I’m a gastroenterologist – this is a big morning mistake my patients often make

This news is bananas.

Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist from California, is revealing three surprising reasons why bananas should be excluded from your fruit smoothie recipes.

“I usually see my patients make this mistake,” Sethi said in a TikTok this week. “Adding bananas to your smoothies can do more harm than good.”

Sethi points out that bananas can contain high levels of polyphenol oxidase, which can reduce the amount of beneficial flavanols in a fruit mix.

Flavanols – found in blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and other common smoothie ingredients – have been shown to support heart and brain health, reducing inflammation and lowering blood pressure.

@doctorsethimd

3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Add Bananas to Your Smoothies ‼️ Doctor Sethi As a gastroenterologist, I often see my patients make this mistake. In this video, I reveal the top three reasons why adding bananas to your smoothies can do more harm than good. If you’re serious about optimizing your health and nutrition, you’ll want to reconsider this popular ingredient. 👉 Do you add bananas to your smoothies? Leave a comment below! Thank you for your interest. ❤️ #smoothie #guthealth

♬ original sound – Doctor Sethi ⚡️

A 2023 study published in the journal Food & Function found that adding a banana to a berry smoothie reduced the amount of flavanols by 84% compared to a control group.

“Bananas may reduce antioxidant benefits [of other fruits]”, said Sethi.

Sethi also says that fully ripe bananas increase the carb load in the smoothie, which can lead to spikes in blood sugar, a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

“Despite being a healthy fruit, bananas are quite high in both carbohydrates and sugar, which are the main nutrients that raise blood sugar levels,” writes registered dietitian Helen West for Healthline.

The paper reports that an average banana (about 126 grams) contains 29 grams of carbohydrates and 112 calories.

West notes that green, unripe bananas have less sugar than ripe yellow bananas. However, both types of bananas have a similar number of calories.

Sethi says it is too much.

“Bananas are calorie dense compared to other fruits, so adding them to smoothies can increase the calorie count,” said Sethi.

He added, “If you’re serious about optimizing your health and nutrition, you’ll want to reconsider this popular ingredient.”

Consumer Reports reports that a large banana has about 120 calories and 16 grams of sugar, while 1 cup of sliced ​​strawberries has 53 calories and about 8 grams of sugar.

But Jessica D. Bihuniak, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at NYU Steinhardt’s School of Culture, Education and Human Development, argues that bananas don’t deserve a bad rap.

They are rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and other important nutrients.

“No one gets fat or develops diabetes from eating too many bananas,” she told Consumer Reports.