What to Do with Banana Peels for Skin, Sleep, and More
Key Takeaways
Banana peels boast surprising uses beyond the compost pile. They can help keep cooked chicken moist, soothe itchy skin, and even polish silverware.
Rich in nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and vitamins, banana peels can nourish your garden as fertilizer, become a healthy addition to banana bread, or help with acne.
By using banana peels instead of throwing them away, you can minimize food waste and contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Ideas for What to Do with Banana Peels
For many of us, bananas are a go-to snack, breakfast staple, or a key ingredient in countless recipes. But what about the peel?
Most people toss it straight in the trash without a second thought. As it turns out, throwing away banana peels might just be a mistake.
Not only are they biodegradable, but banana peels offer a surprising number of uses that can benefit your health, home, garden, and even your beauty routine.
Plus, reusing them instead of throwing them away helps reduce food waste and can lessen your environmental impact.
So, let's look at what to do with banana peels - and the uses might surprise you.
1. Moister Chicken, More Flavorful Results
Your first question might be: are banana peels edible? While the answer is technically yes, you won't be eating them with your chicken in this case.
Chicken can become dry and tough if not cooked right. Banana peels come to the rescue! Their high moisture content creates steam when roasted with chicken, keeping it juicy and flavorful.
Simply tear the peels in half and place them skin-side down in the pan with your chicken.
2. Soothe Itchy Skin from Bug Bites, Poison Ivy, or Sunburn
Banana peels for skin can be great contain natural anti-inflammatory compounds. The inner side of the peel can be used to provide relief from the itchiness caused by bug bites, poison ivy, or sunburn. Just rub the peel directly on the affected area.
However, for poison ivy or other irritant plants, washing the affected area with rubbing alcohol or prescribed medications is always the first course of action.
3. Shine Up Your Tarnished Silverware
Forget harsh chemical polishes! Banana peels are a natural and effective way to bring back the shine to your tarnished silver. Blend a few peels with a little water to create a paste.
Apply the paste with a cloth and buff the tarnish away. Rinse and dry your silverware to reveal a sparkling finish.
4. Give Your Plants a Nutrient Boost
Banana peels are a treasure trove of nutrients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus – all essential for healthy plant growth.
They can be chopped up and added to your compost pile or directly to the soil around your plants.
5. Create Your Own Natural Liquid Fertilizer
For a potassium boost, you can create a homemade liquid fertilizer using banana peels. Soak chopped peels in a container of water for a few days.
The potassium will leach out into the water, creating a nutrient-rich solution for your plants.
6. Bake a More Nutritious and Moist Banana Cake
We know the answer to can you eat banana peels, and you can also add them to your cake batter for a boost of moisture, nutrients, and a subtle banana flavor.
Simply wash and puree an organic banana peel before adding it to your batter.
7. Give Your Shoes a Quick Shine in a Pinch
No time for shoe polish?
The potassium in banana peels can also work wonders on scuffed shoes. Buff the peel over the surface of your shoes and then polish with a dry cloth.
8. Illuminate Your Skin Naturally
Banana peels are rich in antioxidants like vitamins A and C, which can help keep your skin healthy and glowing.
Unripe banana peels are particularly high in these nutrients and silica, which plays a role in collagen production.
Rub the inside of an unripe banana peel on your face and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing.
While not a replacement for serums, it's a natural and affordable way to give your skin a boost.
9. Plant-Based Bacon Alternative
Looking for a delicious plant-based alternative to bacon?
Believe it or not, marinated banana peels can be surprisingly convincing!
Slice the peels, marinate them in a blend of savory spices and sauces, and then bake or fry them until crispy.
10. Naturally Induce Sleep
Bananas are a natural source of sleep-promoting nutrients like tryptophan, potassium, and magnesium. While the scientific evidence for banana peel tea as a sleep aid is limited, some swear by its effectiveness.
To make a cup, boil an organic banana peel in water for 10 minutes, remove the peel, and enjoy the tea.
11. Fight Acne Breakouts
Early research suggests that banana peels may have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can help reduce acne.
To try this remedy, rub the inside of a ripe banana peel on your cleansed face, leave it on for several hours, and repeat for a few days.
12. Reduce Food Waste and Help the Environment
Every year, millions of tons of banana peels end up in landfills, contributing to methane gas emissions.
By reusing banana peels instead of throwing them away, you can help reduce food waste and lessen your environmental impact.
So next time you reach for a banana, don't just toss the peel! With a little creativity, you can find a multitude of uses for this versatile and surprisingly beneficial waste product.