Fear of bananas (bananaphobia)

Bananaphobia is listed online as a fear of bananas. For anyone who truly cannot bear them, it might mean steering clear of the fruit bowl, the smell of ripe bananas in a packed lunch, or banana flavoured sweets and drinks.

About this phobia

This is an internet list term with no clinical documentation, so it is best treated as a bit of fun. The name is simply banana plus phobia, with no classical root. Strong dislikes of particular foods, textures or smells are common, and a wider fear of certain foods is well recognised.

How it shows up

Plenty of people simply do not like bananas, and that is not a fear. For someone who genuinely feels phobic, though, the smell of a ripe banana drifting across an office or the sight of a bruised one in a fruit bowl can bring a sharp wave of disgust and panic. They may leave the room, ask colleagues not to eat them nearby or stay uneasy until the peel has gone in the bin. The strength of the reaction, and the effort spent avoiding it, are what set it apart.

Common triggers

• The smell of ripe or overripe bananas
• Mushy or slimy textures
• Brown, spotted peel
• Banana flavoured sweets and drinks
• Someone eating a banana nearby
• Banana bread or baked treats

Where it shows up

• Shared kitchens and offices
• School lunch halls
• Supermarket fruit aisles
• Cafes selling smoothies
• Children’s parties and lunchboxes

Symptoms

In your body

• Nausea or gagging
• Feeling hot or clammy
• Racing heart
• Tense stomach

In your mind

• Strong disgust
• Fear of touching or smelling it
• Worry that it is hidden in food

What you might do

• Checking ingredients carefully
• Leaving rooms where bananas are eaten
• Avoiding smoothies and baked goods

What may cause it

There is no research on a fear of bananas in particular. Food fears in general can start after being ill soon after eating something, from a strong reaction to a texture or smell, or from being pressured to eat a certain food as a child. Disgust is a powerful feeling, and once it is tied to a food it can be hard to shift. Steering clear of the food can keep that link fixed in place.

How it can affect your life

Bananas turn up everywhere, from office fruit bowls to children’s lunches, so a real fear can mean regular small moments of stress. It can also make eating out or at other people’s homes harder to relax into. Some people feel awkward explaining it and stay quiet instead.

Related fears

• Fear of certain foods (cibophobia)
• Fear of new or unfamiliar foods (food neophobia)
• Fear of vomiting (emetophobia)

Things that can help day to day

• Start with a picture of a banana and notice your reaction ease over time
• Open a window or step outside if the smell bothers you
• Let close friends or colleagues know so they understand
• Focus on the foods you enjoy, without forcing yourself to eat bananas

When to get help

If a food fear is spreading to other foods, or you notice you are eating much less or losing weight, please see your GP. Help is also worth seeking if the fear causes real distress from day to day.

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

About me

Common questions

Why do some people hate bananas so much?

Often it comes down to a strong reaction to the smell or the soft texture, sometimes after a bad experience in childhood. A dislike like this is usually harmless. If a fear of foods means eating much less or losing weight, speak to a GP.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Further reading: Healthline: Cibophobia · Cleveland Clinic: Emetophobia · NHS: Phobias

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