A Complete Guide to Banana Water: Your Questions Answered

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Learn about the different ways people use banana water

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA Reviewed by Ben Barkan

Last Updated: January 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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What is banana water?

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Does it work for plants?

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Making Banana Water for Plants

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Making Banana Tea

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Health Benefits of Banana Tea

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Gam Gam's Viral Banana Water

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Video

Banana water has been trending on all fronts. It’s growing in popularity as a homemade fertilizer for plants, primarily thanks to bananas’ high potassium content. Banana tea is also a popular treat that may help you sleep better. We’re here to answer all of your questions about banana water, including how to make it, what it’s used for, and whether it works.

Quick Guide to Banana Water for Plants

Place whole or chopped banana peels into a container of water and seal it tightly. Let it sit for several days, weeks, or even months. Strain the water to remove the banana peels, then use the remaining liquid to water your plants.

Section 1 of 6:

What is banana water?

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It's popular as a DIY plant fertilizer thanks to bananas’ high potassium content. Some people also drink banana peel tea for its supposed health benefits. A simple, straightforward recipe for hot banana water recently went viral, with some people questioning its authenticity because of how odd the recipe is (more on that later).

Section 2 of 6:

Does banana water really work for plants?

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There may be some benefits, but they’re not proven. Bananas do contain potassium, which is an essential nutrient for plants. They also contain small amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen, which plants also need. However, there’s no scientific proof that steeping banana peels in water extracts these nutrients, and most plants need a more balanced fertilizer than you can't get by only using banana peels.^{[1]
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- A balanced commercial fertilizer—like one with an NPK of 10-10-10 or 4-3-4—is probably better for your plants.
- Bananas are packed with sugar and carbohydrates. When you use banana water on your plants, those sugars and carbs could attract fungi and small pests like gnats.^{[2]
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  Research source} Diluting the banana water may help prevent pests if you do decide to use it.
- Adding banana peels to your compost pile is probably more effective at extracting the nutrients than using banana water. You’re more likely to extract the nutrients in banana peels by allowing them to compost naturally.^{[3]
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Section 3 of 6:

How do you make banana water for plants?

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1
Chop your banana peels into pieces to help them break down faster. It’s up to you how large or small you want to cut the banana peels—you can roughly chop them into 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) pieces if you’d like, or add them to a food processor to break them down into smaller pieces. Some people skip this step, so if you want to add your banana peels whole, that’s okay.^{[4]
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- The banana peels might break down a little faster if they’re in small pieces, but very small pieces may also be more difficult to strain.
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Add the banana peels to a container of water. Place your banana peels into the container. Then, add enough water to fill the container almost all the way full. Making banana water for plants isn’t an exact science, so there’s no need to measure anything.
- If you’re only using one or two banana peels, you might use a smaller container, like a 32 fl oz (950 ml) mason jar. If you have a lot of banana peels, you can use a larger container, like a 5 US gal (19 l) bucket.
- If you’d like, you can keep a container filled with water, then toss in a new banana peel every time you eat a banana.^{[5]
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Cover the container and let it sit for a week or more. Seal the lid tightly—banana water doesn’t smell very good. Covering the container may also help prevent the mixture from developing mold. Place the container somewhere it won’t be disturbed, then wait at least 2–3 days, or until the banana peels turn black.^{[6]
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- Some people prefer to let their banana water sit for weeks or even months before they use it.^{[7]
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- Stirring the mixture occasionally may help the banana peels break down. If the container is small enough, you can just shake it, instead.
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Boil the banana water if you want it to be extra strong. After you’ve soaked the banana peels for at least a few days, you can create a banana peel tea from the mixture to help break down the peels even more. Pour the banana water into a large pot, then bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for about 30 or 45 minutes, then let it cool and strain it.^{[8]
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- If you boil the banana water, dilute it with 1 part banana peel tea to 5 parts water before you put it on your plants.
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Strain the water and discard the banana peels. Once the water is a dark brown color, pour the banana water through a strainer to remove the pieces of banana peel.^{[9]
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Research source} Throw out the banana peels or place them in your compost pile.
- Keep in mind that the banana water will probably have a strong, unpleasant smell when you open the container.
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Use the banana water to water your plants. Pour the banana water around the base of your plants.^{[10]
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Research source} Use the same amount of water as you normally would, and water your plants with the same frequency.
- Some people believe that spraying banana water on your plant might help prevent aphids.^{[11]
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  Research source}However, the high sugar content in banana water means it's probably more likely to attract pests than repel them.^{[12]
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Section 4 of 6:

How do you make banana tea for sleep?

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Fill a large pot with about 3 cups (0.71 l) of water. Place the pot on a stove on high heat and bring it to a boil.^{[13]
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Cut the top and bottom off of a banana peel. Wash the peel of the banana thoroughly, then carefully slice the ends off of the banana with a sharp knife. Toss these pieces in the trash or put them in your compost pile. Remove the peel from the banana and set the fruit aside.^{[14]
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- If you’d like, you can leave the fruit of the banana inside the peel.^{[15]
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  Research source} This may make a more flavorful tea.
- If you’re only using banana peels and you’re not going to eat the bananas right away, cut them into thick slices, add them to a resealable plastic bag, and put them in the freezer for later.
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Boil the banana peel for 3–5 minutes. Once the water comes to a boil, add the banana peel to the pot. To avoid burning yourself, use tongs to carefully lower the peel into the water. Leave the peel in the boiling water for up to 5 minutes.^{[16]
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- The banana peel will start to turn brown when it’s ready.
- If you prefer, you can pour hot water over the banana peel and let it steep for about 10 minutes.^{[17]
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Stir the mixture, strain, and serve. Carefully stir the banana tea with a long-handled spoon. Then, pour the water through a strainer or use tongs to remove the peel. Drink the banana water while it’s still warm.^{[18]
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- If you included the fruit of the banana, you’ll probably need to strain the mixture.
- If you’d like, add honey, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg to taste. You can also add in a splash of milk, almond milk, or oat milk.

Section 5 of 6:

Are there any health benefits to drinking banana tea?

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It's unproven, but some people swear banana tea is a sleep aid. Making banana tea out of the peels may extract the nutrients in bananas. And while there's not a definitive link between banana tea and good sleep, some of the nutrients in bananas are associated with a better night’s sleep, including:^{[19]
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- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Tryptophan

Section 6 of 6:

What is Gam Gam’s hot banana water, and is it a real thing?

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The simple recipe and satirical comments naturally had people wondering if it's a real thing, and AllRecipes even used the recipe for an April Fools' video on their YouTube channel. We can't guarantee that Gam Gam is a real person, but people do drink hot banana water as a sleeping aid. But based on reactions to the recipe, Gam Gam’s recipe probably isn’t very tasty.