Most of us are guilty of throwing out any part of a fruit or vegetable that we are kind of unsure of. This isn't necessarily a bad habit, as you shouldn't go around eating unknown objects. That being said, you shouldn't rule something out without knowing its benefits first.
This includes those strings-like things that are attached to the banana. To be honest, I usually throw them out too, I am kind of scared of the unknown. Instead of tossing them, you should actually be eating them.
Although they seem like an unnecessary, bitter part of the banana, they may actually be the best for you.
These weird strings are actually called phloem bundles. Not only are they a fun name, they are packed full of potassium, fiber, vitamin A, and vitamin B6. Phloem is a tissue found in all plants, which is responsible for the transport of nutrients to the fruit to help them grow properly.
The phloem bundles can even tell you when the fruit is ripe enough to eat. If all of the nutrients haven't been evenly distributed throughout the fruit yet, then the phloem bundles stay on more tightly, meaning the banana is under-ripe.
Phloem bundles aren't the only part of a banana you shouldn't be throwing out, that's right, you can eat the peel too. They are not only edible, they are good for you too.
Just one banana peel contains high amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, as well as magnesium and potassium. It also contains some fiber and protein.
Although you probably would never try a banana peel, it's not quite as weird as you might think. People in other countries, including India, have been taking advantage of their nutritional benefits for decades.
I don't blame you for not being eager to chew up a bitter, tough banana peel, because it doesn't sound that appetizing to me either. If you are a person that hates wasting, you now know that basically every part of the banana is healthy and safe to eat.
So, next time you go to avoid those banana strings, remember how much nutrients you are wasting.