In this part of the world we tend to view the yellow skin of the banana as a protective packaging for the good stuff inside, but there’s a chance we might be doing it all wrong.
In other countries, banana fans have been eating the entire fruit, peel included, for years. They boil it, dry it and pickle it to make it more palatable, and some even see it as a health elixir for depression and insomnia.
So is there some method to this madness?
Nutritionally speaking, yes: The skin of a banana is packed with cholesterol-reducing fibre, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, potassium and magnesium. It’s also a great source of tryptophan, which the body uses to make mood-boosting serotonin and cancer-destroying anti-carcinogenic compounds.
Our advice? If you fancy consuming your banana peel, wash it well and then blitz it into smoothies a piece at a time. Alternatively, you could try:
Soothing banana-peel tea: Chop the ends off a whole banana, cover with water in a small pot and boil for ten minutes.
Baked banana: Chop the ends off a banana, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake at 200′ for 15 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt.
Do you eat banana skins? Let us know on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
