Bananas are fruits many choose for their convenience, sweet taste and health benefits. In some individuals, however, bananas can cause stomach upset. While the reasons may vary for each individual, some possible causes include a sudden increase in fiber to your diet or a food allergy based on an underlying latex allergy.
About Bananas
Bananas grow from trees in tropical environments around the world. They are a low calorie, low fat, nutrient-rich fruit. One large raw banana provides about 11.8 mg of vitamin C, 487 mg of potassium, 7 mg of calcium and 3.5 g of fiber. Along with these healthy nutrients, eating a banana won't cause your waistline to expand -- a large banana contains 121 calories and only 0.45 g of fat.
Fiber and Bananas
Fiber is found in plant foods and helps promote healthy digestion and normal bowel movements in the body. This important dietary component also may play a positive role in easing serious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease. Doctors often recommend eating more fruits and vegetables for more fiber when constipation is a problem. Eating one large banana will add 3.5 g of fiber to your diet. However, when you initially add more fiber to your diet, you may experience abdominal pain, as well as bloating and gas. If you're eating a lot more bananas or other fruits, vegetables or grains with a lot of fiber, you may notice these symptoms.
Latex Allergy and Bananas
Rubber latex is a milky substance derived from rubber trees. It is used in products such as latex gloves, balloons, condoms and rubber bands. Sensitivity to a protein in the rubber can cause your body to react by producing antibodies called Immunoglobulin E, or IgE. In addition to abdominal cramps, latex allergy symptoms include wheezing, hives and a runny nose. Foods such as bananas contain similar proteins to latex rubber, so if you are allergic to latex, eating a banana may cause similar symptoms. Other foods latex allergy sufferers may be more sensitive to include kiwi, avocados and European chestnuts. About 3 million Americans suffer from latex allergy, notes the American Latex Allergy Association.
Recommendations
If banana consumption has increased because you're trying to add more fiber to your diet, it's best to add fiber gradually, in small increments over time. Drinking liquids when eating fiber-rich food is also recommended because it helps fiber digest better. If latex allergy is the cause of your stomach pains, avoiding bananas is best. There's no cure for a latex allergy.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Banana, Large
- Familydoctor.org; Fiber: How to Increase the Amount in Your Diet; December 2010
- American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology; Tips to Remember: Latex Allergy;
- American Latex Allergy Association; Latex Allergy Symptoms
- American Latex Allergy Association; Latex Allergy Statistics
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