Bananas??

[hendry]

Has anyone heard that banana skins are rich in b12.An article in "business insider"seems to be quite adamant they do.I was under the impression that b12 is a microbe and lives in the colon.The only veg.to have any was dirty carrots from cobalamin rich soil.Any thoughts about this as I am sceptical.

[hendry]

In other words totally bananas.

Thanks for your reply. I have a friend who believes it to be science based and ii think not.

[Nackapan in reply to hendry]

Who would eat bananna skins!!

There is truth though in the soil losing b12. I'm sure deniseinmilden knows all about that as she has to supplement animals. If our they should get it from the soil grazing I think.

[Hedgeree in reply to Nackapan]

There are recipes for banana skins 'pulled pork' and also banana skin 'bacon' recipes!!

Not tried them myself although I do like the idea of eating something that I usually just compost; I think maybe the banana skin bacon sounds marginally more appealing!?

Though only just?.....

[Nackapan in reply to Hedgeree]

Oh no I only just about stomach bananas. Cant touch them if overripe.

[Hedgeree in reply to Nackapan]

I'm the same. I really don't like the texture, taste or the sweetness of over ripe bananas; though okay for making icecream.

But I don't mind the greener ones sliced on toast.

[MoKayD in reply to Hedgeree]

Ha, I made the banana skin "bacon" for my vegetarian daughter. It was vile. Don't waste your time.

[Hedgeree in reply to MoKayD]

Ha ha! Thank you for the warning!

[helvella]

Many times, when there has been a story about B12 in non-animal sources, it has become clear that either there is none. Or that it is a related substance which cannot, and therefore obviously does not, function as real B12.

The "Business Insider" article does say that banana skins contain B12.

businessinsider.com/benefit...

Flores' does say that in Live Science.

livescience.com/45005-banan...

BUT:

I can't find a single quote on the internet which is not a quote of Laura Flores or an unreferenced statement which says that banana peel contains B12.

You might have expected at least one reference in PubMed.

[hendry in reply to helvella]

These are the very articles she highlighted.Like yourself I had never seen anything to genuinely substantiate this claim

[JanD236]

Seems highly dubious but at the end of the day if you have PA or other absorption problem it doesn’t matter how many banana skins or dirty carrots you eat, you still can’t absorb B12.

[hendry in reply to JanD236]

Quite.

She does not have absorption issues however she does have m.s and although I have mentioned that b12 injections may benefit she does not want to try them.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

There are many types of cobalamin but only 4 can be used by humans so its possible that the bananas contain one of these forms.

I certainly wouldn't want to eat banana skin.

B12 used for supplementation and pharmaceutics is grown in vats using microbes. Some animals can create their own B12 - have the relevant microbes in their guts - but humans can't.

[hendry in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I am going to let her read all the replies.Much of which I being a classic p.a suffererhave imparted to her already

[fbirder in reply to Gambit62]

Actually, we do have microbes in our gut that can create B12. It's a small amount as they mainly produce other corrinoids (B12-like compounds). ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl... Unfortunately it's produced in the large intestine, downstream of the ileum, where B12 is absorbed.

This is why some people think that fermented foods contain B12. If the foods had been prepared hygienically then human faecal bacteria may contaminate it. These bacteria will then grow and produce corrinoids. Then somebody analyses it with a non-specific analytical technique (i.e., not HPLC-MS), detects all the corrinoids and calls them all B12 (even though 99% of them aren't biologically active).

[hendry in reply to fbirder]

Thanks for that.She is an industrial chemist so is prettyi au fait with scientific matters and does like science to back up claims. I am quite surprised that she had taken this banana spiel so seriously

[fbirder in reply to hendry]

Unfortunately I can find no way to contact her or to comment on her articles.

It's quite common for an expert in one field to be totally ignorant of something obvious in another field. An expert oft-praised in these fora thinks that the heart is a nerve!

[Midnight_Voice]

Also the clarification that microbes are used to grow B12, but B12 itself is just an inert chemical compound.

Prot from K-PAX will be disappointed, though.

[topher2018]

Hendry, if you are trying to find a way to get B12 into a friend or relative who doesn't want to get shots, try a pill or a lozenge. Way easier and more reliable than eating banana skins.

[hendry in reply to topher2018]

Think she has tried these.Although I do know she was trying g to get adenosylcobalamin lozenges.These are ones which I could not source.Thanks for your input

[fbirder in reply to hendry]

No reason why adenosylcobalamin should be any better than any other type of B12.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[helvella]

As a teen, a long time ago, there was a rumour that smoking dried banana skin gave you a "high".

It was a hoax!

I was as gullible as any other teen but no, even I didn't try it.

straightdope.com/21343525/w...

[hendry in reply to helvella]

I think I remember that party trick myself. Toothpaste was another thing that I believe could create a high.though goodness knows how

[Cherylclaire Forum Support]

Throw all my banana skins under the rose bushes - good for them apparently. I would've thought that was the potassium though.

[Midnight_Voice]

I keep a banana skin in case I have to answer the front door when I am deshabille ; it’s just the thing to slip on 😛

[hendry in reply to Midnight_Voice]

😷😁

[Hidden]

Bananas were never my favourite 'fruit' as they weren't around when I was small. I did eventually get to try them and even tried eating the skin which is an experience burned into my brain as it was very, very bitter and unpleasant. Even if they were full of B12 I would not want to sully my mouth with them again.

You could always give them a chewing and try for yourself. If you do then let me know if my memory is still valid.

[hendry in reply to Hidden]

I think I shall pass on that one.I even prefer injections to chewing on a banana skin ripe or otherwise

[Hidden]

If you were wanting a chewable solution you could always try half a pound of raw calves liver three times a day. You could turn that it into a smoothie and perhaps try flavouring it with the banana skin. I remember my grandparents thinking that the best medicine tasted foul, so this should work wonders.

[hendry in reply to Hidden]

A step too far me thinks.Although in days of yore with liver being a "cure" perhaps the banana skin was a welcome distraction from the taste and texture of raw liver.

[Cali25]

Only one place for ripe bananas, banana bread 😋

[hendry in reply to Cali25]

Now that is yummy