Can You Eat Banana Peels?

 

    They are great in compost and can be soaked in water that is used to water plants in pots, but can you eat them? In short, yes, and they offer some nutritional value.

    Among banana peel health benefits are GI tract health. They can help with digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea. They MAY help reduce the risk of cancer because the peels provide antioxidants that can help fight free radicals that may lead to cancer. They also provide vitamin A, which is needed for eye health. A deficiency in vitamin A has been linked to night blindness. 

    There are some potential risks because the peels can be contaminated with dirt, microorganisms and fertilizer, so they should be rinsed with cool, running water.

    Eating them raw is not recommended because they are thick, fibrous and very bitter, so they need to be cooked, baked or you can even blend them into smoothies. The riper the banana, the thinner and sweeter the peel will be. Whether boiled fried or baked thry should be cooked for at least 10 minutes to break down the fiber to make them easier to digest.

    They can be used as a vegan meat substitute for things like pulled pork or bacon. There is a good bacon recipe HERE. For other recipes simple Google banana peel recipes.