Banana Peel – A Cure for Insomnia and More

We all know bananas to be a healthy food, mostly for their relatively high content of vitamin B6 (0.4 mg / 100 g – 18%DV), vitamin C (8.7 mg/100 g – 15%DV), manganese (0.3 mg/100 g – 13%DV), potassium (358 mg/100 g – 10%DV) magnesium (27 mg/100 g – 7%DV) and dietary fiber (2.6 g/100 g – 10%DV). But what of banana peel? Most of the people don’t enjoy eating it as much as they enjoy eating the pulp. Well, that seems to be a shame, because banana peel has been proven by more than a few scientific studies to have some significant therapeutic qualities, out of which those that target the nervous system and the skin are probably the most notable.

Composition and properties

Banana peel is beneficial in cases of insomnia due to its relatively high content of tryptophan, an essential aminoacid often prescribed for sleeping disorders. And it is also good for fatigue and depression due to its content of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin; the first two elevate the blood pressure and increase the overall vitality, while serotonin acts as a mood-booster. And dopamine will also have beneficial effects for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Another important component of banana peel is lutein, an antioxidant which plays an important role in preventing macular degeneration and cataract, and will also increase the night vision.

Besides these quite specific components (in comparison with banana pulp), banana peel also contains a lot of potassium and almost no sodium, and is therefore, along with the pulp, a great choice for people with high blood pressure or diabetes, which will also benefit from its very high content of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Not to mention that it also has almost no calories: only fibers and nutrients.

Preparation and administration

• Recipe 1 – Wash a banana with apple vinegar and then cut off its ends. Boil 1 l of water and put the banana in it, without peeling or chopping. Let it boil for 10 minutes, then take the banana out. Drink  in the evening, 1 hour before bedtime.
• Recipe 2 – Collect and freeze a few washed peels, then put them in a frying pan and let them thaw out until they turn black. After that, bake them in the oven until they are completely dry, crack and shred the dry peels into small bits, put them in a jar, close it tightly and store it in a cool and dry place. Add 1 heaping teaspoon in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink in the evening, 1 hour before bedtime.

Other medicinal uses of banana peel

• Benign prostate hyperplasia
• Bacterial, viral and fungal infections (including warts)
• Inflammatory-related diseases
• Gastric ulcer, dysenteria, diarrhea (unripe peels)
• Poison ivy rashes
• Wounds, bruises, bug bites