Going Bananas

You like bargains, right? Look around the supermarket, and you’ll discover bananas are among the few good-for-you foods priced under $1.00 per pound.

How good are they? Several sites on the Internet would have you believe they are a miracle fruit. They show a picture of bananas with a few dark spots. The photo’s caption says bananas so marked are better for you than greener ones. It goes on to mention a Japanese study which states the TNF in ripe bananas fights cancer.

Before you grab the last banana from the dining table's fruit bowl, think about what Mother said. “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Off I went, hopping along rabbit trails in search of the truth. On Face Book “theunknownbutnot hidden” included the banana claim. If not skeptical to begin with, I certainly was when I discovered a captioned photo of wheatgrass on the same site. That one encouraged me to drink wheatgrass to turn my gray hair to its youthful chestnut brown. Oh, for a fairy godmother! 

Another site, funzug.com, repeated the banana story. How much credence to you give something found on a site named Funzug?

I continued to look. Who exactly conducted the study? What is the substance TNF? And how many miraculous fruits must you eat to enjoy their wonderful properties?

Hoax or Fact provided a few answers. TNF is an acronym for Tumor Necrosis Factor. The site which says “And yes, you can share this healthy information with everyone,” did not answer all my questions about the subject. It does, however, include positive and negative facts. The article cautions readers against overindulgence: bananas are high in calories and sugar. It also states that overripe fruit loses some of its nutrients.

The article at Hoax or Fact may lack complete information, but is less simplistic than much of the hype found elsewhere. Check it out. When reminded of all the good bananas have to offer, I believe you’ll agree they represent a great value for your shopping dollar.

© 2013, Bernice W. Simpson