There has been many articles lately about how ripe bananas have an anti-cancer type effect, meaning it could be used to help combat abnormal cells or even help to thwart off cancer. Japanese scientists that have spent some time researching fruits and vegetables and the effects of those foods on health have discovered that a within ripe bananas there is a substance, nicknamed Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (or TNF-alpha for short). This substance, according to their study, helps to increase the immune system capacity. The conclusion of the study was that eating those ripe bananas may just prevent certain lifestyle-related diseases and/or carcinogenesis.