While eating the fibrous outer skin of the banana may be a stretch for some, Dole actually had them analyzed to see just what they were made of.
Data from the Dole lab shows banana peels contain very high amounts of some of the polyphenolic antioxidant molecules found in the flesh. How much you might ask? Well it turns out the total phenolic value measured for the banana peel of a regular-sized banana is higher than for a cup of blueberries! “Although, this overall measure is impressive we still need to know exactly what compounds give them all this antioxidant power,” observed Dr. Nicholas Gillitt, CEO of The Osmolality Lab and former VP of Nutrition Research and Director of the Dole Nutrition Institute.
Bananas were featured in Season 5, Episode 03 of Where The Food Comes From. Watch it now!
Dole scientists used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to show that about half of this antioxidant value comes from a molecule called dopamine, which functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain and a hormone in the blood. Dole scientists have also found the peels are very nutrient-dense containing 2.3 times the fiber, 2.4 times the beta-carotene and 8.4 times the calcium of regular banana flesh.
While it’s okay to add a bit of banana peel to smoothies and juices, they’re not exactly tasty, plus latex content raises issues. For us, the most exciting implication is that the hidden potential in peels could someday add value to other foods — rather than simply going to waste. And remember washing the outside of fruit is a critical food safety step, especially when you’re eating it!
Feeling adventurous? Check out our Dole Banana Peel Carne Machada , Banana Peel Loaf, or Banana Peel Bacon BLT’s. They will make you look at banana peels in a whole new way!
The post Are banana peels edible? first appeared in The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s Have A Plant® blog.
Dole is wholly committed to leading the growth of the fresh produce category by providing the premium, farm-fresh foods brand that are the foundation of the healthy meals today’s consumers desire. We maximize our more than a century and a half of farming knowledge, our award-winning category expertise and our product innovation to deliver the highest quality fruits and vegetables available. Through research, the Dole test kitchens and our consumer outreach programs, we are the trusted, go-to resource for both the ideas and the products to make you healthier.
About The Foundation For Fresh Produce And Have A Plant® Movement
The Foundation for Fresh Produce’s vision is to grow a healthier world by changing the trajectory of human health. The produce industry has the potential to provide solutions for many of the world’s greatest health and economic challenges – especially those surrounding nutrition and hunger.
The Foundation focuses on improving the appeal of fruit and vegetables as an integral part of people’s diets, supporting the development of infrastructure and supply chain solutions that provide easier access, and establishing strategic alliances that enable children and families to form healthier eating habits.
The transformative Have A Plant® Movement inspires consumers with compelling reasons to believe in the powerful role fruits and vegetables can play to fuel happy, healthy and active lifestyles.
