Benefits and Recipes of Banana For Hair and Skin


Bananas are among the most popular fruits in the world due to their affordability, nutrition value, and almost perennial availability. It contains virtually no fat or cholesterol and is loaded with potassium, probiotics, B vitamins and antioxidants which are important for human health. Apart from being healthy, they are also nature’s gift to us for skincare and hair care regime.

What Are The Benefits of Banana For Skin?

Botanically, a berry, the banana has several benefits for our skin- the largest and most visible organ of our body.

1. Keeps Skin Moisturised

Due to the presence of Vitamin A, bananas help in moisture absorption, retention and aids in repairing dull and damaged skin.

How to Use

Peel a ripe banana, and in a bowl mash it using the back of a fork. After mashing it thoroughly, apply the mash onto your face and let it sit there for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterwards, wash it off with cold water.

2. Controls Oil Secretion

Due to the presence of several vitamins which are beneficial for our skin, and because banana acts as a natural exfoliator, homemade banana masks and packs and aid in reducing or controlling our skin’s oil production.

How to Use

Peel and mash a ripe banana thoroughly, with the back of a fork in a bowl. Add half a teaspoon lemon juice and a tablespoon of honey and mix well. This banana and honey face mask can be used to help control the oil secretion on your face. Apply on your face and rinse it off with cold water or with a wet cloth.

3. Anti Ageing Effects

Anti Aging EffectsNutrients in banana help fight wrinkles, moisturize skin, reduce fine lines, leading to a supple looking skin.

How to Use (H4)

Mix together in a bowl a mashed banana, a teaspoon of orange extract, and a teaspoon of yogurt. This mixture will act as a natural botox as it will help your skin appear ‘tighter’ or smoother, preventing fine lines or wrinkles.

4.Reduces Acne and Acne Scars

acne scarsBanana Peels are known to contain nutrients that help in fighting inflammation caused by acne and contains enzymes that are known to have healing properties. These enzymes can hydrate the skin and has antioxidants that help diminish the visibility of the scars.

How to Use

Take a banana peel and cut a small piece of it. Use the piece to rub it gently on the affected areas. Keep rubbing till the piece of the peel turns brown. Leave the banana fibres on your skin for half an hour then use a towel wetted with hot water to gently pat it or rub it off.

5. Treat Puffy Eyes and Dark Circles

Due to the presence of potassium and Vitamin C and antioxidants, Banana helps in moisturising the skin and diminishing the dark circles as well as reducing under-eye bags.

How to Use

Scrape out the white fibres from a banana peel, mix it with aloe gel and apply under your eyes. Leave it overnight as you sleep, or for half an hour to an hour and wash it off with cold water.

6. Fights Cracks in Heels

Due to its moisturising properties banana can be used to take care of cracked heels. It is high in Potassium, Vitamins that help soften the skin.

How to Use

Wash your feet using lemon juice mixed with warm water. Massage two to three mashed Bananas onto your feet, concentrating on your heels. Leave this foot mask on for 20 minutes, washing it off with cold water afterwards.

7. Helps Exfoliate

Due to the chemical nature of store-bought exfoliators we use to remove dead skin cells, it renders our skin dry. However, using a natural homemade scrub to exfoliate incorporating banana will have the benefit of moisturising as well.

How to Use

You can use kitchen ingredients such as two tablespoons of oatmeal, a teaspoon of warm coconut oil and a mashed banana or a mashed banana and a tablespoon of sugar as alternative recipes or methods of creating a homemade scrub which will help remove dead skin cells as well as moisturize.

8. Helps Control Eczema, Itchy Skin and Psoriasis

 skin rash

Banana and Banana peels are rich in fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties that are known to soothe skin irritations, reduce inflammation. It also has antiseptic properties that help in treating psoriasis and eczema.

How to Use

Just rub the affected area with banana peel from a ripe banana, gently, until the peel turns brown. Repeat this twice daily for tangible results. However, do consult a doctor before deciding upon this method of treatment.

Advantages of Banana for Hair

Not only skin, but this widely available fruit also has benefits for your hair as well! It aids in treating damaged, dry hair and can be used to make natural, homemade masks without any hassle.

1. Treat damaged hair with banana

Damaged Hair

Due to the presence of vitamins, antioxidants and potassium among other important minerals, banana is helpful in helping improve hair health and repair damaged hair.

How to Use

Mash a banana thoroughly in a bowl, ensuring there are no chunky pieces left. Add two teaspoons of warm almond oil and mix well. Lather well on your scalp and leave it for half an hour. Wash it off later with a mild shampoo.

2. Control Hair Loss with Banana

Hair Loss

Hair loss usually occurs due to dandruff and damaged hair. A mixture of yogurt and banana will ensure that your hair health increases naturally.

How to use

Mash a ripe banana in a bowl thoroughly, adding half a cup of yogurt in it. Apply this mixture onto your scalp and let it be for twenty minutes to half an hour. This smooth paste will soothe your scalp, reducing itchiness and helps reduce dandruff and control hair fall. Wash this mixture off with a mild shampoo.

3. Conditions Dry and Damaged Hair

Banana aids in helping moisturising and conditioning hair. It helps retain moisture and makes hair softer, helping those with dry and damaged hair.

How to use

Make a natural banana hair pack at home. Mix a ripe banana after mashing it with avocado and add coconut milk. Blend these together and apply to your hair like a mask. Leave it be for twenty minutes and then wash it off with warm water. This will help make your hair softer.

4. Helps make Hair Shinier

Along with a mixture of olive oil and egg white, banana can help make your hair appear shinier.

How to Use

Peel and mash a banana in a bowl, adding two teaspoons warm olive oil and an egg white to it. Transfer the contents to a blender, and blend well, creating a puree. Apply to hair and let it sit for 15 minutes, washing it off with a mild shampoo.

Other Health Benefits of Bananas

Bananas have several benefits. It extends to hair, skin, digestion and several other aspects of human health. No wonder bananas form a part of the staple diet of many people across the world, even with its calorie content this fat-free fruit should be consumed daily for its various health benefits, some of which are:

  • Bananas are high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are known for providing protection against UV rays.
  • Antioxidants and the presence of dietary fibres in bananas are beneficial in preventing several types of cancer as well, particularly bowel cancer.
  • Bananas aid in weight loss. Due to its high fibre content and sweet taste, Bananas make one feel full and is easily digestible and fat-free these can be consumed daily without any fear.
  • Bananas help reduce cholesterol. Pectin, a fibre found in bananas, has been confirmed via research to aid in reducing or controlling cholesterol levels.
  • Bananas help in improving nerve function and the power of the brain. Due to the presence of potassium and Vitamin B, banana helps in boosting brain function and nerve function. It helps in keeping us alert and our senses sharp.
  • Due to the presence of potassium, it has been found that regular intake of Banana will ensure the reduction in the chances of a stroke occurring.
  • Probiotic bacteria in bananas help in absorbing calcium better and faster. Thus consuming Bananas builds bones.
  • Banana helps alleviate heartburn due to its antacid properties.
  • Banana consumption boosts haemoglobin levels, if low, keeping it balanced otherwise. A banana is rich in iron. This helps anaemic patients who should consume a banana daily.
  • Inflammation due to mosquito bites can be treated with the aid of Banana skin or banana peel.
  • Bananas promote heart health in general. Packed with potassium which is a mineral electrolyte, the consumption of Bananas actually boosts electricity flow throughout our body, which is required to keep our heart beating.
  • Bananas contain a small but significant amount of Vitamin A, vital for maintaining eye health. It is essential for protecting our eyes, maintaining normal vision and improving nighttime vision.
  • Bananas aid in enhancing digestive health. Because of the high presence of resistant starch, Bananas promote gut health, as found by a recent study.
  • A surprising aspect of health which is benefited by Bananas is mental health. It aids in overcoming depression. High levels of tryptophan are present in banana, which is converted to serotonin in the human body. Serotonin is a neural receptor which elevates our mood.
  • Banana moreover helps in curing us of insomnia as well. Due to the presence of Vitamin B-6, and tryptophan (which triggers the production of melatonin which helps to induce sleep) the consumption of Bananas helps us sleep better.
  • The presence of magnesium in bananas helps to relax our muscles, as well as magnesium, is a natural muscle relaxant. It contracts calcium.
  • Bananas can help in curing piles as it controls bowel functioning.
  • Another advantageous benefit of Banana is to control nicotine addiction due to the presence of magnesium, potassium, Vitamin B-6 and B-12 which aid in controlling nicotine addiction.
  • Banana consumption also aids in boosting the production of white blood cells which are helpful in fighting bacteria, our body’s defence mechanism.

Side Effects of Excessive Banana Intake

Eaten in moderation, Bananas have several health benefits to offer. However, extremes in anything in life leads to certain negative excesses. While Bananas have several pros, there are certain cons that can occur on excessive consumption of Bananas as well. Some of these are:

  • Eating Bananas in excess can trigger headaches and sleepiness. This is caused by the amino acids in bananas which dilate blood vessels, causing headaches, and due to the high amount of tryptophan overeating of the fruit can cause sleepiness.
  • Bananas are a sugary fruit, thus eating too many Bananas can be detrimental to dental health and weight issues as well.
  • Eating many bananas can lead to a significant rise in vitamin and mineral levels. Water-soluble vitamins are not as harmful as fat-soluble vitamins which if found in excess (Vitamin A), can lead to toxicity.

Thus banana, an inexpensive, widely found fruit, can lead to several benefits for human health if only consumed wisely. The recommended eating habit is to consume a banana a day, and if we make it a part of our daily diet we surely can benefit greatly from this wondrous fruit.

Also read: Banana for Hair – Benefits and Homemade Hair Mask Recipes


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