Bananas help alleviate certain key health concerns and are deemed safe enough to be given as one of the first solid foods to babies. So what then could go wrong when you consume bananas? Maybe consuming too much of it? Read on to find out the 14 possible risks associated with excess consumption of bananas.
Side Effects Of Bananas
1. Weight Gain
Agreed that bananas, in comparison to your favorite box of cookies or crisps, have lesser calories, but, they still have enough calories to make you put on weight. That is if you don’t keep a tab on your portion sizes. A medium-sized banana contains 105 calories. That, in comparison to a medium-sized orange (62), a bowl of diced watermelon (45), or a cup of grapes (62) is a lot higher. So, if you’re looking for a low-calorie snack to indulge in every few hours, bananas may not be the best choice. Instead, fruits and veggies with high water content like watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, peaches, cucumber, lettuce, zucchini, cabbage, etc. make for better snack choices. They have fewer calories and high fiber content to keep you full for long. The banana is a great fruit that can be eaten in many ways. However, if you eat too many bananas, you may gain weight. This is due to the high amount of calories contained in the fruit. A single large banana contains about 100 calories. If you eat two bananas per day, you would consume 200 calories each time. That’s almost 500 extra calories per day!
2. Migraine
If you’re often troubled by excruciating migraine attacks, you may want to avoid including bananas in your daily diet. Tyramine, a substance found in many foods like cheese, fish, meats, and bananas is a trigger for migraine headaches (1). Since banana peels contain ten times more tyramine than banana pulp, be extra cautious about removing the stringy pieces of peel from the fruit before eating it.
3. Hyperkalemia
Hyperkalemia is a condition caused due to excess potassium in the blood and is identified through symptoms like uneven pulse rate, nausea, and irregular heartbeat that can even lead to heart attack. Excess consumption of potassium may cause hyperkalemia in adults. There are certain diet plans like the GM diet that recommend excess intake of bananas on certain days. If you follow such diets, you could just be calling for trouble.
4. Tooth Decay
Being high in starch, bananas can cause serious tooth decay if you don’t maintain proper dental hygiene. According to certain studies, bananas can be even more detrimental to your oral health as compared to chocolates, red licorice, and chewing gum (2). Starches dissolve slowly in the mouth whereas sugars dissolve quickly. Therefore, when you consume foods like bananas, their particles rest between the teeth for about two hours and thus attract more bacteria, resulting in more cavities.
5. Drowsiness
Always thought that beginning your day with a banana was a great idea? What you probably didn’t know was that bananas can make you feel drowsy, even if you’ve just started the day. They are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that can reduce your mental performance and reaction time, apart from making you feel sleepy (3). Bananas also contain high doses of magnesium, a mineral that aids muscle relaxation. These properties, however, make them a good snack before bedtime.
6. Nerve Damage
Since bananas contain vitamin B6 in high amounts, their overconsumption can result in nerve damage. Very high consumption of vitamin B6 supplements without prescription can result in nerve damage (4). However, the possibility of nerve damage through banana consumption seems rare unless you are a bodybuilder with a banana obsession or if you are participating in a banana eating competition.
7. Ragweed Allergy
Ragweed allergy is a condition that causes your immune system to react when you inhale ragweed (weeds that grow throughout the United States) pollen grains. A person suffering from this allergy displays symptoms like swollen lips, irritated throat, swollen tongue, etc. People who are already suffering from ragweed allergy might experience similar symptoms upon consumption or even handling of bananas. However, limited data is available to prove these claims.
8. Hypersensitivity In Patients Allergic To Latex
As per a study conducted by the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, those individuals who are allergic to latex display hypersensitivity to bananas too (5). Symptoms like wheezing, runny nose, coughing, itchy throat, and watery eyes are common with this allergy.
9. Respiratory Problems
Another problem that is an offshoot of ragweed allergy is inflammation. It might constrict airways and cause respiratory problems. This might result in severe difficulty in breathing or swallowing (6).
10. Abdominal Pain
If you indulge in bananas that aren’t ripe enough, you may end up with a severe stomach pain. You may also experience nausea along with the abdominal pain. Unripe bananas contain a high amount of resistant starch that takes a long time for your body to digest. You may also experience immediate vomiting or diarrhea.
11. Anaphylactic Shock
Some individuals allergic to bananas can also experience a serious immune response with a sudden drop in blood pressure. Their respiratory troubles inhibit blood oxygen levels from rising, and they can experience shock. Watch out for symptoms such as increased or reduced pulse rate, light-headedness, and faintness. A study conducted by the Journal of Medical Case Reports reveals such extreme cases of banana allergy even in infants (7). The study further suggests that while introducing solid foods to their babies, parents must be cautious and consider banana as a potential allergen.
12. Constipation
Shocked? Yes, we were shocked too on learning that bananas cause constipation! All along, we have known that bananas aid bowel movements, but the magic lies in how ripe the bananas are. Unripe or green bananas are rich in resistant starches, which can increase the risk of constipation. They even contain heavy doses of tannic acid that has an inhibitory effect on the digestive tract. Tannic acid obstructs the secretion of the gastrointestinal fluid and curbs gastrointestinal motility (8). A ripe banana, on the other hand, can help alleviate constipation. Bananas have been reported as constipation-causing foods (9). Bananas are filled with fiber, but they do not contain enough water to make them easy to digest. As a result, your body absorbs less than 10% of the fiber. Fiber helps keep your digestive system healthy and regular. When you don’t have enough fiber in your diet, your bowels become sluggish and constipated.
13. Gas
Excess consumption of bananas may result in gas. They contain soluble fiber and fructose, both of which can cause gas. If you suddenly increase your intake of fiber or consume it in huge amounts, it takes a lot of effort for your large intestine to break down the fiber, and it can thus cause gas. Similarly, in the case of fructose, when taken in large amounts, your body can find it difficult to digest it.
14. Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
Bananas fit the ‘medium-level’ glycemic food category, which means that they have the ability to cause a slight spike in your blood sugar levels. Since the overconsumption of foods with a high glycemic index can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases, you should regulate your intake of bananas. This is all the more true in the case of overripe bananas as they have a higher glycemic index as compared to regular bananas (10). Watch out for how many you eat in a day.
Caution
Here are some warnings and precautions regarding the consumption of bananas:
Major Interactions
When you are taking medication, you should keep in mind the following banana-drug interactions (11):
1. Beta-Blockers
If you are a heart patient, your doctor may have prescribed you a type of medication called beta-blockers. This medication causes a surge in the level of potassium in the blood. You must, therefore, consume bananas in moderation as they are rich in potassium and can cause a dangerous rise in the potassium levels in your blood.
2. Oxazolidinone Antibacterials
If you are on oxazolidinone antibacterials, you might want to watch your intake of bananas. Bananas contain tyramine that can cause a dangerous increase in your blood pressure when supplemented with oxazolidinone antibacterials. Check with your doctor on the allowed intake.
3. ACE Inhibitors (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors)
Doctors prescribe these medicines to lower blood pressure or treat heart failure. Like beta-blockers, they increase the amount of potassium in the blood. You must, therefore, avoid overindulging in bananas if you’re on this drug as you may experience irregular heartbeat and palpitations (17).
4. Diuretics
Doctors prescribe diuretics to help the body remove water, sodium, and chloride. Diuretics also help reduce the swelling caused by heart or liver problems. They help treat high blood pressure too. Since some diuretics increase the levels of potassium in the body, you should lower the intake of bananas as they can further increase the level of potassium in your blood, which can be dangerous (18). Though we have listed down all the cons of eating bananas, we cannot deny the fact that when eaten in moderation, they are good for you. Unless, of course, you have a health concern that doesn’t allow you to eat them. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends every healthy adult to enjoy two cups of fruit daily (equal to two bananas). Instead of making bananas your staple diet, you should have them alongside other healthy foods. Only then, you can make the best of the benefits of bananas. Hope we addressed some of the questions you may have had about side effects of banana. Do give us your feedback in the comments section below. What happens if you eat 2 bananas a day? Having two bananas a day falls within the acceptable recommended limit and is safe. Is having 4 bananas a day too much? Possibly. Having too many bananas in a day may lead to abdominal cramps, pain, and gas. What happens if we eat bananas on an empty stomach in the morning? Anecdotal evidence suggests that having bananas on an empty stomach might lead to abdominal cramps, constipation, and dizziness (15). Can we drink water after eating a banana? Anecdotal evidence suggests that having water after consuming bananas may lead to indigestion. How long does a banana take to digest? A banana takes about 30 minutes to digest (16).
Sources
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