Yah. Banana shows radioactivity ..That is absolutely true. The word “radiation” often
evokes fear in people. For others, it’s fun to think a little exposure to radiation could turn you into the next superhero, just like the Hulk. But is it true basically everything around us is radioactive, even the food we eat? You may have heard bananas are mildly radioactive, but what does that actually mean? Do you know human bodies also radioactive...
What is radiation?
Radiation is energy that travels from one point to another, either as waves or particles. We are exposed to radiation from various natural and artificial sources every day. Cosmic radiation from the Sun and outer space, radiation from rocks and soil, as well as radioactivity in the air we breathe and in our food and water, are all sources of natural radiation. Bananas are a common example of a natural radiation source. They contain high levels of potassium, and a small amount of this is radioactive. But there’s no need to give up your banana smoothie – the amount of radiation is extremely small, and far less than the natural “background radiation” we are exposed to every day.
But what about the risk of eating bananas over a lifetime? Cumulative damage? That doesn’t happen since our bodies contain potassium as a natural component (about 120 grams), and the body maintains the amount of potassium at a constant level (homeostatic control). Some potassium is always taken in via the diet, and some is always excreted, meaning that there is no buildup of radioactive potassium. So, while bananas are indeed radioactive, the dose of radioactivity they deliver does not pose a risk. There is a greater, but still insignificant, exposure to radioactivity by sleeping next to someone. And if they are breathing heavy, exposure is increased due to C-14 in their exhaled carbon dioxide.
So, don’t worry you'd need to eat 10,000,000 bananas at once to die of radiation poisoning.
