Bananas may be making your smoothies less effective, scientists say

Adding a banana to your berry smoothie might sound healthy, but new research suggests the popular combo could cancel out some of the fruit’s benefits.

Scientists at the University of California, Davis, found that adding a banana to your smoothie could significantly reduce the absorption of the berries’ heart- and brain-boosting compounds by as much as 84%.

The study, published this month in the journal Food & Function, points to an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO), which is abundant in bananas, as the reason for the drop.

PPO reacts with beneficial plant compounds known as flavanols — found in foods like berries, grapes, apples and cocoa — which are linked to a boost in heart and brain health.

“We sought to understand, on a very practical level, how a common food preparation