Who Knew? Banana Peels Are Actually Really F*cking Good For You

Up until now, you probably thought the only thing banana peels were good for was stinking up your garbage and creating safety hazards.

We have news for you: While bananas themselves are full of nutrients, their peels are also really good for you. Banana peels are full of insoluble fiber, which helps with digestion, and may even ease depression -- they have tryptophan in them, which increases serotonin (the "happy" chemical in our brains).

In other words, eating a banana peel every day is actually a great idea. And people in other countries have been eating them for years!

Although banana peels are naturally thick and a bit bitter, if you let them ripen up a lot (aka let them get kind of brown) they get thinner and sweeter.

To reap the many health benefits of the all-powerful banana peel, try baking them for 10 minutes, blending them into your morning smoothie, making banana tea or green banana curry.

Not digging those ideas?

You can also eat them on their own as an afternoon snack. You might get weird looks, but you'll know you're doing the right thing.

Citations: People around the world are eating banana peels because they know something that Westerners do not (Business Insider), How Did Slipping on a Banana Peel Become a Comedy Staple? (Mental Floss), Five Easy Ways to Cook with Banana Peels (Eat Clean)