Do Bananas Cause Constipation?

Do bananas cause constipation or diarrhea or do bananas help in constipation alleviation? What exactly is the fact behind bananas effect on our human digestive system? With the clamor of different schools of thoughts in our head, it's difficult to lay a finger on the fact. However, let's try and nail the problem in this article.

Bananas and Constipation

The underlying truth in this banana issue is that bananas are capable of constipation alleviation and are also capable of being constipation causative factors. So in simple terms bananas carry dual roles. These bananas can interestingly cure as well as cause constipation.

Banana: Dual Role
Now let's break each factor down and elaborate on the same so as not to confuse you.

Bananas Alleviating Constipation: Bananas are one of the best selling fruits across the globe. Cherished for their nutrient value these fruits are available in several sizes and colors. Loaded with ample amounts of potassium, calcium, zinc, copper and other vitamins and minerals, bananas are also high in fiber content. Dietary fiber is in the form of pectin, which increases the bulk of the bowels, so as to conduce to proper bowel movement. One banana furnishes the body with fifteen percent of the body's daily fiber requirement. Thus, consuming bananas helps furnish the body with adequate amounts of dietary fiber, thereby facilitating good bowel movement and preventing constipation issues.

Bananas Conducing to Constipation: So if bananas actually alleviate constipation by furnishing the body with dietary fiber, how then can it be responsible for triggering constipation? The truth here is that though ripe bananas relieve constipation, the unripe bananas spearhead constipation. Unripe or green bananas are difficult for the body's digestive system to digest. Moreover, the pieces of unripe bananas block the digestive tract, thereby leading to uneasiness along with constipation. The high starch content also contributes to the constipation.

Does the Number Matter?
In order to maintain healthy bowel movements in the body, it is important to stick to popping not more than one to two bananas in a day. Eating more bananas will only increase the starch content in one's stomach. Moreover, having too many bananas such as five to six a day without adequate water intake results in formation of hard stool which are difficult to pass. This is because the starch in the stomach will absorb water from the digestive tract causing the bowels to become dry, hard and difficult to throw out of the body.

Do Bananas Cause Constipation in Babies?
Constipation is usually caused when babies are introduced to solid foods. Often doctors recommend not giving infants bananas if they are constipated. Eliminating bananas from the diet and incorporating watered-down prune juice in the baby's diet helps relieve constipation problems in the young one.

Do Bananas Cause Diarrhea?
People suffering from diarrhea should stay away from ripe bananas. Ripe bananas with their high fiber content will only enhance the diarrhea problem. If you do not want to hit deep waters, make sure you stick to only raw bananas when you have diarrhea. The raw banana will not only bind the loose stool together, but will also replenish the electrolytes lost in the loose stool.

The simple rule that one can follow in order to avoid constipation is to consume ripe, yellow bananas, whose skin has tiny black speckles on them. Properly ripened bananas eaten in moderation should not cause any kind of problems. Another point to note is that everyone's body reacts in a particular fashion. So check what suits your body and what does not! For some eating more than one can conduce to constipation, so it's important to check what exactly suits your body.