Bananas are one of the foods known to be gentle on the stomach. Although bananas may be an excellent choice if you're recovering from a stomach bug, research is mixed on whether bananas reduce the feeling of intestinal bloating. Your doctor may be able to recommend more effective treatments for bloating.
Bloating
Bloating is the sensation of a full lower abdomen that often follows consumption of a gas-generating food. You may also feel bloated if you're retaining water; women often feel bloated in the days leading up to their menstrual cycles, during which time water retention is common. You can also feel bloated as a result of a stomach bug or in response to consumption of a food to which you're intolerant -- lactose intolerant individuals often feel bloated after consuming dairy, for instance.
Bananas and Bloating Reduction
According to a study published in the scholarly journal "Anaerobe" by Dr. E. Mitsou and colleagues in 2011, bananas can affect the number and type of microbes living in your digestive tract. A normal adult digestive tract is home to many non-pathogenic, "friendly" bacterial species that help process certain components of the food you eat. Depending on the number and type present, you may experience more or less bloating in response to the food you eat. Eating bananas appears to tilt the balance in favor of bacteria that promote less bloating.
Bananas and Bloating Increase
Conversely, however, some research appears to suggest that you could feel even more bloated after eating a banana or two than you felt before. A study published in "Digestive Diseases and Sciences" by Dr. R. Villas Boas Carvalho and colleagues in 2010 suggests that subjects who consumed bananas regularly -- especially those with frequent symptoms of gastrointestinal discomfort -- reported feeling more bloated as a result of their banana consumption.
General Guidelines
Since research is mixed, you might talk to your doctor about trying bananas when you're feeling bloated to see whether they benefit you. If you find bananas to be beneficial, incorporate them into your diet. If, however, they seem to make you feel even more bloated, avoid them. Bananas do help calm the gastrointestinal tract, explains FamilyDoctor.org, so they're probably worth eating if you're recovering from a stomach illness.
References
- "Anaerobe"; Effect of Banana Consumption on Faecal Microbiota: A Randomised, Controlled Trial; E. Mitsou et al.; 2011
- "Digestive Diseases and Sciences"; Food Intolerance, Diet Composition, and Eating Patterns in Functional Dyspepsia Patients; R. Villas Boas Carvalho et al.; 2010
- FamilyDoctor.org: Bananas
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