The world loves bananas because they are a sweet, velvety fruit. However, at least in Western nations, their thick, fibrous peels are not as often used as a food source. But in contrast to popular belief, banana peels are not only safe to eat but also provide a variety of health advantages. Eating banana peels has health and environmental benefits in addition to nutritional ones. In most of the world, bananas are the most often consumed fresh fruit. You may reduce the amount of food that ends up in landfills by eating the peels.
Depending on how ripe they are, bananas and banana peels can each provide a different set of health advantages. While riper, blackened bananas have been demonstrated to support white blood cells in their battle against disease and infection, underripe, green bananas may be more useful in addressing stomach disorders.
Banana peel can be used to produce a deliciously healthy dessert or a healthy afternoon snack. If you use your imagination, you'll quickly realise why cooks all across the world frequently leave the banana peels on.
The peel of a banana is tougher and more bitter than the banana's flesh, which is soft and sweet. Your banana's peel will be sweeter and softer the more ripe it is. In order to get rid of any fertiliser or chemicals the fruit may have been sprayed with, it's also crucial to carefully wash the peel.
Here is a recipe of raw banana peel chutney shared by food writer Sangeeta Khana. Chop up some curry leaves, some green peppers to taste, some banana peels, and a few skin-on garlic cloves. During the mixing process, a little fresh coconut, some chopped up amla, or lemon juice will be added.
Take a pan and heat. Add 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/4 tap rai or mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add chopped chillies and garlic, curry leaves, and chopped banana peels. For this quantity, it takes around two to three minutes to cook after adding salt until everything shrivels up. Transfer to a blender and add coconut that has been chopped or grated, amla, lime juice, or dahi. Blend until smooth, keeping some texture for this type of chutney. Pair it with dosa, idli, paratha or simply a side dish.
Banana peel can be prepared in a variety of different ways to enhance its flavour, blended and added to smoothies, used as an ice cream topping after being caramelised with sugar and water, baked with sugar and cinnamon, made into banana vinegar, then used in salad dressing and many more.
