Banana Peel Uses
With more than 100 billion bananas consumed each year globally, there’s plenty of peels leftover. So here are seven creative ways to use banana peels instead of throwing them into the trash.
Gardening
According to the Environmental Defense Fund, bananas produce methane gas 84 times more intense than carbon dioxide; therefore, you can use them for gardening or composting. In addition, Inhabitat recommends wrapping the banana peels around the base of plants to create soil that slowly releases micronutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which is vital for plants. This can result in roses and other flowering plants producing more prominent, beautiful blooms when they absorb this fertilizer.
In addition, you can also soak your banana peels in water overnight to create a solution for indoor plants. The mixture should be five parts regular water to one part banana-peel water. Another way to make homemade organic liquid fertilizer involves fermenting bananas with brown sugar, and it’s surprisingly easy to do.
Homemade Bug Repellent and Remedy
According to Inhabitat, you can build a homemade bug trap from used banana peels. It’s simple. All you will need is one banana peel and a plastic bucket with a lid. Start by puncture a few holes in the top and place the banana peel inside the container. The sweet banana scent will attract small bugs, and soon enough, they’ll fly straight into your trap.
Furthermore, if you’re feeling itchy from a bug bite or have developed a rash, Healthline advises rubbing a banana peel directly onto your skin. This will help eliminate the itchiness and can encourage the healing process.
Skin Care
Banana peels can stand next to your face wash and cream. Bright Side recommends taking the fleshy side of the banana peel and rubbing it directly on your face. Leave it there for 10 minutes, and then wash your face. Including this in your daily routine can reduce acne and scars within a week or two.
Advocates of banana peels for skincare claim rubbing a banana peel on your face could brighten skin and reduce wrinkles, or placing a banana peel on closed eyes could reduce puffiness.
Splinter Removal
You can use banana peel to remove a splinter without causing pain. If you have a splinter, apply a peel to the wounded area, tape it down if needed, and let it sit there for around thirty minutes. According to Bright Side, the banana peel contains enzymes that help bring the fragment to the surface of your skin, allowing you to remove it with a tweezer easily.
Low-Cost Polish
You can polish leather, such as shoes, furniture, and purses, by rubbing the inside of the banana peel onto it until they are shiny and free from marks.
They can polish silver too! The potassium inside the banana peel can help clean metal objects. When your silver loses its shine or begins to tarnish, you can make a paste out of banana peels; here’s how:
- Place banana peels into a blender.
- Add half a cup of water.
- Blend until it becomes a paste.
- Finally, rub your silver with the paste for a few minutes.
Cooking With Peels
Including banana peels in your roasting pan while you cook meat or fish will moisten it while it cooks. This will result in more tender meat because the peels act as a “blanket” for the meat, preventing the moisture from evaporating.
Eating Peels
Banana peels are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, and believe it or not – they are edible. To make them easier to digest, Healthline advises boiling the banana peel in water for 10 minutes, then adding it to a blender. Next, you can create refreshing smoothies by blended the peels with strawberries, mangos, and bananas.
The Takeaway
Previous research indicates that banana peel may have beneficial properties for use in the pharmaceutical and food industries. However, many methods are based on folk remedies and are not supported by clinical research. Therefore, if you’re considering using banana peels for health or cosmetic purposes, it’s advised to discuss it with your healthcare provider.
