Bananas are one of the world’s most popular fruits. They’re a convenient snack food and incredibly healthy.
Bananas are rich in several important vitamins and minerals. They’re also relatively high in fiber, as one medium banana contains about 3.1 grams of fiber.
Fiber has long been claimed to help prevent and relieve constipation.
It’s thought to absorb water, helping stools stay large and soft. This helps improve the movement of the stool through your digestive tract.
However, the evidence that fiber actually helps relieve constipation is conflicting and surprisingly weak, given how many health professionals recommend high fiber intake to their constipated patients.
Some studies indicate that soluble fiber can help relieve constipation. Others suggest that reducing dietary fiber may actually help in some cases.
Whether increasing fiber intake helps relieve constipation seems to come down to the individual. The type of fiber you ingest may also matter.
Bottom Line: Bananas are a fairly good source of fiber, which may help with constipation for some people. However, the evidence on this is rather conflicting.
Recent Comments