Despite looking like an unripe banana, plantains are starchier and lower in sugar than their sweeter twins and have lots of health benefits too. Here, we look at what a plantain is, and how it can help you to stay healthy both inside and out.

What is a plantain?

Plantains are a member of the genus Musa, a family of plants that also includes the much-loved banana. They are a major staple in West and Central Africa and the Caribbean Islands and are regularly used in both cooking and creating skincare products. Plantains are starchy, tough and not very sweet. You will need to cook plantains before you eat them, as they don’t taste good when they’re raw, but having them as part of your diet or skincare routine can help you to boost both your internal and external health.

How can plantain peel benefit my skin?

 Plantain peel comes with many internal and external health benefits, which is why it is such a worthwhile ingredient to include in your skincare regime. It is very high in vitamin A, allantoin, apigenin, aucubin, baicalein, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, and tannin, which all promote wound healing, speed up cell regeneration, and have skin-softening effects. It can be used to treat skin disorders and defects, such as wrinkles, skin allergies, and acne, and can reduce scarring as a result. Rubbing plantain peel against your skin is one way to eliminate wrinkles due to its abilities to tighten and tone the skin. However, using organic products that contain plantain peel extract offer an easier, more convenient, and perhaps less messy and time-consuming option.

How is plantain beneficial for my internal health?

In addition to helping you to achieve younger-looking, softer, blemish-free skin, plantain peel can do great things for your internal health too. Due to the high amounts of vitamin A, 100g fresh ripe plantains contain 37.5% of your daily recommended amount of this important vitamin. Besides being a powerful antioxidant, meaning that it plays a role in the protection of your cells against disease, vitamin A is vital in enhancing skin complexion. Additionally, the potassium, magnesium and fibre levels contained in plantain are believed to reduce the effects of gout, kidney stones, allergies and many more internal defects. Simply adding this wonder ingredient to your diet can make a noticeable difference in the long run.

Which plantain peel products should I use? 

At Derma Organics, we take our health very seriously and are always looking at new ways to take better care of ourselves both internally and externally. If you’re looking to reap some of the benefits of plantain peel through your skincare routine, here are two products that contain this magical ingredient that will give you a healthy, glowing complexion.