The phenomenon known as the Sprite and Banana Reaction has begun to take over the internet, and though it may seem like another silly trend, it represents a deeper cultural awareness of science and food in our society today. According to people who have tried this reaction at home, when you place a peeled banana near a bottle of Sprite that’s been opened and left out for about an hour, after about 10 minutes the drink will begin to react with the natural sugar in the banana, causing it to change color from clear to yellow or orange and produce lots of fizzing noises as well as an unusual smell.
The Experiment
Want to try it for yourself? Don’t worry, you don’t have to chug a glass of sizzurp. Just grab a banana, make sure it’s yellow so that it has plenty of starch, and pop it into your mouth. Next, down a glass of sprite as fast as you can without taking a breath. After doing so, some people report an immediate gag reflex and difficulty swallowing. If that happens to you, congratulations. You’ve just experienced firsthand why mixing bananas with soda causes such a strong reaction in many people. This experiment works because both fruit and carbonated drinks are high in citric acid. When they mix, they produce a gas called carbon dioxide which can make you feel like throwing up.
The Chemical reactions behind It
The chemical behind both Sprite and Banana is Phosphoric Acid. Phosphoric acid reacts with a protein called albumin, which is found in your blood. Normally it’s not a big deal because there are only trace amounts of albumin in your blood. But when you drink a lot of soda or eat too many bananas, you can get more than your body can handle. This causes an overload of phosphoric acid in your system, and that starts to break down red blood cells. As they start to break down, they release a pigment called bilirubin into your bloodstream. Bilirubin is what gives poop its brown color. As it builds up in your bloodstream, you start to turn yellow. Therefore you should consume less sprite and bananas to avoid puking.
The Reason Behind this Mysterious Reaction
Bananas contain a naturally occurring chemical called phenethylamine, or as we like to call it, PEA. Phenethylamine is a mood enhancer that increases feelings of excitement, alertness, and well-being. what is the sprite and banana reaction The reason behind this mysterious reaction When you mix bananas with soda, it creates an entirely new compound called para-hydroxyphenylpropane (PHPP). This compound makes PHPP about 10 times more potent than PEA. Because of its potency, your body interprets PHPP as a foreign substance and attempts to break it down quickly by releasing enzymes into your stomach. The result? A burning sensation in your belly that’s so intense, you’ll be running for a toilet bowl in no time.
Conclusion
Just drink your sprite and eat your banana. It’s fun to watch, don’t worry about it. But if you do feel sick after eating the banana, first stop drinking anything for a few minutes. If that doesn’t work try chewing some sugarless gum to stimulate saliva production or chug a glass of water.
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