Really, it’s not hard to see why bananas are so popular around the world. They taste great, are easy to carry around, and are good for you in many ways. A good thing about them is that they can help your stomach stay healthy.
Adding bananas to your diet is a good idea if you have stomach issues like diarrhea or constipation or if you just want to keep your stomach in good shape.
Fiber and Its Role
This fruit is great for your stomach because it has a lot of fiber. About 3 grams, or 12% of the daily value, can be found in a medium-sized banana.
In order to keep things going smoothly and avoid constipation, fiber is very important. You can say that it helps make your poop bigger so that it can go through your digestive system more easily. There are two kinds of fiber in bananas: soluble and insoluble.
There is a kind of fiber in banana mush that turns into a gel when mixed with water. This gel might make digestion take longer, which could help people with IBS or diarrhea. The Journal of Food Science and Technology did a study that showed bananas have a lot of this type of fiber. This fiber may help ease the symptoms of IBS.
Banana peels have fiber that doesn’t break down in water. This fiber helps your body digest food more quickly. It might help people who are having trouble going to the bathroom.
A doctor at NYU Langone Health named Dr. Lisa Ganjhu says that because they have both soluble and insoluble fiber, bananas are great for keeping your digestive system healthy.
The Potential of Prebiotic Ingredients
Not only do bananas have fiber, they also have prebiotics, which feed the good bugs in your gut. Two kinds of prebiotics—inulin and oligofructose—help these good bacteria in the gut grow and do their jobs.
A study in the Journal of Food Science found that healthy people who ate banana powder had more bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in their guts.
Few health experts says that prebiotics are very important for keeping your gut healthy, which helps with digestion, absorbing nutrients, and your health in general.
Potassium for Regularity
Also, don’t forget that bananas are full of potassium, which helps keep your body’s fluids in check and muscles working well, even those in your digestive system.
Potassium can help keep you from getting constipated by making sure you use the bathroom often. It basically makes the muscles in your digestive system work better, which helps your food get into your body faster.
In terms of potassium, the USDA says that a regular-sized banana has about 422 mg, which is about 12% of the daily value for people.
Dr. Samantha Nazareth, MD, FACG is double board-certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology/Hepatology, who practices in New York City says that potassium is important for all muscles, including those in the digestive system.
Bananas and other foods high in potassium can help you keep your bowel movements normal and keep you from getting constipated.
Other Digestive Benefits
Fiber, prebiotics, and potassium are just a few of the good things that fruit has for your digestive system. Besides that, they have more things that are good for your gut.
- Antioxidants, such as dopamine and catechins, found in bananas may help protect your gut system from oxidative stress and inflammation. [Source]
- There are substances in bananas called protease inhibitors that can help keep your digestive system from overworking with enzymes. This can lower your risk of stomach issues like ulcers.
- Some of the starch in bananas gets harder to digest as they ripen. This starch works like fiber and gives good gut bacteria energy.
Expert Tips and Suggestions
To maximize the digestive benefits of bananas, consider the following tips from health experts:
- Also, the whole banana peel is good to eat because it has a lot of solid fiber.
- As part of a healthy diet with lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, make sure you eat bananas often.
- When bananas are ripe, they are easier on the stomach and have more tough starch.
- If you feel like you want to keep going, eat some green bananas. They are full of resistant starch, which can help.
- To get rid of constipation, eat a lot of water and bananas with other high-fiber foods.
Facts and Statistics
- It turns out that bananas are the fourth most important crop in the world, following rice, wheat, and corn.
- People in the United States eat around 27 pounds of bananas every year. [Source]
- Bananas are full of good things for you, like vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, and magnesium.
- Not only do bananas help your stomach, they can also help your heart, your weight, and your recovery after a workout.
The Bottom Line
Bananas are very good for you and can really help your stomach. You can eat them every day because they are full of fiber, prebiotics, vitamins, and other good things.
Adding bananas to your meals and snacks can help things go more quickly, keep your stomach happy, and even help keep stomach problems at bay.
Frequently Ask Questions
I’ve Problem of constipation? Can bananas help with constipation?
Because they have a lot of fiber, yes, bananas can help with constipation. The peel’s fiber helps make your poop more stable and keeps things moving along.
Are bananas good for diarrhea?
Because they are high in sugar, ripe bananas might not be the best choice for people with diarrhea. However, raw (green) bananas might help. More resistant starch is found in green bananas. This type of starch works like soluble fiber and can help make loose stools stronger.
Can bananas help with acid reflux or heartburn?
If you have acid reflux or heartburn, bananas might not help a lot, but they might help a little because they are low in acid and can soothe the stomach.
Can bananas support digestive health during pregnancy?
Bananas are great for pregnant women because they are high in fiber, which can help keep things moving and keep you from getting constipated.
Can banana peels be consumed for additional digestive benefits?
A lot of people throw away banana peels, but they are good for you and will do your stomach some good. There is a lot of resistant starch and insoluble fiber in banana peels. These fibers can help you stay regular and keep your gut healthy.
Can bananas support digestive health in children?
A banana is a great food for kids to eat when they are hungry. Most kids will find them easy to eat and tasty because they are soft and don’t taste too strong.