Bananas are one of the most widely grown fruit, for a good reason. In fact, daily banana consumption can help lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cancer and asthma. Tasty and extremely beneficial, bananas can be eaten raw or mixed in your favorite smoothie.

But, did you know banana leaves can be beneficial as well, they carry plenty of natural properties extremely important to the body.

However, banana leaves should not be consumed, and for a good reason. The leaf is pretty hard to digest and process, especially to humans, therefore you should avoid eating them.

So, how are banana leaves beneficial if you are not eating them, how can they be nutritious? Well, you can make a great coaster for your meals, the warm food stimulates the polyphenol content, which will absorb nicely into your meal.

Additionally, they also provide anti-bacterial properties, and prevent symptoms of chronic diseases, cardiovascular issues, cancer, and premature aging.

Here are the health benefits of eating on a banana leaf:

• Enhances the taste

Banana leaves offer a great coating and distinct flavor for your meals. Steaming or cooking food in banana leaf also adds a sweet flavor and plenty of healthy nutrients. The waxy coating on banana leaves softens your food and blends it pretty well.

• Pure and Clean

They don’t require a lot of cleaning, just rinse with pure water before use. Hygienic and clean of toxins, banana leaves are a much better option than eating from a plate that has not been cleaned properly.

• Natural and Eco-Friendly

Banana leaves are eco-friendly to the environment, they naturally decompose in the soil and feed it with nutrients. One-time-use plates, on the other hand, cause great harm to our environment and the animals.

• Free of Chemicals

The everyday use of chemical detergents, may leave traces of toxic chemicals on your plate. While, banana leaves are unpolluted, there are no such risks.

• Mess-Free

Because of their waxy coating, banana leaves are waterproof which means they can hold any gravy preparations. Also, a great alternative to aluminum foil, the leaf will keep your food well sealed and taste like heaven.

Other benefits of banana leaves:

• Juice a fresh banana leaf and use the liquid to treat minor skin wounds and other skin disorders such as dandruff, eczema, and sunburn.
• Soak banana leaves in cold water and create yourself a soothing sunburn treatment.
• The leaves are popularly known to treat insect bites, skin inflammation, stings, spider rash, irritation, and more.