Top 8 Reasons to Avoid Using Bananas to Make Smoothies

Bananas have been a common smoothie ingredient for centuries and while they offer numerous health benefits, they can also make some undesirable changes to your drink. The following are the reasons to avoid adding bananas to your smoothie mix.

It Lowers Flavanol Absorption

The primary reason you should consider not adding bananas to your smoothies is that they contain the enzyme- Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) capable of breaking down flavanols, the essential antioxidants that provide numerous health benefits to the human body. Flavanols are also found in berries and many other fruits, hence you should avoid mixing them with bananas to create a smoothie.

2. High Sugar Levels

Bananas are highly nutritious, and so they do come with high sugar content. Though these are mostly natural sugars but still not the best option for those looking to make low-sugar smoothies.

3. Bananas will Mask Other Flavors

Bananas are notorious for masking other flavors which means they can over-power most delicate fruits and this may not be desirous in most cases. To avoid bananas masking the flavors of other fruits, you may need to reduce their quantities while increasing other fruits significantly.

4. Fast Browning

Chopped or diced bananas can brown quickly thus creating a less visually appealing smoothie. Since unripe bananas don’t taste as good as moderately or overripe bananas, you will likely avoid them on your smoothie, but the secret is to use bananas that are just beginning to turn yellow- they taste better and don’t get brown as fast as overripe ones. Alternatively, you may want to add more bright-colored fruits to your smoothie to reduce the browning effect.

5. Not as High in Fiber

Bananas do come with substantial fiber but such are not as high as what you get from some other fruits. If boosting digestion and metabolism are your goals, you should consider adding more fiber-rich fruits to your smoothie while lowering the banana quantity.

6. Creamy Texture Overload

One issue with adding bananas to your smoothie is that you may end up getting too much of that cream texture. While a little addition of banana will create a good consistency in your smoothie, too much of it can create a thicker and heavier mix.

7. Limited Variety

Using only bananas for your smoothies can make your smoothie routine monotonous and you may get bored of it within the shortest possible time.

8. Likely Intolerances or Allergies

However, banana allergies are quite rare and you may have to consume lots of them to develop such. You need to exercise caution when eating these fruits if your body is sensitive to them.

Some Helpful Tips to Make Your Banana Smoothie

So, do you still want to go ahead and make your banana smoothie? There are some helpful tips that can help you avoid the issues mentioned above.

First, you should not use banana solely for the smoothie, rather you should add and mix some other fruits or veggies that can improve the texture and taste. Leafy greens and seeds for instance have been found to be useful in lowering the effect of using too much banana. You can also add some nuts to add some nutty flavor and further lower the excess sugar in the smoothie. If your smoothie is still thick after adding some other components, then you may need to add a little water and mix thoroughly until you achieve the desired result. Water can also help you lower the sugar level which can be significantly high in some banana species.