A study has found that mixing bananas with other fruits to make smoothies can reduce health effects.

On the 24th (local time), a research team at the스포츠토토 University of California, Davis ( UC Davis) found that when bananas are mixed with other fruit smoothies, much less flavanol, a healthy antioxidant, is absorbed. UC Davis Internal Medicine, King Saud University, and Reading University participated in this study , and the results of the study were recently published in the journal Food & Function .

Flavanols are bioactive compounds that are good for heart health and cognitive health. It can be consumed through apples, pears, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, and cocoa. However, according to the research team, when flavanols meet with polyphenol oxidase ( PPO ), absorption in the body becomes difficult. Foods high in polyphenol oxidase include bananas and beet leaves.

The research team divided healthy male participants into two groups and had one group drink a smoothie containing bananas and the other group drink a smoothie made with a mixture of berries. They were then given flavanol capsules. They then analyzed their blood and urine samples to measure the levels of flavanols in their bodies. As a result, the level of flavanols in the body of the group that drank the banana smoothie was 84% ​​lower than that of the control group.

“I was surprised to see how quickly flavanol absorption dropped when one banana was added,” said Javier Ottaviani, a nutritionist and first author of the study. show,” he said. “Those who want to consume flavanols should eat fruits rich in flavanols along with fruits low in polyphenol oxidase, such as pineapples, oranges, and mangoes,” he said.

Meanwhile, last year, the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommended 400 to 600 mg of flavanols daily for cardiovascular health.