Banana peels as a substitute for flour, sugar or meat -

Flour made from banana peels as a healthy substitute for sugar and wheat flour

In most cases, banana peels end up in the trash after eating bananas. The shells contain valuable ingredients that can be used in many dishes and can serve as a substitute for sugar, flour or meat.

Experts from the American Chemical Society present research showing that flour made from banana peels not only makes baked goods healthier, but also tastier. The study was recently featured in the journal ACS Food Science & Technology.

Use banana peels as a resource

Banana peels are very fibrous and therefore not eaten despite their many healthy ingredients. However, there are a few tricks to using the peels well, which could make many dishes healthier without sacrificing flavor.

Banana peel strips as a bacon substitute

Cut into thin strips and fried, the shells can replace bacon on sandwiches, for example. However, it is also relatively easy to make flour yourself from the shells, which can be used in many baked goods such as cakes, breads and cookies.

Production of banana peel flour

To produce banana peel flour, ripe, undamaged banana peels must be blanched and dried. The dried peels can then be ground into a fine powder.

The researchers mixed this flour with butter, skimmed milk powder, powdered sugar, vegetable oil and wheat flour to make five batches of cookies. Each batch had a different percentage of banana peel flour, ranging from 0-15%.

Healthier ingredients with flour made from banana peels

Adding banana peel flour to baked goods can make them healthier and tastier, the study found. The flour increased the fiber, magnesium, potassium and antioxidant compounds of the cookies and reduced their fat content.

Testers who ate the cookies made with banana flour found them to be more satisfying than those made with wheat flour alone. The best result was obtained with cookies in which 7.5% of the wheat flour was replaced by banana peel flour.

Can be stored for three months at room temperature

The biscuits could be stored at room temperature for three months and tasted as good after the storage period as wheat biscuits stored for the same period.

High acceptance expected

The working group led by Faizan Ahmad believes that the acceptance of these cookies in the market is high if a small part of wheat flour is replaced with banana peel flour in the products. (vb)

Author and source information

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This text corresponds to the specifications of the specialized medical literature, medical guidelines and current studies and has been verified by health professionals.

Author:

Graduate editor (FH) Volker Blasek

Sources:

American Chemical Society: Banana Peels Make Sugar Cookies Better for You (Published 08/09/2022), acs.org Asima Shafi, Faizan Ahmad, Zahra H. Mohammad, et al. : Effect of Adding Banana Peel Flour on Shelf Life and Antioxidant Properties of Cookies; in: ACS Food Science & Technology (2022), pubs.acs.org

Important note:
This article contains general advice only and should not be used for self-diagnosis or treatment. It cannot substitute a visit to the doctor.