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Mommypotamus » Natural Remedies » Banana Tea

How To Make Banana Tea For

Restful Sleep
 Heather Dessinger  47 Comments  This post contains af liate links.

I thought I had bananas all gured out. They’re delicious in banana walnut muf ns, stirred
into yogurt with a drizzle of honey, or dried for an on-the-go snack. But banana tea for sleep?
Is that really a thing?

Yep, because bananas are so much weirder than they seem. First of all, they don’t even grow
on trees. Banana plants are actually tree-like perennial herbs, and the banana itself is
considered a berry. (1)

Also, the peels we’ve been throwing away all these years? Totally valuable. In fact, from now
on I might start throwing away the bananas and keeping the peels for tea. (Not really, but
that’s how crazy throwing away the peels sounds to me now.)

So, what’s special about banana peel tea?

When taken about an hour before bed, banana tea can help calm the nervous system and
help the body prepare for deep sleep.

That’s because banana peels contain potassium and magnesium, which are both natural
muscle relaxants. (2) Magnesium is often called “magic mineral” because it also helps with
hormone balance, stress support, detoxi cation and more. (Read more about the bene ts of
magnesium here.)

They also contain “the amino acid L-tryptophan, which gets converted to 5-HTP in the brain.
The 5-HTP in turn is converted to serotonin (a relaxing neurotransmitter) and melatonin,” aka
the sleep hormone. (2) Although I don’t recommend regularly supplementing with
melatonin directly, I think it’s a great idea to supply the body with all the materials it needs to
make its own.

Oh, and one more thing – bananas are rich in antioxidants like lutein, which helps to protect
the eyes and skin from ultra-violet light. (3, 4) Some antioxidants like vitamin C are heat
sensitive and break down when exposed to boiling water. Fortunately, lutein is heat stable
and will still be present in the banana tea after the peels are boiled.

2 Ways To Make Banana Tea
Banana tea can be made two ways:

Using the whole banana

Just using the banana peel

Whole banana tea is naturally sweetened, which is nice. However, it does contain sugar that
can raise blood glucose levels. I’m not agains sugar (hello paleo chocolate chip cookies!), but I
do avoid consuming sugar just before bed as part of my intermittent fasting routine. If you’re
not familiar with it, intermittent fasting has been shown to be helpful for activating cellular
cleanup mode (autophaghy), longevity, immune function, metabolism and more. For that
reason I personally use banana peel tea over whole banana tea.

My recipe below uses banana peels, either fresh or dried. However, if you want to try using the
entire banana here’s what to do:

Cut off the ends of the banana and slice it into a few pieces. Place it in a small pot and cover
it with water. Boil for 10 minutes, then strain the banana out with a colander and drink the
tea.

Regardless of which method you try, I recommend opting for organic bananas because
conventionally grown bananas are heavily sprayed with pesticides.

Bene ts of Using Fresh vs. Dried Banana

Peels
I am not aware of any difference in nutritional composition between fresh and dried banana
peels, so it really comes down to what’s most convenient for you. You can use a fresh banana
peel and save the actual banana for the next day to make chocolate chip banana pancakes or
another dessert.

Another option is to save banana peels when you’re making something (these chocolate
banana bites maybe) by popping them in the freezer until you need them.

Personally, I like to dry the peels and then use them as a loose tea. It’s super easy as you’ll see
in the next section.

How To Dry Banana Peels For Making Tea

If you have a dehydrator, just chop them up, place them in single layer, and dry at 155F for 6-
8 hours. One banana peel usually makes about 3 tablespoons of dried peel, which is what I
use to make a single cup of tea.

Want to use your oven instead? Preheat the oven to the lowest setting possible, which is
usually around 170F. Chop up the peels and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Dry them for 2-3 hours, then ip them over and place them back in the oven until they’re
dried through. It should be around 2-3 hours for the second drying session, which makes the
total drying time around 4-6 hours.

Banana Tea Recipe for Restful

Sleep
This delicious, mildly sweet banana tea recipe contains
magnesium & potassium, which help to relax muscles, plus
an amino acid that helps make serotonin (a relaxing
Print Pin
neurotransmitter) & melatonin (often called the sleep
hormone).
4.3 from 44 votes
Makes 6-8 ounces of tea.

Course Drinks

Prep Time 2 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 1
Author Heather Dessinger

Ingredients
1 organic banana peel, ends trimmed off (or 2 tablespoons dried banana
peel)
1¼ cup water
1 cinnamon stick (optional - a dash of cinnamon will also work)
¼ tsp vanilla extract (How to make homemade vanilla extract)

Instructions
1. Place peel, cinnamon stick (if using) and water in a small pot and bring to a
boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes. Remove from
heat and strain out the peel. Add vanilla extract (if using) and sweetener if
desired before serving.

Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Polyunsaturated
Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium:
0mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg |
Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

Additional Tips For Getting Deeper, More

Restful Sleep
Wear orange glasses to encourage natural melatonin production
Sleep on a comfortable, non-toxic mattress
Rotate this tea with passion ower tea

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Sources

1. Pelletier, Tom. Is Banana A Fruit Or An Herb? 

2. Haiken, Melanie. Forbes Magazine. 5 Surprising Foods That Help You Sleep

3. Subagio, A et. al. (1996) Carotenoids and their fatty acid esters in banana peels.

4. Roberts, RL et. al. (2009) Lutein and zeaxanthin in eye and skin health.

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 Natural Remedies  47 Comments

About Heather Dessinger

Hi, I'm Heather Dessinger, founder of Mommypotamus.com. I'm on a mission to
help you put delicious, healthy meals on the table, nd effective natural remedies
for common complaints, make your own fuss-free personal care and home products, and save
time and money in the process.

47 Comments
R E A D M Y C O M M E N T P O L I CY

Alison
December 12, 2017 at 4:24 PM

Hi,
Do you have any experience using the oven as a dehydrator? I don’t have a dehydrator (it’s on
my wish list) but I’d really love to try this.

reply to this comment

Kira
December 14, 2017 at 6:58 AM

I’ve heard of plenty of people who use their oven instead of a dehydrator to make
kale chips. You can probably go to Pinterest and search for kale chips without an
oven to nd their techniques.

reply to this comment

Heather
December 16, 2017 at 4:08 PM

I think you could dry the peels using the lowest setting your oven has. Not
sure how much time it would take – you’d just need to check on them
often.

reply to this comment

Brenda Cobb
December 17, 2017 at 8:54 PM

I use my oven to dehydrate all the time. I have metal racks that I place on top of
cookie sheets so there is plenty of air ow. If you have an oven with convection –
even better! I used to have a dehydrator but I didn’t like all the plastic chemicals in
my food.

reply to this comment

eileen
December 18, 2017 at 11:18 AM

what temperature do you use? thank you.

reply to this comment

Brenda
December 18, 2017 at 8:24 PM

I set the oven at 155 degrees. I check what ever I am dehydrating every
couple of hours. I like using the convection setting because it helps it get
done faster. Either way it works great!

reply to this comment

Melbourne
March 25, 2019 at 2:32 AM

If you’re drinking this tea to help with sleep using cinnamon isn’t the best for
this tea, cinnamon actually gives you energy so, maybe, you can nd something
else to put into it. Someone suggested nutmeg after the tea is in the tea cup
just a sprinkle.

reply to this comment

Katherine Wilkinson
April 9, 2018 at 2:00 AM

Couple of thoughts! Walmart has a circular dehydrator for $40. Years ago, a woman
(single parent) with limited income, used her car as a dehydrator in the summer!
Necessity is the mother of invention. I have heard of people using their oven as a
dehydrator! A friend bought hers at a garage sale for $10. Enjoy!!

reply to this comment

Naia
December 12, 2017 at 9:25 PM

Could I roast the banana peel as I don’t have a dehydrator?

reply to this comment

Heather
December 16, 2017 at 4:08 PM

I think you could dry the peels using the lowest setting your oven has. Not sure
how much time it would take – you’d just need to check on them often.

reply to this comment

Shahnila
December 17, 2017 at 12:17 PM

What a great idea! Thank you so much. Do you think it would be good for kids too who may
have trouble unwinding or falling asleep at night?

Thanks!

reply to this comment

Nat
December 17, 2017 at 9:35 PM

I also would like to know if this is safe for kids?

reply to this comment

Lando
January 30, 2019 at 2:35 AM

Why would it not be safe for kids? Lol

reply to this comment

Barb
February 12, 2019 at 7:46 AM

It can be dangerous for anyone if too much is consumed as in contains

potassium. It can lead to hyperkalemia if too much. If you experience
muscle cramping, nausea or vomiting after, go to dr. It can be serious and
needs to be treated as it cause an electrolyte imbalance

reply to this comment

Barbara
April 29, 2020 at 11:42 AM

Can you heat the banana peel more than once if you keep it moist
between heatings? And if so, how many times would you reheat the
peeling?

Dave
December 17, 2017 at 4:24 PM

So, there just might have been something to it, when we used to SMOKE the peels, back in
the day?!? What goes ’round…

reply to this comment

Alisha
December 17, 2017 at 5:27 PM

How fast would the properties degrade? If I make a 6 peel batch with fresh, would it keep in
the fridge for how long?

reply to this comment

Mary
December 17, 2017 at 6:22 PM

You might want to stress that Organic Bananas are the safer choice for making tea.

reply to this comment

Nan
April 5, 2018 at 3:12 AM

Hi Heather. Thanks for all the great info you so graciously share. Do you have any insight into
the relationship of the ripeness of the banana to the bene cial properties you spoke of? I’m
wondering if there’s a difference between using a very ripe banana peel with some brown
spots vs one a bit green.

reply to this comment

Heather
April 5, 2018 at 5:21 PM

I would guess the mineral content would stay about the same, but I’m not sure
about the L-tryptophan. I’m not aware of any research which has examined that
question, unfortunately.

reply to this comment

Andrew
July 9, 2018 at 3:33 PM

Heather. I have tried this before and it leads to the best sleep I have ever had. However, I am
worried about pesticides and have since stopped making banana tea because of my worries
about pesticides. I want to continue to make this, but pesticides are no joke, and this solution
to sleep could lead to health problems down the road if I am using banana peels covered in
pesticides. Is this a concern of your’s when making tea? And if so how do you circumvent this
problem?

reply to this comment

Mike
August 2, 2019 at 4:36 PM

I to have heard to use only organic bananas. Wash them rst.

I do have a question however.
Is it possible to wash thoroughly standard bananas and rid the fruit of pesticides on
the skin?
Or have they somehow started injecting the skins with dangerous chemicals?. I am
just wondering if there is a way to make the regular bananas safe for
consummation.
Thanks in advance for your input.

reply to this comment

Heather Dessinger
August 2, 2019 at 5:29 PM

I think the pesticides used on non-organic bananas probably seep into the
skin, and therefore would not be able to be fully washed off.

reply to this comment

anastasia cuzzo
November 12, 2019 at 3:18 PM

is there any way to get rid of the pesticides on the banana peels

reply to this comment

Deb P
December 26, 2019 at 12:12 AM

organic bananas

reply to this comment

M. J.
July 11, 2018 at 6:27 PM

I believe someone else cautioned that you should use on washed *organic* peels to keep
from consuming a bunch of chemicals.

I’ll echo another commenter: wonder how long this might last in the fridge? I made some a
week ago but have kept forgetting to drink it.

reply to this comment

Gary
August 31, 2018 at 4:27 AM

Potassium is another concern, along with the pesticides.

reply to this comment

Hillary
September 19, 2018 at 9:08 PM

Can you make the tea ahead of time then refrigerate and reheat?

reply to this comment

Heather
September 25, 2018 at 5:44 PM

Not sure how long it would last in the fridge – maybe you could freeze it as ice
cubes and thaw as needed?

reply to this comment

Nancy
December 7, 2018 at 9:23 PM

😀 I was about to ask the same question Hillary made.

Though not often, there are a number of times that I do some late night works
at home. And this makes me an insomniac … to the fact that I am still awake
till 4am !! My husband found out about banana tea and made one for me. It is
effective, i’d say.

And it’s pretty easy for us to make too. Being in a tropical country, I have good
access to backyard grown bananas (yeah, no pesticide). And they are cheaper
here too.

Since I can buy more bananas, I’d like to make banana tea in liters. But Im
worried it will get spoiled.

I guess Im gonna try to make BANANA TEA CUBES then.

Thanks a lot Heather.

reply to this comment

Linda
December 30, 2018 at 3:11 AM

Hi
Can you please tell me if I give this to a 9 year old every night, how long would you reckon
it’ll be ne/safe for me to give to?
Thank you

reply to this comment

Dylan
February 2, 2019 at 11:17 PM

What do you mean? It’s bananas and water…………………..

reply to this comment

Mallory
January 11, 2019 at 2:01 PM

I never once thought to use banana peels for tea of all things! My mom uses banana peels for
compost, but not to make tea. I’m not a big tea drinker myself or a fan of bananas. I will share
this post with my mom, however, since she likes both. I was recommended to a blog post
about a book containing natural remedies just this morning on shimi-go.com and shared it
with my mom, too. We both bought ourselves a copy.

reply to this comment

Irene Alisjahbana
February 26, 2019 at 3:00 AM

Hi. Thanks for the post. I dehydrated my organic banana peels last night and let it seep for 15
minutes. I felt a little numb at rst but then slept so well but as if I was drugged! I used only
a handful of the peels for one cup. Maybe I should use less?

reply to this comment

Heather
February 26, 2019 at 3:09 PM

Because we all have unique biochemistry it is de nitely possible for some

people to feel great with more and some to feel better with less. When I’m
trying a new tea or herb I nd that it’s usually necessary to experiment in order
to nd what works best for me.

reply to this comment

Polin
April 28, 2019 at 6:54 PM

Can I dry the banana and the peel in under sun?

reply to this comment

Polin
April 28, 2019 at 7:01 PM

Can I dry the banana and the peel under the sun?

reply to this comment

Heather Dessinger
April 29, 2019 at 6:23 AM

Possibly. I have not tried that technique so I’m not sure what the process would
be.

reply to this comment

stacey
September 22, 2019 at 10:56 AM

Is there any reason one couldn’t freeze the banana peels for boiling later?

reply to this comment

Heather Dessinger
September 22, 2019 at 12:09 PM

You could totally do that

reply to this comment

Janet
September 23, 2019 at 12:00 AM

Did you notice that you’ve said multiple places that this contains potassium, but then in the
Nutrition pro le it says 0 zero potassium? I’m still gonna try it, but the roses won’t be happy
as that’s where our banana peels have gone before now!

reply to this comment

Jan
September 23, 2019 at 12:42 AM

It’s delicious. My banana skins were a little overripe, but I’ve not had to add a thing
to the tea. Thank you for another SMH recipe!

reply to this comment

Jean d rose
September 25, 2019 at 11:19 PM

Just trying the peel for sleep for the rst time tonite.

reply to this comment

Jean rose
September 26, 2019 at 9:53 AM

Tried the tea for the rst time last nite with NO result. Almost a total nite of NO sleep.

reply to this comment

DeeAnn Ripplinger
March 25, 2020 at 5:00 AM

Do you have to dry rst before boiling the bananas?

reply to this comment

Dinna
April 29, 2020 at 2:37 PM

I am here because I was making plantain porridge earlier and added some overripe bananas
without the peel.. within 15 minutes I was asleep in the chair I was sitting while drinking the
porridge.
I have never slept during dayliyhour
My adult son who also had some was also fast asleep… i became so sleepy I had to nd a bed.
Hence this research.. I live in the tropics so organic bananas are in abundance at the market
I’m going to have some more at bedtime tonight because I’m usually not able to sleep if I
sleep during the day as I’m a an insomniac at nights
Will update..

reply to this comment

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