One in five Americans suffer from sleep disorders or sleep deprivation, and two-thirds get less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep, according to the CDC. As a result, nearly 9 million Americans were on prescription sleeping pills as of 2013.
With side effects including “dizziness, memory loss, confusion, depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior, hallucinations and thoughts of suicide,” people popping America’s leading sleeping pill — Ambien — might be relieved to know there’s a natural alternative with zero negative side effects… and it costs about 30 cents a pop…
Bananas – especially their peels – are loaded with magnesium (the planet’s most powerful sleep and relaxation-promoting mineral) and potassium. The two minerals work together to promote muscle relaxation and prevent sleep disturbances. (Most Americans have severely depleted levels of magnesium.)
The trouble is most people don’t want to eat the peels. Not to worry. RealFarmacy.com recently put out a great article, demonstrating how to squeeze the most out of every banana:
Banana Tea
1. Slice the ends of an organic banana (make sure it’s organic to avoid making pesticide tea)
2. Cut it into three or four chunks
3. Drop the chunks, with the peel, into boiling water
4. Let boil for 10 minutes
5. Strain bananas
6. Add cinnamon (optional)
7. Drink before bed
8. Eat the boiled banana chunks (optional)
9. Sleep soundly!
I’ve tried it, it works! I usually wake up several times a night, but on banana peel tea nights I wake up only only once to use the bathroom. The mornings after I wake up wide-eyed, rested and with no pain in my neck or back!
And, it’s delicious.
RELATED: Why Almost All Americans are Magnesium Deficient and What to Do About It
Comments
28 responses to “Beat Insomnia with Banana Peel Tea”
You need a full night s sleep. You ll feel better, function better and prevent disease by getting, at least, eight hours of sleep each night. You do not want the side effects that sleeping pills offer, so what can you do? Enter banana cinnamon tea.
[…] http://theheartysoul.com/banana-tea-sleep-remedy/ http://returntonow.net/2016/05/05/banana-peel-tea-for-insomnia/ […]
Can you use green bananas?
They should be yellow with brown spots. This is when the banana is ripe with nutrients.
Hudson, there will be no more magnesium or potassium in the spotty banana than when it was green. These elements are not absorbed from the air, nor from the countertop. The only nutrient difference in the aging of bananas is the breakdown of carbs and proteins.
How much water do you put in???
What about pesticides on the peel?
Use organic.
Organic does not mean pesticide free. Organic means free of antibiotics and growth hormones. No synthetic components in fertilizer and no gmos.
And no synthetic or toxic pesticides.
When you say “no antibiotics and no growth hormones,” you’re talking about animals. Organic farmers who grow produce do NOT use synthetic pesticides.
They use pesticides, but they are derived from natural sources and processed lightly, if at all, before use.
Read 1. Slice the ends of an organic banana (make sure it’s organic to avoid making pesticide tea)
I wonder if you could do this in a pressure cooker like bone broth? I would eat the banana and cook the peels.
Thank you so much for this research and posting. I find it very appropriate as it is now well past my bedtime and I am wide awake.. thank you again I wish blessings for you in all you do Sara.
There are way better ways to increase magnesium that don’t include ingesting pesticides which have been sprayed on the fruit.
Consider making a magnesium bicarbonate concentrate using seltzer water and Milk of Magnesia. Very bio-available, easy and inexpensive. Recipes are online.
Sources:
http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/the-way-we-produce-our-foods-part-i/youve-just-been-poisoned.html
https://organicmedianetwork.com/dirty-truth-pesticides-bananas/
Looks like a winner for the occasional sleepless night. Oh, btw, the author did state to use ‘organic’ bananas for the tea so you wouldn’t get pesticides from the skins of regular bananas. Just wanted to clear that up for the next reader. Seems previous commenters missed that part in the original posting.
Thanks for the information. I am going to try this with my son that 13 and has sleep apnea and Insomnia. He has to sleep with a cpap machine and still has bad night and hard to sleep. I will try it tonight
Can you use both left-hand and right-hand bananas?
No. It must be a right hand one.
What the heck is a “right hand,” and “left hand” banana…?
Its a joke 😉
When it says drink, how much are we to drink? A shot glass, a pint, a tablespoon, a gallon? I would appreciate any clarification because I really want (and need) to try this.
I’m sorry, but this is misinformation. Insomnia is a disease that comes in many forms. You can’t expect to fall asleep by drinking this tea if you have actual sleeping disorders. You are spreading misinformation and some sick people will listen to you instead of taking their doctors advice, and frankly I think it’s disgusting.
Why don’t you try it christine. Not everything can be found in a book.
Apple cider vinegar 2 tsp
Mug of hot water sprinkle cinnamon sweet er of choice and zzzzzzzz also good of you have a cough
Keep in mind that organic no longer means what you think it does. Regulations are changing as to what constitutes “organic.” Just make sure your bananas truly are pesticide free.
Well – I would like to answer Christian’s worry (March 22) that this might be misinformation. I have suffered from insomnia all my long life. For the past few months, I have prepared and drunk this banana ‘tea’, and believe me, it makes a huge difference. Of course, one person does not a scientific research make – but since this is harmless to your health, I do suggest it’s worth a try. And for other people who’ve asked how much this or that: I boil a 2- 2 1/2 inch slice of ripe banana in 1 1/4 cup water, let cook slowly until reduced to about 3/4 cup, add about 1/2 tsp raw (unpasteurized) honey, and that’s enough for me. I don’t even use an entire banana.
Organic bananas still have pesticides. Have you noticed that organic fruit isn’t infested with insects? They just use “organic” pesticides, some of which are more harmful to humans than traditional ones.