Howard G. Smith MD, AM on Instagram: "Bananas In Your Berry Smoothie? You love your berry smoothie…. And you love bananas. Why not add them in? University of California-Davis nutrition scientists advise against it in their Food and Function publication. Their studies show that adding a banana to a berry smoothie sharply reduces your body’s ability to absorb beneficial flavanols, compounds that improve your heart and brain health. Bananas contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO. That’s the enzyme that causes bananas to turn brown after they’re sliced. It’s this enzyme that is responsible for the finding that study participants who drank a banana-based smoothie had 84% lower flavanol levels compared to a control group drinking berry-only smoothies. These beneficial flavanols are found in foods like blueberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, red wine, chocolate, and tea. The researchers suggest that, if you want to maximize your flavanol intake from your smoothies, pair your berries with ingredients such as mango, pineapple, oranges, or yogurt instead of bananas. The references for this report are available on my website. #NutritionResearch #HealthyEating #SmoothieTips #HeartHealth #BrainHealth"

0 likes, 0 comments - drhowardsmithreports on June 4, 2026: "Bananas In Your Berry Smoothie? You love your berry smoothie…. And you love bananas. Why not add them in? University of California-Davis nutrition scientists advise against it in their Food and Function publication. Their studies show that adding a banana to a berry smoothie sharply reduces your body’s ability to absorb beneficial flavanols, compounds that improve your heart and brain health. Bananas contain high levels of an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO. That’s the enzyme that causes bananas to turn brown after they’re sliced. It’s this enzyme that is responsible for the finding that study participants who drank a banana-based smoothie had 84% lower flavanol levels compared to a control group drinking berry-only smoothies. These beneficial flavanols are found in foods like blueberries, blackberries, grapes, apples, red wine, chocolate, and tea. The researchers suggest that, if you want to maximize your flavanol intake from your smoothies, pair your berries with ingredients such as mango, pineapple, oranges, or yogurt instead of bananas. The references for this report are available on my website. #NutritionResearch #HealthyEating #SmoothieTips #HeartHealth #BrainHealth".