Avoid Adding Banana In Fruit Smoothies: Here’s Why     | TheHealthSite.com (2024)

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Avoid Adding Banana In Fruit Smoothies: Here’s Why     | TheHealthSite.com? ›

Bananas and berries might not be the best smoothie combination for maximizing flavanol consumption, according to a new study. An enzyme in bananas makes flavanols less bioavailable when it's combined with berries.

The new study found that smoothies combining bananas with berries proved to decrease in flavanols (a key nutrient in berries) after being blended together. Considering the health benefits of flavanols, this presents a problem.

"We were really surprised to see how quickly adding a single banana decreased the level of flavanols in the smoothie and the levels of flavanol absorbed in the body. This highlights how food preparation and combinations can affect the absorption of dietary compounds in foods."

You shouldn't blend bananas with berries or consume them at the same time. Doing so will destroy the beneficial flavonols found in berries. That's the take home message from a recently published study. Flavonols are a type of polyphenol that are cardioprotective and may support brain health.

We know from previous studies that flavanols can be broken down by polyphenol oxidase. The extent of the effect from adding a single banana was still very surprising – it had enough polyphenol oxidase to destroy the vast majority of flavanols found in the berries.

But when I started experimenting, I discovered a handful of easy banana substitutes that lend a similar thick and creamy consistency to your smoothies. To make a smoothie without a banana, you can substitute oatmeal, avocado, chia seeds, frozen fruit, yoghurt or tofu.

An enzyme in bananas makes flavanols less bioavailable when it's combined with berries. Researchers say bananas are still a great fruit to be eaten on the side, or added to smoothies that don't have flavanol-rich ingredients such as berries, grapes and cocoa.

Acidic and sub-acidic fruits such as grapefruits, strawberries, apples, pomegranates, and peaches, should never be combined with sweet fruits such as bananas and raisins.

The most common 'ill effect' of mixing fruits and veggies is gas, because fruit digests faster and uses different digestive enzymes. Carrots and apples are considered exceptions – carrots go well with any fruit and apples go well with any veggie.

Yes. Many ripening fruit produce the hydrocarbon gas ethylene as they ripen, which itself triggers more ripening. Bananas are especially productive sources of the gas, and putting one that's in the process of going brown next to apples, pears or hard avocados will greatly speed up their ripening.

Why shouldn't you eat bananas and strawberries together? ›

Although, you can eat acidic and sub-acidic fruits together which is totally fine. For example, banana is a sweet fruit and strawberry is an acidic fruit. Eating them together is found to have caused headaches, nausea and acidosis.

Results from the study showed that flavanol levels in smoothies containing banana declined rapidly after preparation, so if your goal is to increase your flavanol intake, don't eat bananas and flavanol-rich foods together.

Fiber: One banana provides about 3 grams of fiber, which is roughly 10% of the recommended daily amount. Fiber can reduce your risk of colorectal cancer, lower your cholesterol, help keep your blood sugar normal, and can help you maintain a healthy weight.

And to keep bananas fresh for longer don't put them into a bowl with other fruits that release lots of ethylene when they start to ripen. Think apples, melons, peaches, and kiwifruit. Keep bananas separately from other fruits and separate the bunch, too for better airflow.

Answer. Blending fruit or vegetables for a smoothie does not destroy the fiber in them. While blending does increase the oxidation of the produce items, it is not going to cause a great loss of nutrients. Oxidation occurs when fruits and vegetables are cut and exposed to oxygen.

blending the same banana on its own will not change its nutritional value. if it's 100cal banana it's still hundred calories after you blend it.

Benefits of taking bananas and milk together. Bananas mixed into milk make a delicious smoothie that people of all ages enjoy as breakfast. Bananas combined with milk provide lots of nutrition, speedy post-workout recovery, and weight loss.