10 Creative Uses For Bananas
Bananas are some of our favorite fruits: they are abundant, easy to peel, and even easier to eat! From banana bread to smoothies, there is an almost endless number of ways to incorporate them into your dishes. But there are quite a number of ways in which you can use them that are normally considered outside the kitchen. Perhaps you’re looking for shiny hair. Or a way to ward of bugs in the garden. Read on to see some interesting alternative ways in which you can use bananas!
Chances are you have some bananas in your house right now! So, get ready to for some new insights on how you can repurpose those leftover banana peels. You will want to go and eat a banana or two just to try these out.
They’re Great For Hair And Skincare
Bananas are high in potassium. Thus, applying it to your face will leave the skin soft and supple. It also has an exfoliating function and helps to remove excess skin cells from your skin surface. For dry or frizzy hair, make a banana hair mask by mixing 1 mashed banana, 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp honey, and ½ Tbsp lemon juice. Brush this into your hair, wait for 30 minutes and rinse off.
Fertilize Plants
Because banana peels are so high in nutrients, they make for a great fertilizer. To make it, fill a container with water and add your leftover banana peels. Be sure that the peels are completely covered by the water. You can regularly remove the old peels and add new ones. This will reduce the chance of mold forming. Then, pour the mix into your soil to have happy plants.
They Make Easy Yummy Popsicles
This is a delicious and healthy treat for the hot summer months. Plus, they are so easy to make that it takes pretty much no effort. Just peel the bananas, cut them in half, and press a wooden stick into each half. Then, cover them with wax paper and put them in the freezer for a couple of hours for a delicious popsicle.
They Ripen Your Avocadoes
If you are tired of waiting for avocados to ripen, then simply store them in a brown paper bag with a banana or two. As the bananas ripen, they release ethylene gas which speeds up ripening process of the avocados. Ideally you should for a day or so and they will have fully ripened.
They Make A Quick Dessert
For a really tasty treat, fill a banana with some delicious chocolaty Nutella (or jam or whatever else you like)! To do this, slice one end off and insert a straw. Cover the straw opening with your thumb and slowly pully the straw out. By keeping your thumb over the straw, you create a vacuum and the banana inside the straw will come out. Now you have a shaft to fill with whatever you like!
Relieve Skin Irritations
The inner side of a banana peels are great for treating skin irritations. So, if you have been stung by the likes of mosquitos or stinging nettles, or just have unexplained skin irritations, simply rub the inside of the banana peels on the affected area(s) and wait for a little while. You should experience relief of those pesky mosquito bites soon!
Use Them As Aphicides
Aphids are pesky little insects that literally (and figuratively) suck the life juices out of your plants. So, if they are wreaking havoc with your beloved garden plants, stop them in their tracks by burying a few chopped banana peels about an inch deep around the base of your plants. This will repel the ones already on the plants but will also help to prevent future attacks.
They’re Great for Teeth Whitening
If you are looking for a cheap and natural alternative to get those gnashers white and sparkly, then try out some banana peels. Simply take the inside of a banana and rub them over your teeth. Continue doing this for a few weeks, and pretty soon you will start to notice some results.
Polish Leather
Believe it or not, but bananas actually make for a great shoe polish! So, if you have run out of shoe polish, just take the inside of a banana peel, rub it onto the shoe leather and buff with a dry cloth. Now you can have a healthy breakfast and shiny shoes all in one swift action!
Polish Silverware And Jewelry
The same idea applies here as to the polishing of leather. To get your silverware and jewelry nice and shiny, simply take the inside of a banana peel and rub it over the items. Then, polish the items to a nice shine with a dry cloth. They will almost look as good as new!
