Nigella Lawson And Nadiya Hussain Agree, Never Throw Out This Fruit Peel
Admit it, you're guilty of tossing the occasional fruit to the ground when you don't want anymore. Think about all the times you likely went apple picking and threw your core on the grass. In 2014, The Gazette reported that although orchards love the fall crowds, it does create an issue of waste because not only is the apple on the ground being wasted, but the orchards are losing money as well. And while the same may not necessarily be true of all foods, especially their peels, it's certainly something to consider.
In recent years, composting has also become somewhat of a consideration, with SF Gate reporting that "apple cores, melon rinds, and orange peels" usually end up being tossed in the garbage, but could be better utilized for composting. Aside from these, there is another fruit that you shouldn't waste, yet doesn't fall into this category. But it's one that Nigella Lawson and Nadiya Hussain agree you might want to think twice about before throwing away.
So, what's the peel?
According to Nigella and Nadiya, while you've been taught all your life to throw out the peel, you should really give the banana's skin a taste. In an article from The New York Times, Lawson and Hussain became topics of note because Lawson included a dish on her show "Cook, Eat, Repeat" in her likewise-named cookbook made with cauliflower and banana peels. Later, the article notes, Hussain also suggested eating the peel, recommending her audience "cook it up with some garlic and onions and barbecue sauce, stick it in a burger, and you've got, like, pulled pork, pulled chicken."
Turns out, this suggestion isn't so far-fetched. Firstly, it helps save the environment, because as Outside reports, while you may think banana peels are decomposing when you throw them on the ground, it can take up to two years to fully disappear. And on top of the straight-up destructive nature, you're missing out on what could be an incredible taste and nutrient powerhouse ingredient in your food.
What else can you do with banana peels?
In addition to Nigella Lawson's and Nadiya Hussain's recipes, banana peels can be used in all kinds of interesting ways. YouTube personality, Chef Jana shared a recipe for Banana Peel Fried Vegan Fish (with the banana peel acting as the "fish") with a vegan tartar sauce, and for those who are a bit pickier, Eat This, Not That! shares recipes for including them in smoothies or brew teas — two methods that hide the peel a bit more.
If eating them isn't your jam, they can be utilized in a ton of other ways. Some suggestions from Healthline include swiping the inside of a peel on your complexion for glow-boosting benefits, utilizing its antioxidants by creating a hair mask with it, and even using the peel to calm itchiness caused by bug bites and sunburns. So the next time you find yourself itching to throw that peel away, take a trip back here or do a quick Google search to find a better alternative!