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This tea is tastier than pills or black tea, and it doesn't need added sugar. Banana peel tea contains 5-HT and 5-HTP,[1] the latter being a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin from tryptophan.
Ingredients
- Banana peels - Use only organically grown bananas.
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You can make a green tea from:
- Fresh peels
- Peels dried in small batches in a microwave oven on its lowest setting
- Peels frozen for a long time even if they are thoroughly freezer-burned
- Freeze dried peels - vacuum frozen at shops in many cities
Steps
Preparing the Banana Peels
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1Freeze the banana peels.
- As you eat bananas, peel off labels.
- Throw peels into your freezer.
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2Thaw the banana peels.
- Fill a pan when you have enough peels.
- Let them thaw in your pan for an hour or two.
- They should turn black.
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3Pasteurize the thawed peels.
- Put the peels in an oven at pasteurization temperature (~65C/150ºF).
- Bake until dry. This should take less than one hour.
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4Crack and shred your peels by hand just a bit.
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5Pulverize one peel at a time in the blender, adding up to four peels before emptying your blender.
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6Store in a closed container in a cool, dark place.
- Glass jars (with or without gasket seals) are an excellent choice.
Preparing the Tea
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1Pour hot water over one heaping teaspoon of the blended peel.
- That is about as strong as a black tea bag.
- Always adjust amounts to your taste.
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2Strain through a fine-mesh coffee strainer.
- The strainer can be lined with a paper coffee filter as well.
- Alternatively, put the pulverized peels in a tea bomb, then submerge the bomb in hot water and let steep for a short while.
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3Enjoy before bedtime, to help send you into a good night's sleep.
Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy not just boil the fresh peel while eating the banana, then drink the water the peel was boiled in?
Community AnswerHonestly, that's the way I do it every time. I just give it a quick rinse first. As far as pesticides go, people eat the peels of apples, pears, etc. all the time with no major ill effects, so I don't think it's a big deal. -
QuestionWhy not just eat the banana an hour before bed?
Community AnswerBecause most of the 5-HT and 5 HTP is in the peel, and you shouldn't eat uncooked peel because of possible harmful micro-organisms. -
QuestionBecause bananas have so many calories, will banana tea cause weight gain if I drink this tea everyday?
Community AnswerNo,it won't. This is because you aren't eating the banana; you are absorbing nutrients from the peel.
Things You'll Need
- Freezer
- Pan - baking pan or cake pan
- Oven with low temperature range
- Blender
- Container with lid for storing dry tea - ice cream pail, tea tin, glass jar, or similar
- Stainless steel coffee strainer
About This Article
To make banana peel tea, remove the peels from 4 fresh, organic bananas and place them on a baking sheet. Next, bake the banana peels for about 1 hour at 150ºF until they get dry, which will pasteurize them. Then, pulverize the peels, one at a time, in your blender. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of the pulverized peel to your mug and pour hot water over it. Finally, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh coffee strainer before enjoying the tea. For tips on storing leftover pasteurized banana peel, read on!
