How to Make Banana Tea for Improved Sleep

If you already tried hops, valeriana, lavender, bitter orange and chamomile, or maybe all of them together and still nothing worked, maybe it’s time to try something new – Banana peel tea. If boiling banana peel to make tea sounds wrong, don’t worry – it tastes better than it sounds. Is it worth trying? Definitely. Banana Peel Tea may be your saviour during those sleepless nights when nothing else seems to work.

How to sleep better with tea

If you turn to teas in search for a homemade remedy to help you sleep, there are many options to choose from. Always read the ingredients list if you are buying a tea blend, rather than pure herbal tea. Blends may contain teas or herbs with caffeine, such as mate tea, guarana, or any pure tea that always contain caffeine.

Put on a relaxing music – Music may help you fall asleep,[1] especially if you are exposed to more stress than usual.
Never drink tea right before sleep – The best time to drink sleepy time tea is at least 30 minutes to one hour before bed.
Declutter– Decluttering a room where you sleep and keeping the room temperature at around 66°F may be very beneficial for a good night sleep [2]. Turn your bedroom into a calm and relaxing space.
Change bed linen often– Change linen often and keep it simple and comfortable.
Turn to aromatherapy– Aromatherapy may improve the quality of sleep too[3]. Essential oils such as lavender[4], jasmine and bergamot may be able to reduce stress, provide calming effect and potentially benefit improve sleep quality and duration.
Choose your bedtime snack wisely– avoid heavy or spicy food before sleep, drinks or foods containing caffeine (that includes chocolate too!), and any food that could cause heartburn[5].

Benefits of eating bananas and banana peel

Banana is one of those fruits that many can’t live without. In fact, numbers say bananas are the world’s most popular fruits, with a hundred bilion of them eaten around the world every year[6].They are more calorie rich than many other fruits, and an important source of potassium and Vitamin B6[7]. Bananas also contain fiber, carbs, very little fats and protein, Vitamin C and magnesium, and antioxidants[8] including dopamine, serotonine and catechins[9]. Potassium may be beneficial for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of stroke,[10] help with weight management and balance the elctrolytes levels after vomiting or diarhea[11].

On the other hand, banana peel, more often than not a waste product, may provide even more health benefits than the pulp. Peel is rich in flavonoids and tannins[12] and may be much more nutrient rich than the banana pulp. Study showed that it contains 300 times more dopamine than the pulp and may be beneficial for muscle relaxing and speeding up recovery[13], influence mood and important for a healthy sleeping cycle[14]. Research says that the levels of dopamine decrease in over-ripened bananas[15].

Banana peel has been traditionally used for healing wounds by pressing the inner side of the peel on the wounded area[16], treating depression and as a source of antioxidants[17]. Banana peel may have an antimicrobial, antioxidant, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties[18].

Interestingly, peels count up to 40% of the total banana weight, and are more than often wasted.

How banana tea may help for better sleep

Besides potassium and magnesium that help relax the muscles[19], banana peel is rich in tryptophan too. [20] Tryptophan is an amino acid that may potentially be beneficial for calming the brain and falling asleep, but also for treating depression, cardiovascular diseases, microbial infections[21] and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease[22].

Banana peel tea blends well with chamomile or lavender flowers, coconut and mango and herbal rooibos tea.

Banana Delight herbal tea with freeze-dried banana

Dried bananas vs fresh bananas – which to use?

You can use both fresh and dried banana peel for making tea. Simply chop the banana skin into small pieces and dry. For making tea, use the amount equal to one whole fresh banana peel. Always choose organically grown banana for making this tea, as it’s one of the fruits often treated with different chemicals or chemically ripened. To get a perfectly ripened banana at home, don’t store it in the fridge when it’s still green.

Homemade Banana Tea Recipe

To make banana tea you will need one whole organic banana, fresh or dry. There are pros and cons to both of them. If you are using a fresh one, you can use the pulp too. Using a pulp will add more flavor and texture to the tea. On the other hand, dry ones are easier to use and work same as loose leaf tea. Wash one organic ripe banana yellow banana and cut the edges. You can use either a whole banana or chop it into pieces. Bring about one and a half to two cups of water to a boil. Add whole banana into a boiling water and reduce the fire to low medium. Cover and boil for 10 minutes or more.

Remove the boiled banana or strain the pieces and add sweetener of choice. Banana peel tea has a flavor very similar to chamomile, but with a stronger herbal character. One and a half to two cups of water will give about one cup of tea.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Every person is different and may react to different herbs and teas differently. Never use teas or herbs to treat serious medical conditions on your own. Always seek professional medical advice before choosing home remedies.