also useful in providing itch relief against bug bites, rashes, poison ivy, psoriasis, and irritating sunburns. To find fast relief from skin irritations, rub the banana peel against the rash flesh side down. The riper the banana, the better. Then wrap the peel, still flesh side down, around the area where the rash or burn exists, and the peel will act to cool, soothe, and moisturize the skin.
Skin Tags
Banana peel enzymes and antioxidants are effective at dissolving and drying out skin tags. To remove skin tags naturally, cut a small banana peel section and place it flesh side down against the tag.
Using banana peelings will not cause the immediate removal of the skin tag, but it is known to be very effective over the course of a few nights. Hold the banana peel in place overnight with a bandage so that it can go to work drying the skin tag out. In the morning, gently remove the bandage and banana peel and wash with warm water. Repeat the process until the skin tag disappears.
If you find that after the first week, you don’t see results, take aspirin and grind it down, mortar and pestle style, and add the powder of the ground aspirin to the pulp of the banana peel. The salicylic acid in the aspirin can help speed the process when combined with the banana peel’s peel.
Weird but true, Banana Peels have been used as a solvent to cleanse wastewater of cyanide. Source
Which bananas are best to use?
For health remedies, organic bananas are best for use due to the lack of pesticides used when grown. These also tend to be richer in nutrients. If you do not have access to organic bananas, be sure to wash the bananas well.
Wart Removal
To remove a wart using a banana peel, wash the wart and the surrounding area. For warts, you want to use a banana that is still a bit green. Peel back the peel and scrape into the banana peel’s pulp until you have enough pulp to cover the wart. Secure it in place with a duct tape piece and leave it to work overnight for 6-8 hours.
Remove the tape and banana in the morning to allow the wart to breathe. File it down with a nail file or clippers and remove the wart’s blackened areas that are dying off. Repeat the process, applying another portion of banana peel and securing it in place with duct tape. Do this for up to 14 days until the wart has cleared.
Tooth Whitening
The minerals inside of banana peels have amazing whitening effects on teeth. Another great benefit is that unlike commercial tooth whitening strips, banana peels are neither abrasive nor irritating to the gumline. To lighten stains and brighten teeth:
- Choose a banana that is slightly brown to start.
- Wash the banana before use to remove any dirt or residue from the peel before it enters your mouth.
- Rub the fleshy side of the peel against your teeth for two minutes, and then leave the strip of the peel against your teeth for 20 minutes allowing the potassium, manganese, and magnesium in the peel to go to work.
- Remove the peel and brush, revealing your whitened smile.
Puffy Eye Circles
The potassium in banana peels helps to ease the inflammation that causes puffy eyes and dark undereye circles. The potassium in the peel draws salt away from the eyes and into the peel. To treat puffy eyes and undereye circles, cut two patches of banana peel large enough to cover the area and apply to the undereye area, flesh side down. Leave in place overnight and wake to look refreshed.
Reduce Fine Lines
Lutein and potassium found in banana peels are incredibly beneficial to the skin. For one, they help to fight the aging process.
The minerals in banana peel reduce fine lines and crows feet, but the nutrients in banana peels are powerful in protecting your skin by moisturizing and hydrating it, leaving it glowing and bright.
After eating your morning banana, rub the interior of the banana peel against your skin, and allow it to dry for about twenty minutes. Then rinse with warm water and continue your usual morning routine.
Free Fertilizer
Fill a pitcher with as many banana peels as you can fit. Add water to just above the banana peel line. Allow the mixture to soak for a few days, out of direct sunlight, so that the water can soak up all of the nutrients from the banana peel.
This mixture of banana peel and water makes an excellent and free fertilizer for any seedlings. Ensure the bananas are submerged and out of sunlight to inhibit the growth of mold in your fertilizer.
Alternatively, place a banana peel in a mason jar and fill with water. Cap the jar and let it set undisturbed overnight. In the morning, pour the water at the base of a tomato plant. The plants will welcome the boost of potassium and you’ll soon see a burst of new blossoms!
Sleep Aid
The high amounts of magnesium and potassium in banana peels are natural muscle relaxers and the amino acid L-tryptophan. To create a tea from banana peels to help aid in healthy sleep:
- Cut your banana peel into small pieces and boil for 10-15 minutes in 3 cups of water.
- Strain the banana tea into a mug and place the peels to the side.
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the tea, and drink an hour before bed.
An alternate recipe is to boil the entire banana, cutting it lengthwise, into the water and follow the same process. It is imperative to use only organic bananas and wash them thoroughly before making tea. Boiled pieces of banana peel also work well as a sleep aid.
Shoe Shine
Rub the inside of your banana peel against your shoes using circular motions, as you would regular shoe polish. Do not worry about any bits of banana flesh being left behind on your shoes. Once your footwear has been fully shined, buff with an old t-shirt, removing any leftover bits of banana in the process. The oils in the peel will leave behind a beautiful shine.
Splinter Removal
There’s nothing worse than feeling a sharp pain every time you brush your hand over a splinter. But before you reach for the tweezers, consider using a banana peel to remove the splinter painlessly. That’s right, the same fruit that’s beloved for its sweetness and creamy texture can also be used as a natural remedy for splinters.
The process is simple: just place a small piece of banana peel over the affected area and secure it in place with a bandage. Leave it on for several hours, or even overnight if possible. The enzymes in the banana peel will help to soften the skin and draw out the splinter.
When you remove the bandage, the splinter should come out easily without any pain. So next time you’re dealing with a pesky splinter, reach for a banana peel instead of the tweezers.
You’ll Never Throw Away Banana Peels After Watching This
Tried one or more of these banana peel repurpose tricks? Mention @Budget101com or tag #Budget101