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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Fad Banana Diet Finds Mass A Peel in Japan

Regimen claims to fuel weight loss with just banana, water for breakfast

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(Newser) – A penchant for fad dieting is making Japanese consumers ripe for a new weight-loss scheme starring bananas, Time reports. Since a popular actress lost 26 pounds on the Morning Banana Diet, the fruit has been hard to come by. “There are no bananas on the shelves,” complained one consumer, “and it's been like that for a month.”

The diet, designed by a pharmacist to kickstart her overweight husband’s metabolism, only requires a banana and room-temperature water for breakfast, no desserts after meals and bed before midnight. A Japanese doctor dismissed the diet, but consumers haven’t noticed: Banana sales have surged 70-80% and grocers can’t keep up. “In a way this is an emergency,” said one importer.

A Japanese pharmacist designed the stress-free diet to help increase the metabolism of her husband, who had been rather overweight but eventually lost 37 pounds on the diet.
A Japanese pharmacist designed the stress-free diet to help increase the metabolism of her husband, who had been rather overweight but eventually lost 37 pounds on the diet.   (Getty Images)
The Morning Banana Diet has made the fruit hard to come by in Japan.
The Morning Banana Diet has made the fruit hard to come by in Japan. "Bananas suddenly flew off the shelves. There was a 70%-80% increase in weekly sales," said one grocer.   (Shutter Stock)
The Morning Banana Diet only requires a banana and room temperature water for breakfast. There are no other specifications except no desserts after meals and bed by midnight.
The Morning Banana Diet only requires a banana and room temperature water for breakfast. There are no other specifications except no desserts after meals and bed by midnight.   (Index Stock)
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In a way this is an emergency. We've been importing bananas from the Philippines for the past 40 years, but this is the first time something like this happened to us, and we find it very difficult to cope. - Hiromi Ohtaki, a banana importer

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