What’s a banana skin made of, and can you eat it?

Asked by: Chiara Kemp (aged 11), Belgium

Banana peel is made of carbohydrates (roughly 60 per cent), fibre (30 per cent), water and small amounts of protein and fat. Banana skin’s thickness and high fibre content make it quite tough and sometimes bitter, but it is edible and contains many minerals including potassium and manganese. Try adding one to a smoothie: take an unpeeled ripe banana, wash it, cut off the ends and slice. Add 200ml milk or yoghurt, a pinch of cinnamon, and blend.

Read more:

• Why does a banana skin get thinner as it ripens?
• Why do bananas make fruit ripen faster?

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