With more people focused on reducing waste in the kitchen, we are finding creative ways to incorporate food scraps in cooking. Wouldn't it be nice, for example, if you could eat banana peels? Maybe you can. For more info, we consulted Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, award winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Up Your Veggies: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family.

Can You Eat Banana Peels?

In short, yes, banana peels are safe to eat and offer some nutrition.

Banana Peel Benefits

According to Amidor, eating banana peels offers a few health benefits:

• GI tract health: Banana peels can help with digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea.

• May help reduce the risk of cancer: Banana peels provide polyphenols, carotenoids and other antioxidants that can help fight free radicals that may lead to cancer.

• Eye health: Banana peels provide vitamin A, which is needed for eye health. A deficiency in vitamin A has been linked to night blindness.

Are There Any Risks to Eating Banana Peels?

There are some potential risks to eating banana peels. “They can be contaminated with dirt, microorganisms (like bacteria) or fertilizer,” Amidor says. “It is recommended to wash banana peels under cool, running water to remove any dirt, debris, microorganisms and anything else that may be on the peel.”

How to Eat Banana Peels

Prepare the Peels

1. Choose the Right Bananas: Amidor notes that riper bananas have a sweeter and softer peel.

2. Clean and Trim the Peels: Wash the peel very well with cool running water. Cut off the two tough ends.

Banana Peel Recipes

1. Blend Frozen Peel Into Smoothies: Cut the whole banana (including the peel) into one-inch pieces and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag. Then blend the chunks into smoothies.

2. Make Banana Peel Tea: Boil banana peels with honey and cinnamon sticks to create a luscious tea. Chill the tea and top it with foamed milk, if you so desire, to create Banana Peel Iced Lattes.

3. Bake with the Peels: Baking with banana peels adds a ton of fiber. Boil them first to soften them, puree them with a bit of the cooking liquid and blend them into cake batter as with this Banana Peel Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting. Or freeze whole bananas and whir them up in a food processor with sugar to create Whole Banana Bread.

4. Roast the Peels: Toss banana peels with cinnamon sugar and roast them in the oven until soft and tender. Eat them topped with yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

5. Make Vegan Pulled Pork: Scrape out the inner white part of the banana peel with a spoon, slice the peel into thin strips and boil the peel for about 5 minutes. Strain the peel, toss it with a dry rub and sauté for a few minutes, finishing with barbecue sauce.

Related Links:

The 42 Best Banana Recipes for Using Up Your Bunch

23 Healthy Smoothies You'll Want to Drink Every Day

19 Incredibly Delicious Ways to Make Banana Bread