How to Remove the Peel From the Banana

Wait until your banana is bright yellow before peeling.

Bananas are an inexpensive, versatile and nutritious fruit that grow best in tropical climates and become sunny-yellow at the peak of ripeness. According to the Centers for Disease Control, just half a cup of sliced banana contains 11 percent of your recommended daily allowance of potassium and 9 grams of fiber. You can also use slightly brown and overripe bananas for banana bread or banana cake. Unlike some other fruits, bananas have inedible peels, so you must remove the skin, regardless of the recipe.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors

Instructions

1. Snip the banana stem at the top where it meets the banana body. You can also attempt to bend the stem sideways and pull downward. However, this second method can mash the banana meat and make a sticky mess if the banana is overly ripe.

2. Grasp the banana peel at the opening you cut and pull the peel firmly downward until you reach the banana base. Continue peeling individual sections until the entire banana peel hangs in pieces around the fruit base.

3. Remove the segmented peel by pulling down and away from the end of the banana. Discard the peeled skin and any dangling strings of internal banana peel if you desire. You can eat the internal skin strings, despite their slightly bitter taste.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't discard the entire banana if you find brown spots beneath the peel. Although mushy, these brown spots are entirely edible. You can also slice off the brown spots individually using a knife.

References

• Chiquita Banana: Selecting and Handling Bananas
• CDC: Bananas