Tasty bananas can be eaten fresh as such or combined with different foods to create a delicious dessert, cocktails, cookies, pancakes etc. The banana was mentioned for the first time for its properties in Buddhist texts dating from the seventh century BC, India being the one to mostly use bananas for health issues. Bananas contain less water than other fruit, but several more nutritional components: they are rich in sugars, vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin C, A, E, B6, minerals such as potassium, sodium, iron, calcium, magnesium, cobalt, phosphorus, zinc, chromium and fiber, protein and some active substances.
What are the benefits of bananas for health?
- Protect against cancer by the phenolic compounds they contain
- Bananas are a tonic, remineralizing, energizing fruit, being indicated to those with low muscle tone
- Recommended for children who make physical and intellectual effort, but also in the growth phase
- Bananas are good for older people because they protect against decalcification
- Indicated in the diet daily because they protect women from osteoporosis
- A good diuretic by the amount of sodium and potassium it contains, helping regulate blood pressure
- Protects the nervous system through the B vitamins it contains, especially the folic acid (vitamin B9), helping to increase intellectual capacity, attention and also useful in preventing and treating mental illness of depression
- Patients suffering from gastric or duodenal ulcers can experience a calming sensation from eating bananas
- Bananas are recommended in treating fatigue and depressive states
- Recommended for weight loss
So, bananas are a delicious and healthy food, but did you know that there are other purposes for which you can use bananas? Here are 18 unusual uses of bananas.
1. Shoe polish
Banana peels are ideal to give polish to shoes. Rub the shoes with a banana peel and then with a soft cloth.
2. Whitens teeth
Rub the inside of a banana peel on the teeth. Magnesium, manganese and potassium in banana peel will help in teeth whitening.
3. Face mask
Smash a banana until it becomes a paste. Then apply it on the face. Leave it on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
4. Plant polish
Clean plant leaves with banana peel. They will become so bright and you will get rid of the dust.
5. Facial scrub
Mix one banana with a teaspoon of sugar until it becomes a paste. Then rub the cream on your face. It will act as an exfoliant and it will remove dead skin, smoothing and nourishing the skin at the same time.
6. Cracked heels
Mash two very ripe bananas and apply them on your heels and leave the cream on for a few minutes. Then rinse with water. If you suffer from cracked heels, you will feel the difference.
7. Hair loss treatment
Mix one banana with yogurt and apply the paste on the scalp. Allow to dry and then rinse with warm water.
8. Plant lice cure
If you have plants that are full of lice, bury some banana peel at the root.
9. Treat acne
Gently rub the affected area of acne with banana peel to relieve symptoms.
10. Get rid of stress
Boil banana peels and drink this composition. The solution will help you de-stress.
11. Remove warts
Put the banana peel on the wart and you will get rid of them in one or two weeks.
12. Make the meat soft
Put in the roast a banana peel and you will get a juicy steak. This is true for both beef and chicken.
13. Relieves itching and heals wounds
Put a banana peel on the irritated area, a rash or insect bite. It will soothe the area and will relieve itching. Also, if you rub lightly with a banana peel a wound, it will heal faster.
14. Manure
Put banana peels in pots or in the garden and you will get a very good manure.
15. It helps you sleep
Eat a banana a few hours before bedtime and you’ll sleep better. In addition, the skin will have everything to gain. Both because of sleep and because of the substances in bananas.
16. Egg replacement
Use ripe bananas as replacement for eggs in baked dishes: breads, cakes, cookies. One mashed banana equals to one egg. Less calories, more nutritious.
17. Attract butterflies
If you want to see more of these colorful creatures in your garden, a banana peel hanged from any place will attract beautiful butterflies.
18. Reduce puffy eyes
Rub a banana peel under your eyes when you wake up with puffy eyes. Great effect.
