Does Banana Cause Constipation?
If you are wondering whether or not banana causes constipation, you will be disappointed to find out the answer is yes and no. Not only can eating bananas cause constipation but it can also cure it as well, this is easily explained though.
How Banana Can Cause Constipation
If you eat bananas that are not ripe then they can cause constipation, simply because they are extremely hard and difficult to break down.
An unripe banana is extremely rich in starch and starch absorbs lots liquid within your body, causing faeces to be hard and dry which causes constipation.
You can easily tell if a banana is unripe as it will have very green skin. It won’t be soft either like when it is ripe, instead it will be hard and slightly tough in texture.
When an unripe banana is ingested into the body, it can easily get stuck in or block the digestive tract, causing a blockage of waste. This is what causes that uncomfortable feeling when you are constipated.
It works in the exact same way as a blocked pipe, as you have to exert discomforting amounts of pressure to dislodge the blockage, this can cause severe pain and, in some cases, internal damage.
Therefore you should never eat hard, unripe bananas and if you do, make sure you drink lots of liquids to help soften the banana or to try and flush out stiff chunks from your digestive system.
How Banana Can Cure Constipation
On the flip side, when a banana is ripe it will be very soft, making it impossible to cause constipation but it will also be full of soluble fibre that causes your digestive system to break down other foods.
So if you are suffering from constipation, you should eat ripe bananas (or any fibre rich food) as the soluble fibres will be able to soften any blockages, allowing them to move naturally through your digestive tract.
Recommended Daily Banana Intake
Obviously you should only eat ripe bananas and you should eat ripe bananas in moderation, one or two per day is completely fine and will provide you with a lot of health benefits, such as the rich amounts of vitamin C and soluble fibres.
If you still aren’t sure what a ripe banana looks like, it is a banana that is yellow all over with black spots as well. A ripe banana will also be noticeable soft to touch, you can easily push your fingers through a ripe banana with a low amount of pressure.