That Banana in Your Smoothie Is Quietly Cancelling Your…

That Banana in Your Smoothie Is Quietly Cancelling Your Berries Nutrition | May 24, 2026 | Source: UC Davis / Food & Function You blend strawberries, blueberries, and a banana. Looks healthy. Feels healthy. But new research from the University of California, Davis says you may be losing up to 84% of the heart-healthy compounds from those berries and the banana is the culprit. The issue isn't that bananas are bad for you. It's a biochemical clash that happens the moment you blend them together. Bananas are loaded with an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PO), the same enzyme that makes a cut apple turn brown. When you blend a banana with berries, PPO gets to work immediately, breaking down flavanols before your body ever has a chance to absorb them. Flavanols are plant compounds linked to heart health, better blood pressure