Bananas and the Depression Myth
A quick search online will reveal that bananas have a high level of serotonin, and anyone with a basic understanding of depression knows that low levels of serotonin are associated with the development of depression. A bit more searching will bring up websites claiming that eating one or two bananas will give the consumer a good mood and possibly offer a natural remedy for depression. Many Americans simply accept this as truth, believing the evil pharmaceutical companies are producing medications to fight depression and helping to keep the general public uninformed about bananas’ serotonin. The facts seem to be all there. There is no apparent reason for anyone to think that bananas affecting serotonin is a scam. Unfortunately, few choose to also search for the myth concerning bananas and serotonin.
Explaining the Myth: Bananas Don’t Actually Effect Serotonin
Unfortunately, just because bananas contain serotonin doesn’t mean the serotonin will be properly absorbed by the human body. This is a myth. While bananas offer a score of other health benefits, the serotonin found in bananas would need to cross the blood-brain barrier to bring about a cure for depression or mood, which it does not. Rather, the serotonin stays in your digestive tract until it is time to eliminate it. Basically, the idea that bananas effect serotonin levels in the human body and that it can fight depression is a myth propagated by the uninformed or the manipulative. Many websites perpetuate the myth about bananas and serotonin without understanding the chemistry of serotonin, explaining that a food containing serotonin is enough without really understanding how it all comes together in the body. Still others purposely exploit the fact that bananas contain serotonin and that many people are aware of the serotonin and depression relationship, using a misconception based in superficial science to keep the myth going. In either case, a myth is still a myth.
Is There Any Truth to the Bananas Fighting Depression Myth?
As I mentioned, bananas have a fair amount of other health benefits. They are high in potassium, dietary fiber, vitamins C and B6. Therefore, while bananas do not offer serotonin, they do offer some of the essential nutrients necessary for a happy, healthy lifestyle, one reason the idea that bananas might make you feel healthier is not a myth. In addition to this, bananas are filling without being especially fatty or containing too many calories. Depression is sometimes inadvertently caused by snacking on fattening foods, substances that can bring about negative effects on the inner body and potentially make someone feel weak, fat or having poor self-control. In addition to the havoc a poor diet may introduce to your body, the negativity felt about eating unhealthy foods may actually contribute to feeling depressed in some individuals as well. Therefore, the idea that eating bananas instead of other fatty snacks may help depression isn’t exactly a myth for this second reason. Also, bananas have been shown to help build stronger bones, help with daily elimination, eye sight and prevent stomach ulcers, a third reason bananas making you feel better is not a myth. So, while bananas do not directly affect depression at the source, keeping a proper diet with nutritious foods such as bananas may help keep the body functioning and help end depression in the long run. It’s only the idea that bananas are special because they contain serotonin that is a myth. It is not a myth that keeping a good diet can help with depression.
WORKS CITED
Young Ph.D., Simon. “Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience: How to Increase Serotonin in the Human Brain Without Drugs”. November 2007. Print.