Go Bananas For B12!
Updated: Mar 17, 2020
There have now been numerous studies which have clearly shown that supplements in general are not nearly as effective as they are marketed to be, or not effective at all, and in many cases can actually do more harm than help. Yet we vegan and plant-based eaters are told by numerous experts that we need to take a B12 pill since we are abstaining from animal products.
I don't know about you, but this has never sat right with me and intuitively I've known that there are plant-based whole food sources of B12. Nature would not require her beloved animals to live their entire lives in torture and confinement just so humans could have a balanced diet. That is not only completely illogical, but truly heart-felt. As Dr. Will Tuttle, one of the most sincerely compassionate people on the planet and author of The World Peace Diet says:
“How could it ever be to our purpose to rob another living being of his or her purpose?”
This came to me as I was staring at the above picture and concentrating on the spots. I thought to myself, "I bet banana peels have B12!" and so you can imagine my delight when I started researching it and found this great article about this very subject, that also references numerous scientific studies!
The article Bananas: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts, is well worth the read and starts out by saying:
Bananas are one of the world's most appealing fruits. Global banana exports reached about 18 million tons in 2015, according to the United Nations. About half of them went to the United States and the European market. In the United States, each person eats 11.4 lbs. of bananas per year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making it Americans' favorite fresh fruit.
That is a lot of bananas and bananas that have gone for decades in the West only being half eaten! Our body has evolved to eat plant-based whole foods and there are numerous interactions that occur in our bodies that simply can not be mimicked in a pill. No one says it better then T. Colin Campbell, co-author of The China Study, and author of the highly acclaimed book Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition.
“Everything in food works together to create health or disease. The more we think that a single chemical characterizes a whole food, the more we stray into idiocy.”
― T. Colin Campbell, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health
The more ways we can find to get our nutritional needs from plant-based whole foods, the healthier we become!
Banana peels are not poisonous. In fact, they're edible, and packed with nutrients. "Banana peel is eaten in many parts of the world, though [it's] not very common in the West," Flores (San Diego Based Nutritionist) said.
"It contains high amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, as well as magnesium and potassium. It also contains some fiber and protein." According to a 2011 article in the journal of Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, banana peels also have "various bioactive compounds like polyphenols, carotenoids and others."
That is why I have found some of the best banana peel recipes for you which are linked below. Remember to carefully wash conventional banana peels before eating due to the pesticides that may be sprayed in banana groves. Happy B12 Banana Peel Eating!
BANANA PEEL STIR FRY - ONEGREENPLANET.COM
BANANA PEEL VEGAN PULLED 'PORK' SANDWICH - THESTINGYVEGAN.COM
MAKE 'BACON' WITH BANANA PEELS - SKILLET.LIFEHACKER.COM
Eating banana peels is clearly something that is just catching on here in the West so if you feel inspired, get creative with banana peels and start to make your own recipes. In Asia they are often used in curries. Another great idea would be vegan banana bread with the peels! Send your new banana peel recipes here and I'll add them to this article.
Or better yet, how about a plant-based whole foods cook book that is all banana peel recipes? These small efforts can lead to big changes! Here's a tip from the banana peel article cited above:
Banana peels are usually served cooked, boiled or fried, though they can be eaten raw or put in a blender with other fruits. They are not as sweet as banana flesh. Riper peels will be sweeter than unripe ones.
