In fact, one can see banana leaves almost anywhere one turns his head, especially in rural areas.
The wide range of banana leaves has also been integrated into everyday use, especially in villages where local traditions remain strong.
For example, in the kitchen, banana leaves can be used for food preparation, body treatments, facials, decorations, religious rituals, among others.
Here are some useful information and benefits of banana leaves, including the benefits of banana leaves on the face.
What are some of the uses for banana leaves?
- Being large, flexible, waterproof and durable, banana leaves are among the most versatile plants out there.
- Banana leaves on the face have a large presence in Southeast Asian, Indian, Polynesian, Latin American and Caribbean cuisine, as they add aroma and flavor to the food it contains, while protecting food from burns or infections.
- In religious rituals, banana leaves have decorative and symbolic purposes as seen in Buddhist ceremonies and Hindu pojaos or offerings to the gods.
- For skin care, banana leaves can be used as a body wrap during the spa, as seen in the traditional Indian spa, or in skin treatments for wounds, burns or acne.
8 Benefits of banana leaves
1.- They contain erroneously gallate (EGCG)
EGCG is a type of polyphenol common to those found within green tea leaves.
EGCG is considered a member of the catechin family, with 3 phenol rings and of course with excellent antioxidant properties.
2.- They have incredibly strong levels of antioxidants
According to the previous point, banana leaves contain strong levels of antioxidants, which come in the form of epigallocatechin gallate or also known as EGCG.
Since EGCG is an antioxidant, its job is to protect the body’s cells from experiencing oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
For the skin, free radicals cause impurities as well as premature aging, which can cause defects in facial appearance and self-esteem.
3.- They can be used for skin care
Everyday dermatological problems and conditions, such as eczema, wounds, or sunburn, affect the overall appearance and texture of the skin.
The good news is that all of them can be cured with banana leaves.
For sunburn, all that is needed is a banana leaf soaked in cold water and applied to the affected area.
And then there is also the special Bali body wrap treatment that predominantly uses banana leaves.
This particular type of skin care is mixed with green tea clay to rehydrate, rejuvenate, and replenish the skin.
4.- Banana leaves provide hair treatment
Next, the banana leaves also provide a hair treatment to remove dandruff.
As is known, dandruff not only causes discomfort by making the scalp itchy and red, but also leads to psychological problems such as a significant decrease in self-esteem and public perception of ourselves.
In addition, banana leaves have also been shown to be able to maintain our natural hair color, thanks to the astringent and allantoin properties it contains.
Dandruff can be gradually eliminated by using hair masks made from fresh banana leaf juice.
5.- They treat common skin problems
Here is the medicinal property of banana leaves.
In relation to point 3, banana leaves can also act as a remedy to treat more serious skin problems, such as rashes caused by allergic reactions, insect bites, bee, insect, spider or ant stings, as well as other forms of irritation. .
This causes banana leaves to be labeled “the natural eraser.”
Perhaps the banana leaves could be ready in case there are no bug repellent lotions around or during the unavailability of nearby medical treatments.
6.- Regenerates the skin
The growth of the skin with the help of banana leaves is possible thanks to the chemical compound it contains known as Allantoin.
Allantoin is a common ingredient within the leaves of plants, including those of the banana tree, and can be found as an active ingredient in cosmetic creams and lotions.
Allantoin when applied to the skin helps speed up the healing process, kills germs and stimulates the growth of new layers of skin.
When applied to the face, it helps remove impurities and refreshes it almost perfectly.
7.- Protects the skin
The green color of banana leaves acts as a protective layer to keep the skin away from harmful ultraviolet rays and promotes the flow of energy to various parts of the body.
It is that energy that supports the rejuvenation of tissues, muscles and organs.
Using the banana leaf as a protective layer, one can get maximum relaxation and rejuvenation.
8.- Chemical free
Here is the final health benefits of banana leaves on the face.
Being low in chemicals, that makes banana leaf healthy when applied to the skin.
On the other hand, the hygienic properties of banana only require a brief rinse with water for sterilization, before being indicated as safe for use on the skin or face.
9. Cure a sore throat
A sore throat is a symptom of many respiratory-related illnesses and is mostly caused by viruses, so antibiotics may not help at all.
A sore throat is really annoying, it makes us feel pain when we swallow food or drinks.
Drinking a decoction of banana leaves at least once a day can gradually reduce a sore throat.
10. Reduces fever
The antioxidants and astringents contained in banana leaves are good substances to reduce inflammation, which often takes shape in fever.
The astringent effect will also calm the sick feeling of fever . To reduce fever, we can drink the decoction 3 times a day.
11. Treatment of dysentery
The allantoin and polyphenols in dried banana leaves can reduce intestinal bleeding in dysentery.
We can drink the decoction at least once a day to stop the bleeding. The astringent effect also reduces stomach pain due to the hyperperistaltic activity of the intestine.
The good news is that banana leaves do not interfere with prescription drugs, so in severe dysentery we can take drugs and banana leaves together.
12. Heals wounds and skin irritation
Fresh banana leaves are traditionally used to heal wounds and irritation.
Just crush some banana leaves with a mortar and pestle, then put them on the affected area.
We can tie it with a bandage to prevent it from falling off. Change the sheets and bandage 2-3 times a day.
Meanwhile, there are some health benefits of banana leaves that back up the beauty hacks.
13. Reduce cellulite and body weight
The traditional spa also uses banana leaves as a traditional slimming program. There are two ways to use banana leaves: first, the fresh crushed leaves are used as face masks to reduce cellulite and keep skin healthy.
The second, the whole banana leaves are steamed and then wrapped in the desired area (usually belly, upper thighs and upper arms) for 1-2 hours.
After the treatment is over, you have a cup of tea made from banana leaves and ginger.
This treatment was popular in the Sultan’s Palace in Yogyakarta and in the Kings’ Palaces in Bali, to maintain the beauty of the queens and princesses.
Banana leaf therapy
This is a therapy based on the ancient Indian technique of nadipathy. It greatly supports the detoxification of the body by removing toxins from the body.
This form of therapy leads to peace of mind, total relaxation and rejuvenation, thanks to the layers of banana leaves that protect the body from the harmful rays of the sun and support the flow of energy to the tissues, muscles and organs.
Banana leaf is a wonderful detox therapy without any known side effects and with noticeable effects on the body and soul.
This therapy works by completely covering the patient’s body using layers of life-size banana leaves while the patient lies on the ground facing the sun for a period of time.