Where does your banana peels usually end up? Well, after reading this article, you may want to try for yourself making a banana peel tea.

Let’s admit it, banana peels always go down the bin or at your compost pile. But do you know that by doing that, you are likely throwing away tons of health benefits that you could be taking advantage of?

In some countries, like India, people there have been enjoying the health benefits from the nutrients in banana peels for decades. Well, of course, you won’t be eating the peels outright because the skin is slightly bitter and thick, which makes it not so inviting to eat.

So how do we take in the nutrients from those peels anyway? We do that by heating. Heat actually helps break down fiber and loosen up the tough texture of the peel making it easier to digest. Just boil it for at least 10 minutes and enjoy your tea. It is by far the best way to get those important nutrients.

Let’s take a look at what you’ve been missing if you just throw away those precious peels.

1. Weight Loss Support

So you want to shed some extra pounds? You can do that by drinking banana peel tea. Banana peels contain high amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber that slows down the digestion process and increase feelings of fullness. Sipping a warm banana peel tea during a meal not only makes you eat less, but it also prevents you from having those in-between meal cravings making you consume fewer calories overall.

The peel also contains as much as 40% of the potassium your body needs each day in addition to all that healthy fiber making your body speed up metabolism. When your metabolism is up and running like it should be, you burn more calories without you knowing it.

2. Cancer Prevention

Another wonderful benefit you can get from banana peel tea is protection against cancer. It contains anti-carcinogenic compounds as well as cytoprotective and anti-mutagenic properties that can reduce your risk of developing cancer. Moreover, they are also rich in phytochemicals like carotenoids and polyphenols – a well-known antioxidant that helps prevent cancer.

3. Mood Lifter and Depression Fighter

Banana peels contain a compound called tryptophan – a well-known substance in turkey meat and other types of meat – which helps increase the production of the common feel-good hormones, serotonin, and dopamine. These hormones are known to lift your mood, as well as help, regulate stress hormone levels. It is also been reported that banana peels are able to ease and reduce depression symptoms.

4. Better Sleep

You can enjoy a night of better sleep with banana peels for several reasons. As mentioned above, the peels contain tryptophan which boosts the production of serotonin making us sleepy. It will also aid you in regulating your sleep pattern.

Another reason why banana peels promote a good sleep is that of its potassium and magnesium content. Magnesium deficiency leads to having trouble sleeping and other sleep disorders, so sipping a warm banana peel tea before bedtime helps your brain to relax enough so you can get a good night’s sleep.

should, your body burns more calories without you knowing it. It also makes you active by providing more energy to the muscles and an active muscle leads to more calories burned.

5. Lower Cholesterol and Support Heart Health

Banana peels have been reported to show a significant impact on lowering cholesterol in the blood because of its high amount of soluble and insoluble fiber. As a matter of fact, the peel has more than the flesh of the banana itself. Lower cholesterol in the blood means lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. The peels, just like the fruit itself, also contain a high amount of potassium which helps balance electrolytes and fluids in the body, protect you from heart diseases, and regulate heartbeat.

Let’s Make A Banana Peel Tea

After all the facts and details, you should already be convinced that you need to start consuming these delightful and nutritional tea.

Here’s how to do it:

First, pick your bananas. Use the ones that are already very ripe (you’ll know when you see one). The riper the better because the peel will be sweeter and thinner due to a natural plant hormone known as ethylene. This is produced by fruits like bananas when they ripen.

You can make the tea from the peel of a banana you just ate or you can use the entire fruit. Make sure to cut off both ends of the banana if you decide to use the whole fruit. Place the peel or the entire banana into a pot with boiling water for 10 minutes.

Use a strainer or a colander to strain the water into a mug and allow it to cool enough to make it pleasant to sip.

Adding a dash of cinnamon or a tablespoon of honey adds a tasty flavor and even more health benefits as these two contain antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-cancer properties in addition to their ability to reduce and prevent chronic inflammation.