Researchers have learned about the ability of bananas to spoil the beneficial properties of smoothies

Smoothies are a quick and delicious way to saturate your body with fruits and vegetables. However, some combinations of ingredients may not be as useful as they seem. Scientists from the University of California at Davis have found that the combination of fruits in smoothies affects how many nutrients your body can absorb. This was reported on October 27 by Science Daily magazine.

The study examines how polyphenol oxidase (PFOA), an enzyme found in a number of fruits and vegetables, affects the absorption of natural compounds such as flavanols, which, when consumed frequently, can improve blood circulation, support memory, and reduce inflammation. They are associated with improved heart and brain health and are found in such popular smoothie ingredients as apples, pears, blueberries, black currants, grapes and cocoa.

Javier Ottaviani, lead author of the study, director of the Mars Edge core laboratory, and associate professor at the University of California, Davis, explained that the researchers wanted to understand how a common dish, such as a smoothie with a banana, affects the availability of flavanols for absorption after consumption.

Science Daily reminds us that apples and bananas darken quickly when peeled — this happens when PFOA reacts with oxygen. The researchers were going to find out if this enzyme activity affects the amount of flavanols that the body absorbs when fruits are mixed into smoothies.

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During the study, participants were offered two different smoothies: with a banana, which has high PFOA activity, and with berries, which have low PFOA activity. Participants also took a flavanol capsule for comparison. After that, the scientists measured the level of this compound in blood samples and biological materials. The results were stunning — people who drank smoothies with a banana had 84% lower levels of flavanols compared to those who took the control capsule.

"We were very surprised to see how quickly adding one banana reduced the level of flavanols in smoothies and the level of their absorption by the body. This shows how cooking and its combination can affect the absorption of nutrients in foods," Ottaviani said.

In 2022, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommended consuming 400-600 mg of flavanols daily to maintain cardiometabolic health. Ottaviani noted that for people seeking to achieve this goal, it is useful to combine fruits rich in flavanols (berries) with ingredients with low PFOA activity (pineapples, oranges, mangoes, yogurt).

Although bananas are a nutritious fruit, Ottaviani advises against mixing them with foods rich in flavanols. The expert emphasized that these results may open the way to deeper studies of the effect of cooking on the absorption of nutrients.

Earlier, on October 6, the Sohu media portal talked about products that help strengthen the immune system. First of all, experts recommend including bananas in the diet, as they contain an alkaloid with stimulating and strengthening properties, as well as tryptophan and vitamins. According to the publication, sea cucumber, gibotikaba, grapefruit, garlic, mushrooms, propolis and milk should also be eaten.

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