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Banana tea with or without the peel helps to deflate and sleep well, among other benefits

Edited and resized image of samer daboul, is available on Unsplash

Banana tea is made by boiling whole bananas in hot water. It can be made with or without the peel - depending on your personal preference - and has health benefits such as promoting sleep and reducing bloating. If it's made with the peel, it's usually called banana peel tea. As banana peel tea takes longer to make due to its high fiber content, many people choose to peel the banana. Once ready, it can be taken with cinnamon and maple syrup.

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Banana Tea Properties

Unfortunately, banana tea or, as it is also called banana peel tea, has not yet been scientifically analyzed. But it is already known that bananas contain water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, manganese and copper (see study about it here: 1).

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The longer the brewing time, the greater the concentration of nutrients in the banana tea. As a source of potassium and magnesium, important minerals for heart health and quality of sleep, banana peel tea may have these benefits (see studies about it here: 2, 3, 4).

In addition, it contains a little vitamin B6, which helps to maintain the proper functioning of the immune system and the development of red blood cells (see studies about it here: 5, 6).

May contain antioxidants

Bananas are naturally rich in water-soluble antioxidants, including dopamine and gallocatechin, which can help fight free radicals and prevent chronic conditions such as heart disease (see studies on this: 7, 8).

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However, the rind has much higher antioxidant levels than the fruit. Therefore, making unpeeled banana tea can increase the intake of these compounds (see studies about it here: 7, 9).

Although bananas are naturally rich in vitamin C, banana tea is not a good source of this antioxidant, as vitamin C is sensitive to heat and is destroyed during infusion (see study on this: 10).

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Can prevent swelling

Banana tea is rich in potassium, an important mineral and electrolyte that regulates water balance, blood pressure and muscle contractions (see studies on this: 11, 12). Potassium works with sodium, another mineral and electrolyte, regulating the fluid balance in cells. However, when there is more sodium than potassium, there may be fluid retention and bloating (see study about it here: 11).

The potassium and water content of banana tea can help reduce bloating due to a high salt diet, signaling the kidneys to excrete more sodium in the urine (see study here: 11).

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Can promote sleep

Banana tea has become a popular sleep aid. It contains three main nutrients that many people claim to help improve sleep - potassium, magnesium and tryptophan (see study here: 1).

Bananas are a good source of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that have been associated with better sleep quality and duration due to their muscle relaxant properties (see studies on this: 3, 13, 14).

They also provide tryptophan, an amino acid important for the production of the sleep-inducing hormones serotonin and melatonin (see studies on this here: 15, 16).

However, no studies have examined the effectiveness of banana tea as a sleep aid.

Furthermore, it is not known to what extent these nutrients infiltrate the tea during fermentation, making it difficult to know whether drinking the tea would have the same potential sleep-promoting effects as eating a banana.

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low sugar content

Banana tea can be a good substitute for sugary drinks. A small amount of sugar present in bananas is released into the water during the boiling of the tea, acting as a natural sweetener.

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Most people consume a lot of sugar from beverages, which is associated with a risk of developing obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes (see study on this: 17).

Therefore, opting for non-sugar drinks such as banana tea can be an easy way to lower your sugar intake.

good for the heart

The nutrients in banana tea can be good for the heart. Banana tea contains potassium and magnesium, which help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke (see studies here: 2, 18, 19, 20).

A study of 90,137 women found that a diet rich in potassium was linked to a 27% lower risk of stroke (see study here: 21). Also, a diet rich in catechins, a type of antioxidant found in banana tea, can reduce the risk of heart disease. Still, no study has directly reviewed the antioxidants in banana tea or their effects on the risk of developing heart disease (see study about it here: 8).

How to make banana tea

Banana tea is very easy to prepare and can be made with or without husks.

Peelless banana tea

1. Fill a pot with 2-3 cups (500 to 750 ml) of water and bring to a boil;
2. Peel a banana and cut both ends;
3. Add the banana to boiling water;
4. Lower heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes;
5. Add cinnamon or maple syrup (optional);
6. Remove the banana and divide the remaining liquid into 2–3 cups.

banana peel tea

1. Fill a pot with 2-3 cups (500 to 750 ml) of water and bring to a boil;
2. Carefully rinse a whole banana under running water to remove dirt and debris;
3. Leaving the shell open, cut off both ends;
4. Add banana to boiling water;
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes;
6. Add cinnamon or maple syrup (optional);
7. Remove the banana and divide the remaining liquid into 2–3 cups.

If you're drinking tea alone, keep leftovers in the refrigerator and drink them within 1-2 days, cold or reheated. To avoid waste, use leftover bananas in other recipes, such as smoothies, oatmeal or banana cake.

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Adapted from Katey Davidson

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