This Is Why You Should Put Banana Peels On Your Skin
Stop throwing away your banana peels!
This crazy banana peel hack has many anti-aging benefits that I bet you didn’t know about.
Not many people know that bananas can moisturize your skin, providing subtle anti-aging benefits. On top of that, bananas are antioxidizing and antibacterial meaning any wounds, acne, or skin conditions will benefit from these properties.
Rather than looking crazy by rubbing banana peels all over your face, as the trend suggested, turn those banana peels you’ve been throwing out into a moisturizing healing mask for your skin! But first, as you might know, there are many types of bananas. So, can you put just any banana species on your face? Let’s find out.
What are the Health Benefits of Banana Peels?
Types of Banana Species
Bananas come in various types and species, over 1,000 to give you an idea, each with its unique characteristics. The most commonly consumed variety is the Cavendish banana, known for its sweet flavor and creamy texture. Another popular type is the plantain, which is larger and starchier than the Cavendish and is often cooked before eating.
Some lesser-known banana species include the Lady Finger banana, which is smaller and sweeter, and the Burro banana, known for its lemon-like flavor. Red bananas, with their reddish-purple skin and sweet taste, offer a unique twist on the traditional yellow banana.
What are Bananas Used For?
Bananas are incredibly versatile and have multiple uses beyond being a delicious fruit. In the culinary world, they are commonly enjoyed fresh, blended into smoothies, baked into bread and muffins, or sliced over cereal. Bananas can also be dried into chips or pureed into baby food.
If you’re giving your baby bananas (or any fruit, really), just keep an eye on the portion sizes. Eating too much can spike blood sugar levels, which might lead to some health issues down the line.
Your heart is literally the only thing that keeps you alive. It’s insane how some people don’t realize that. And even if they do, they do nothing about it. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood, which can weaken the heart over time. It also damages blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
Herbs like Hawthorn, Tulsi (Holy Basil), Fenugreek and Bilberry are your go-to remedies to support heart health by managing your blood pressure. If you cannot get those herbs easily from a trusted source, you can get a ready-made tincture here.
Outside of the kitchen, banana peels have various non-culinary purposes. Adding banana peels to gardening compost is a common practice in agriculture, to enrich soil with nutrients. Banana peels also work as an alternative to traditional paper, the fibers are used to make textiles, paper, and even eco-friendly packaging materials.
When it comes to the health of your skin, banana peels can be used as a natural, gentle exfoliator and moisturizer. The vitamins and minerals in bananas help hydrate the skin, leaving it soft and smooth. Bananas are also a popular ingredient in hair masks and treatments for these cosmetic benefits and moisturizing properties.
The vitamins and natural oils in bananas help condition and soften the hair, leaving it nice and shiny. Frequent use of banana hair masks can help improve your hair texture and lessen bad hair days.
Ever noticed how everyone’s hair in the 90s looked amazing… so rich, healthy, and full of life? Or how herbalists always seem to have the most perfect hair in their photos? I came across an interview with a famous herbalist, and guess what… She revealed the long-forgotten Hair-Growth Serum. I’ll leave a link for you here.
The Health Benefits are Bananas
Phenolic compounds found in banana peels, specifically ferulic acid, are antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory, which work together to aid a variety of skin disorders such as acne, dermatitis, eczema, and premature aging by fighting free radicals and bacteria, as well as reducing inflammation.
The antibacterial activity in banana peels is active against certain skin infections including Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Staph, and Bacillus, which can affect skin and soft tissues. By now you can imagine why you should be using banana peels in your first aid kit.’
The downside to keeping bananas around is their short shelf life—they spoil quickly, start to smell bad and lose their potency over time. But there’s another powerful plant from the wilderness that our ancestors relied on: Usnea.
My mom used to forage this lichen and use it to disinfect surfaces whenever one of us kids got sick, protecting the rest of the family. Even today, herbalists turn to these tried-and-true remedies as a natural alternative to chemical-filled disinfectants that can dry out and irritate your skin.
For my family, a Usnea Tincture Spray is our go-to for staying safe from bacteria and viruses.
Cavendish banana peels (the one you threw out this morning) contain antioxidants that help protect cells from damage. This species is a good source of essential nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6.
Also included inside bananas are carotenoids such as a-carotene, b-carotene, and b-cryptoxanthin, with yellow or orange flesh-colored banana species, like Cavendish, being richer in trans-b-carotene.
High levels of carotenoids are found in healthy, nourished skin, and high levels of antioxidants prevent premature aging skin. Kepok bananas are the most moisturizing of banana species, however, they are difficult to find and might not be found in most countries.
⇒ Top 10 Fruits Americans Eat Weekly That Are Heavily Sprayed with Pesticides
How to Use Banana Peels on Your Skin
Unripe banana peels contain higher antibacterial activity and moisturizing properties than ripe or overripe. This makes sense since as the banana ripens, the pulp leeches all of the nutritional benefits from the peel, leaving the peel brown in the end with a highly nutritious fruit inside.
It’s important to get the peel’s nutrients before the pulp does, so be sure to use a green or close to green colored banana peel for this recipe.
The oats in this recipe are used mainly to stiffen the end result, keeping it from being too runny and able to stay on your skin as a mask. Specifically powdered oats are used to keep the mask from clumping and falling off your skin.
Oats are also highly nutritious for your skin and are moisturizing. Honey is used for its medicinal and moisturizing properties as well, but it adds a nice scent and silky feel to the product and your skin or hair.
Since this mask is beneficial for your entire body (and your hair!), this recipe should make enough for you to slather it all over. Start at your toes and work your way up to your face, this way by the time you have covered your entire body, your lower half should be dry and you can start to draw a bath.
Honey Oat Banana Mask Recipe (for hair and body)
Ingredients
Ingredients- 4 green/ripe large Bananas
- 2 tablespoons of Honey
- 2 tablespoons of Powdered Oats (optional exfoliant)
- 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon (optional)
Note: If you add oats to this recipe, you may need to add some water or liquid coconut oil/olive oil to moisten the mixture. When you make this recipe it should be used within 2-3 days. You can use it as often as you’d like, even include it in your everyday routine.
Instructions
- Eat the bananas or store them for a recipe like Banana Bread that you can make later.
- Chop up the banana peels into smaller 1-2 inch pieces, leaving out the stem and hard ends.
- Put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until it has a smooth and creamy texture, uniform without lumps or clumps.
- Transport the mixture to a sealable container for its final use.
- Let rest for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Stir the mixture and get to slathering!
Fun fact
Did you know a banana is botanically a berry?
This moisturizing recipe works wonders, but sometimes the banana smell can be a bit overpowering—so only go for it if you’re okay with that. When I’m short on time or can’t find organic bananas nearby, I go for the easier (and honestly my favorite) option: a lavender-scented salve that smells absolutely divine.
I’ve been using it lately whenever my skin cracks from the cold or after my cat scratches my hands. It speeds up healing and leaves a really nice, soothing feeling afterward. Here’s the official review I left on the product.
What are the white and brown powders you added to the green banana cut peals before you purée peels?
Powdered oats! Sylvia
How long do you leave this on your face? Thanks!