Love doing dishes? Well, I’m not sure anyone does, actually. However, this is just one of the many things that will reduce if you start eating on a banana leaf!
I’m sure you’ve seen many banana wrapped dishes… Tamales for one, which are tradition here in Costa Rica for Christmas. The version prepared here isn’t wrapped in corn husk as with the Mexican version but in banana leaves instead! Little packets of deliciousness!
But if you are a regular here at Jungle Living with Jill, you see plenty of food ON TOP of banana leaves as well!
The food looks beautifully enticing on a banana leaf for sure, but have you ever stopped to ask why you should eat on a banana leaf?
Why should you use a banana leaf plate??
An eco-friendly plate!
Banana leaves are naturally biodegradable and compostable plant products, so they will break down completely within a short period of time to natural fertilizer. Think of them as natural, compostable, disposable plates. If you are using a banana leaf as a plate, that is one less dish to have to wash!
Waterproof and large!
Have you ever used a paper plate and had your food soak into your plate? Well, because a banana leaf is waterproof, it can handle wet foods well without soaking through. The leaves are also large enough to be able to serve several dishes on the same platter (i.e. leaf). The guys in my household also love that the leaf can bend at the edge and help them scrape the last of their food onto their fork. (Try that with your regular plates!)
Delicious flavors and aromas from the banana leaf
Banana leaves have a natural waxy coating that melts when it comes in contact with hot food, lending a somewhat sweet, subtle flavor and aroma to your food that is quite fragrant and delicious. Think of it as a bonus seasoning!
Natural plant polyphenols
The most important reason, however, I would argue that you Need to be eating on a banana leaf is for the health benefits!!! Banana leaves contain high levels of plant polyphenols that serve as antioxidants that can protect your body from cellular damage, inflammation, and cancer for starters1.
Perhaps you’re familiar with green tea and its health benefits? Well, banana leaves also contain the same polyphenol (EGCG) responsible for its fame2. Furthermore, they also contain polyphenol oxidase, which is a compound used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease3.
Now, you may be saying, Jill, I don’t eat banana leaves… how am I able to take advantage of the health benefits? Well, you see, when hot food is placed on the banana leaf, polyphenols are released from the banana leaf and are absorbed into the food (along with potassium, vitamin C, and other healthful components)4.
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How to prepare a banana leaf for the kitchen
Carefully cut a leaf from a banana (or plantain) plant.
You can decide if you would like to cut out the mid-rib or keep it. If I am using it as a table cover, like if I am making banana leaf nachos, I usually leave it in.
Otherwise, I cut along the mid-rib on both sides to remove the center, leaving only the darker green, more flexible part of the leaf.
Next up, I then ask myself, do I need it flexible for wrapping something, or does it not matter?
If I need it flexible, I run the banana leaf over a flame (either from a fire or from my gas stove) until the leaf turns lighter in color. The leaf will now be more flexible after it cools for a few minutes. If I don’t need it flexible, I skip this part.
In both cases, I wipe the leaf with a damp cloth prior to use. (Or if it is really dirty, I rinse it off and then wipe it with a damp cloth.)
Now your banana leaf is ready to use!!
Ideas on using banana leaves in the kitchen & dining room
Kitchen uses for the banana leaf
Flavor and aroma booster: After you cook your white rice, gallo pinto, or other dishes in your rice cooker or instant pot, cover the cooked food with a banana leaf to infuse the fragrance and light flavor of the banana leaf to your dish for 15 minutes or more.
DIY “aluminum foil” wrapper: I use them to wrap fish or vegetables for baking or grilling.
Slow cooker liner*: I make own by covering my slow cooker insert with a flexible, flame-treated banana leaf prior to cooking slow cooked breads, meats (or jackfruit in my case), and other foods.
Parchment paper*: I use a banana leaf to line cookie sheets or baking pans to prevent foods from sticking. If you are making multiple batches of cookies, though, for example, you would need to replace the banana leaf in between batches.
*Note that if you use banana leaves as a liner (for your slow cooker, baking pans, or cookie sheets), the leaves will shrivel and brown a bit during the cooking process, but it still works beautifully!
Dining room and beyond!
Disposable plates: Obviously, I serve our food on banana leaves whenever possible!
“To go” container: Wrap your food in a flame-treated banana leaf for an eco-friendly “to go” container! I often pack sandwiches, empanadas, or quesadillas in a flexible, flame-treated banana leaf for a zero waste travel container. And have your ever seen the almuerzo campesino “farmer’s lunch” here in Costa Rica? The ultimate travel food container!!
Leftover food wrapper: I often coat our containers of leftover food with banana leaves, as it has been suggested that banana leaves in contact with food can help prevent food-borne illness, due to the antimicrobial and antifungal properties of a banana leaf.
Where to find banana leaves
If you don’t grow bananas or plantains and have a surplus of leaves (or know someone who does), you can often find them in the frozen section of Asian and Mexican grocery stores. Locally, where I live, you can also find them at the grocery store and at farm stands.
Ready to change out your serving ware?
Banana leaves make an excellent addition to both your kitchen and dining room! Along with their beauty on your table and biodegradability in the environment, they pack a healthful punch that can help you maintain and improve your overall health! What’s not to love about that?
Interested in learning more about the banana plant?
Todd describes a bit about what makes bananas awesome!!!
- Tapiero H, Tew KD, Ba GN, Mathé G. Polyphenols: do they play a role in the prevention of human pathologies? Biomed Pharmacother. 2002 Jun;56(4):200-7. doi: 10.1016/s0753-3322(02)00178-6. PMID: 12109813. ↩︎
- Vivian U. Oleforuh- Okoleh, Jude T. Ogunnupebi and Justice C. Iroka, 2015. Assessment of Growth Performance and Certain Blood Constituents of Broiler Chicks Given Banana Leaf as a Phytoadditive. Asian Journal of Poultry Science, 9: 242-249. ↩︎
- Chu, H.L., D.B. Yeh and Shaw, J.F. 1993. Production of L-DOPA by banana leaf polyphenol oxidase. Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica 34: 5760. ↩︎
- Kumari, Payal & Gaur, Supriya & Tiwari, Ravindra. (2023). Banana and its by‐products: A comprehensive review on its nutritional composition and pharmacological benefits. eFood. 4. 10.1002/efd2.110. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/efd2.110 ↩︎
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