Hello!!
I’ve been telling y’all for years – bananas are the devil 😉
I’m kidding – sort of.
Anyone who really knows me knows that I loathe bananas.
I don’t want to smell them. Taste them. I definitely don’t want them in my home.
I don’t want to eat one in any form – banana bread, peanut butter and banana sandwich, in a smoothie – you name it. If it has bananas, no matter how well you think they might be hidden, I will find them!
Ask my parents – I’ve been this was since I was born.
I’m being funny – while I do truly, no exaggeration, feel this way about bananas – they are a very nutrient dense food.
I do suggest having some fat – almond butter, few nuts or seeds, etc and/or some protein – plain greek yogurt, cottage cheese, in a shake with protein powder, etc. with them as they are higher in sugar and can cause a blood sugar spike if eaten alone.
However, I came across some research that shows bananas, if eaten alongside certain medications or supplements, can impact the potency of those meds/supplements.
>> articles linked above are an approx. 2 mins read each <<
The research is preliminary – but the implications of it could impact many and the exercise of not having a banana near certain meds/supplements seems like a fairly benign habit to adopt. That to say – preliminary or fully founded – it’s worth paying attention to.
I came upon this research via a Functional Medicine Practicioner that I’ve been following closely for a few years now – Jake Doleschal – you can find him on Instagram – @coach_jakedoleschal
I feel he is one of the most reasonable and knowledgeable practitioners in this space.
That to say – below, I am sharing his thoughts, almost verbatim, on this topic as I don’t feel his thoughts are clear, concise and no need for me to reinvent the wheel on this one:
A study published last year started it all, showing that when bananas are blended alongside berries it significantly reduces the polyphenol levels due to an enzyme present in the bananas that breaks down these compounds.
While this study was interesting and called into question whether the bananas in a berry smoothie lessen the health benefits of the berries (they likely do), there are broader implications.
Unfortunately, many conventional doctors and dietitians who came across this study reported online that it was meaningless and many people claimed this study should be disregarded as it didn’t have any practical implications. More on that below.
When we look at the underlying mechanism here, we see that bananas are very high in the enzyme polyphenol oxidase – an enzyme that oxidizes polyphenols (this is what causes bananas to brown after being cut). Bananas appear to be significantly higher in this enzyme than other fruits, but this enzyme is also found in beet greens, apples, pears, etc in smaller amounts.
Where this becomes even more interesting, is phenolic groups are found in more than just berries and other fruits and vegetables, but also found in many supplements and medications, including: Quercetin, Curcumin, Black Cumin Seed, EGCG (a compound found in green, black, white and oolong teas), Paracetamol (pain reliever), NSAIDs, estradiol, some antibiotics, and more. An in vitro study showed that fresh banana could even cause an 80% loss in paracetamol.
The takeaway – while we don’t have a lot of research currently, the PPO (polyphenol oxidase) enzymes in banana pulp could significantly reduce the potency of specific supplements and medications.
A good idea moving forward is to separate bananas from the above supplements, medications, or high polyphenol containing foods (e.g. berries, tea, etc) by a couple of hours to preserve potency.
See? I knew bananas were suspicious 😉
Be kind to you this week.
Hydrate well – it’s HOT outside.
Set your intentions for how you want to show up for yourself and others this week.
Sending each of you the biggest hug!!
xoxo
Alix
Alix