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If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night tossing and turning to no avail, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the “I’ll try anything to get some rest” feeling that follows a night of zero sleep. We can’t find any scientific evidence for the effectiveness of this remedy, but monkeys swear by it, so we reckon it’s worth a try!

Bananas (including the peel1) contain minerals including magnesium and potassium and it’s likely that the combination of these two calming, muscle-relaxing and nervous system-supportive minerals have the potential to deliver this remedy’s reported sedative effects. Bananas also contain an amino acid called tryptophan which is an essential building block needed for the body make ‘feel-good’ serotonin and melatonin – the neurotransmitter that helps you sleep. Vitamin B6 is also required for this conversion and yes you’ve guessed it, bananas contain this too!

Banana tea – a simple, gooey sleep remedy

You will need:

 • 1 organic banana (banana skins can be loaded with pesticides2 so it’s essential that you choose organic for this remedy)
 • 1 small saucepan of filtered water
 • A dash of organic ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Slice off both ends of the banana and place it (peel intact) into a pan of boiling water
2. Boil the banana for about 10 minutes
3. Use a colander to drain the banana water into a mug
4. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon into your mug of banana water and sip slowly about an hour before bedtime
5. You can also sprinkle some cinnamon over the gooey boiled banana and eat this too
6. Sweet dreams!

References:
1. Hikal WM, Said-Al Ahl, et al. Banana Peels: A waste treasure for human being. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022; 2022: 7616452.
2. de O Gomes H, Menezes JMC, et al. Evaluating the presence of pesticides in bananas: An integrative review. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. Volume 189, February 2020, 110016.

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Nutri Advanced has a thorough research process and for any references included, each source is scrutinised beforehand. We aim to use the highest value source where possible, referencing peer-reviewed journals and official guidelines in the first instance before alternatives. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate at time of publication on our editorial policy.