Already have an account?
Get back to the
Food & Recipes

Bananas With Edible Peels Exist and We Have Mixed Feelings

Tags:

Can you imagine biting into a banana without peeling it first? We can’t, either, but apparently that’s what some people in Japan are doing after scientists at the D&T Farm invented edible banana peels. Yes, you read that correctly.

Technically, all banana peels are already edible on their own, but it’s typically not a good idea to chew on them due to potential use of pesticides on the outside of the fruit. Plus, gnawing into a banana peel doesn’t really sound all that appetizing in the first place, which is why this new invention is even more confusing to us. But as baffled as we are, we can’t help but be slightly fascinated.

These new bananas, called “mongee bananas,” are pesticide-free and not genetically modified; they were instead created when scientists grew banana trees in below freezing temps and then thawed and re-planted said trees. When these bananas are ready to be eaten, brown spots form on the peel. A major bonus is that these banana peels are chock-full of vitamins; they reportedly boast potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and possibly tryptophan. Currently, these rare bananas are only being sold in sets of 10 per week to a Japanese department store — and they cost a whopping $5.75 a pop!

There’s no news yet about any of these peel-free bananas coming to the U.S. anytime soon, but to be honest, we don’t really feel like we’re missing out. First of all, $5.75 is a lot to spend on one banana. Secondly, we still don’t feel like our mouths will ever water at the thought of any banana peels. Finally, while the vitamins sound awesome, banana peels are certainly not the only place where we can get them. After all, bananas are famous for having plenty of potassium on the inside as well. Plus, we can get our B6 from fish and beef, magnesium from nuts, fruits, and vegetables, and tryptophan from turkey.

So why chew the banana peel?

h/t Travel and Leisure

Next, find out what foods are actually safe to eat past the expiration date in the video below:

More from FIRST

Food Can Fix Your Life: What to Eat to Treat Every Problem You Have

13 Clever Food Inventions That Make Cooking Fun and Easy

So What Exactly Is a Keto Diet? We’re Breaking Down the Basics

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items. Use right arrow key to move into submenus. Use escape to exit the menu. Use up and down arrow keys to explore. Use left arrow key to move back to the parent list.