Weird but helpful ways bananas and their peels can be used
Bananas are widely known as a source of potassium.
Second to the health benefits of the fruit are the delicious recipes in which they act as the main ingredient.
But these aren't the only uses for bananas.
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Do not rush to throw away the peel of a banana, either, as there are circumstances in which those are useful, too.
Below are practical but unique — and even a little weird — ways to use a banana.
Bananas have tons of uses beyond diet and nutrition. Read on for tips! (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images/File)
- Make a face mask
- Apply to warts
- Treat an insect bite
- Shine your silverware
- Loosen a splinter
- Brighten your smile
1. Make a face mask
Bananas as a face mask are pretty popular in the beauty world. But if you're not fully in tune with skin care, this may be the first you're hearing of the main ingredient.
The simplest way to make a mask using banana is by mashing the fruit and applying directly to the skin.
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Another common recipe is to add ¼ cup of plain yogurt and two tablespoons of honey to the mashed banana before applying to the skin.
Allow the mask sit for 10-15 minutes — then, rinse with warm water.
Don't throw away the peel because it can be useful, too. (Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images/File)
2. Apply to warts
Warts aren't the worst of skin irritants that exist, but they can be embarrassing if visible to others.
There are numerous at-home remedies for removing a wart — and using a banana peel is just one of them.
Because nothing within a banana is toxic, there is little to no risk of rubbing a banana peel over a wart. While there is no scientific evidence that proves bananas or banana peels truly help remove warts, it's been practiced at home for decades.
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Give it a try next time you have an unwanted wart ‚ and see how it works for you.
3. Treat an insect bite
Bananas are known for relieving itchiness and other symptoms of bug bites, like swelling, as they're high in potassium.
Next time you've been bitten by a pesky mosquito, use a banana peel atop your bite.
The peel consists of natural antihistamines, which will sooth the itch created by the saliva that the bug left under your skin.
Placing a banana peel on a mosquito bite can help relieve some of the itchiness. (iStock)
4. Shine your silverware
You can give your silverware a good polish with a banana peel, but you'll need to create a mixture first.
Blend banana peels with water to create a paste. Then, use a cloth to rub the paste onto the silverware.
Obviously, you don't want to leave them with banana mush atop, so give them a good wash in warm water in the sink, and they'll look and feel good as new.
5. Loosen a splinter
Splinters, depending on how deep they are, can be a total pain to remove — and also sometimes quite painful.
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If you have a splinter that needs loosening, cover the splinter with the outside of a banana peel for a few hours or overnight. Later or in the morning, you should notice your splinter start to loosen. This is the time to pull it out.
Using a potato skin is also a remedy for loosening a deeper splinter.
6. Brighten your smile
A bright smile can be difficult — and expensive — to come by.
If you're a chronic wine or coffee drinker, and you've let your teeth go too long without a good whitening, you can try using bananas to brighten your smile.
If you rub a banana peel on your teeth in addition to giving them a good brush, it can help you achieve a whiter smile. (iStock)
Before throwing money into a teeth-whitening treatment, see if a banana peel will get you the results you're looking for.
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Simply rub a banana peel on your teeth a couple of times a day before brushing to achieve a shiny new smile.
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