How Many Bananas Can You Eat Before Dying from... Radiation Exposure?

If you eat 8 million bananas at once, you will die from severe radiation poisoning.

How Many Bananas Can You Eat Before Dying from Radiation?

Radiation is energy that travels from one point to another in the form of waves or particles. We are exposed to radiation from various natural and artificial sources every day.

Cosmic radiation comes from the sun and outer space, while radiation is also emitted from rocks and soil, as well as from the air, food, and drinking water. All of these are sources of natural radiation.

Bananas are a common example of a source of natural radiation. They contain a high level of potassium, which is a radioactive substance.

However, you don’t need to stop eating bananas, as the level of radiation in this fruit is extremely low, much less than the background radiation we encounter daily.

Even though the amount of radiation in a banana is not enough to harm the human body, it can trigger radiation detection systems at airports during inspections.

Bananas are radioactive food.

Bananas emit a very small amount of radiation because they have a high level of potassium-40, a radioactive isotope. This type of radiation exists in the environment and comes from food, water, and air. The radiation emitted by bananas is minimal: about 0.1 microsieverts. In comparison, the radiation from a chest X-ray is 0.1 mSv, while a full-body CT scan is 10 mSv, indicating that the radiation from bananas is negligible.

Sievert, symbol: Sv, is the unit of measurement for the amount of absorbed ionizing radiation that causes harm, according to the International System of Units. The unit is named after Maximilian Rolf Sievert, a Swedish medical physicist known for his work in measuring radiation doses and researching the biological effects of radiation.

Due to the extremely low levels, there is no risk of illness. In fact, eating bananas is beneficial as they contain fiber, vitamin B6, and potassium, which help regulate blood pressure and maintain muscle function. The National Academy of Sciences in the U.S. recommends that adults consume at least 4,700 mg of potassium daily.

Nonetheless, experts have “revealed” that eating too many bananas can have unpredictable consequences. For instance, consuming 274 bananas in one day continuously for seven years would result in chronic radiation symptoms equivalent to those of victims from the Hiroshima event in 1945. In fact, you could die if you ate 8 million bananas at once, though whether death would be due to radiation or overeating remains unclear.

Death from eating 8 million bananas.

Bananas are grown in at least 107 countries. In many regions around the world and in commerce, “banana” is a term commonly used to refer to soft and sweet varieties. Those with firmer fruit are called plantain. Bananas can also be sliced thin and fried or baked like potatoes. Dried bananas can be ground into banana powder.

The fruit of wild banana plants (known as wild bananas in Vietnam) contains many large and hard seeds. However, most commercially sold bananas lack seeds due to long cultivation and have a triploid chromosome set. There are two basic types of bananas: dessert bananas that are yellow and eaten when ripe, and cooking bananas that are used when green. Most exported bananas belong to the first type; however, only about 10–15% of the total banana production is exported. The United States and countries in the European Union are the largest importers of bananas.

Only Eat 2 Bananas a Day

Nutrition expert Catherine Collins from St George’s Hospital in London, England, states that potassium is crucial for the survival of cells. However, if potassium levels in the body are too high or too low, it can lead to irregular heart rhythms, stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea. According to the BBC, potassium chloride can even be lethal in extremely high doses, causing the heart to stop.

Ms. Collins explains that to turn bananas – a potassium-rich fruit – into poison, you would need to eat 400 bananas a day. However, patients with kidney issues should not consume too many of these fruits. Their kidney function is compromised, making it difficult to eliminate harmful potassium from the blood through urination.

This expert has treated a patient who suffered a heart attack after consuming too many tomatoes, another fruit that is also high in potassium. The patient’s kidneys failed, preventing the body from eliminating the excess potassium.

Every part of the banana, including the flesh and peel, has its uses. (Photo: Freepik).

Another study from the University of Maryland, USA, shows that excessive potassium intake can lead to hyperkalemia, causing muscle weakness, temporary paralysis, and abnormal heart rhythms. Additionally, according to the National Institutes of Health, consuming more than 500 mg of vitamin B6 daily can also lead to nerve damage in the hands and feet. However, to reach that amount of B6, you would need to eat thousands of bananas.

According to nutrition expert Laura Flores in San Diego, USA, consuming too much fruit, including bananas, can lead to headaches and drowsiness. The culprit is the amino acids in bananas that dilate blood vessels. Moreover, ripe bananas contain more amino acids. A high level of tryptophan and magnesium also contributes to drowsiness and muscle relaxation.

Bananas are sugary fruits, so if consumed excessively without proper dental hygiene, they can increase the risk of tooth decay.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that adults should consume a maximum of 2 bananas per day. Consuming more than this amount may lead to an excess of vitamins and minerals.