After some serious Internet-digging, I reached a conclusion: Banana peels are not dangerous. It's true, however, that most banana peels contain pesticide residue. Pesticides, for those who don't know, are chemicals that farmers use to kill insects and other pests.
Wash Produce, Peel & All
Consider this: As you cut through a banana or grapefruit, dirt and bacteria can be transferred from the peel to the inside, edible portion of the fruit. And even if you're not cutting the fruit, dirt and bacteria may be transferred as you peel, or simply handle the food.
Bananas are known for their high potassium content, with each medium fruit containing a whopping 422 milligrams. The peel contains an additional 78 milligrams of potassium, plus plenty of filling fiber. The peel on a fresh banana is pretty tough and slightly bitter.
Although bananas are not on the dirty dozen list, it is still a good idea to purchase organic bananas. Banana crops are intensively sprayed with pesticides and fungicides.
Banana peels are not poisonous. In fact, they're edible and packed with nutrients. "Banana peel is eaten in many parts of the world, though [it's] not very common in the West," Flores said. "It contains high amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, as well as magnesium and potassium.
According to Insider, banana peels are high in B12 and B6 vitamins, as well as the fiber, magnesium, and potassium found in the fruit itself, and while banana peels aren't ideal for just biting into like their inner fruit, it turns out they are edible and safe to eat — with a little bit of extra preparation.
Most banana peels contain some pesticide residue. Pesticides are chemicals farmers and growers use to kill insects and other pests. However, the United States Department of Agriculture sets pesticide limits for safety and most fruits do not exceed these limits.
Avocados and sweet corn were the cleanest produce – less than 2 percent of samples showed any detectable pesticides. Just under 5 percent of Clean Fifteen fruit and vegetable samples had residues of two or more pesticides. The first six Clean Fifteen items tested positive for just three or fewer pesticides per sample.
Strawberries are once again first on a list of the 12 "dirtiest" fruits and vegetables issued by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Environmental Working Group.
Peeled bananas are generally tainted with very few pesticide residues, according to USDA analyses, probably because those tested are peeled first. In 2012 USDA scientists found just four fungicides on bananas they analyzed, compared to 10 on plums (USDA 2012b).
Banana peels are packed with polyphenols, carotenoids, and other antioxidants that fight cancer-causing free radicals in your body. Eating more banana peels, especially green, unripe peels, can increase your antioxidant levels and help reduce your risk of cancer.
According to Healthline, banana peel, rich in antioxidants, fibre and essential nutrients, helps brighten the skin and reduce wrinkles. It even acts as a moisturiser and helps in hydrating the skin. Several studies have found banana peel to have anti-inflammatory properties, too.
High in vitamin C and antioxidants, applying a banana peel on your face helps improve the elasticity of your skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. It also fades away dark spots and makes the skin appear a lot more even and youthful.
Banana peels from various locations exhibited almost identical porous microstructure with minor differences, which are negligible when being used as electrodes. Therefore, banana peel is naturally porous with high specific surface area and interconnected microstructure even without further chemical treatment.
Always wash your bananas
By washing the outside of your banana before you remove the peel, you won't spread the germs around. Fruit flies are attracted to bananas. You can avoid bringing them into your home by washing your fruit right away.
Always Wash
Misting produce at the grocery store does not clean it. Fruits and Vegetables with Inedible Peels: Bananas, avocados, grapefruit, lemons, limes and winter squash — what do all of these fruits have in common? You guessed it, inedible peels.
Kale Is One of the Most Contaminated Vegetables You Can Buy. Here's Why. Each year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) publishes its Dirty Dozen list, which ranks the 12 pieces of produce that contain the highest amounts of pesticide residues.
Bananas are a good example—while they didn't make the Clean 15, they are close.
As long as they have produced the list, unfortunately, they have reached this conclusion: strawberries are dirty. Strawberries that are not organically grown (most are not) are laden with chemical residues from pesticide sprays and others used in the process of growing them.
Avocados are one of the safest fruits to buy non-organic because their thick outer skin prevents pesticides from touching the edible fruit. Also known as alligator pears, they are packed with essential nutrients such as folate, potassium and vitamins K, B-6, E and C.
Blend Them Into Smoothies
That said, if you have a super high-powered blender and love smoothies, give this recipe a try! If your machine is a bit weak, you might want to stick to using the banana meat only; the peels can be tough and hard to break down.
In fact, banana peels are not only edible but also rich in several key nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fats, and essential amino acids ( 1 ). Fiber, in particular, has been shown to promote regularity, stabilize blood sugar levels, and boost heart health ( 2 ).