Ask ND: Are bananas "binding"?
Q. I love bananas and have been researching them on the Web. All the info I found supported my position that bananas are a fairly healthy food, with some dietary fiber, lots of potassium and other vitamins/minerals but that they are fairly high in sugar/carbs. As a diabetic, this is naturally a concern. I'm also curious: Is there really any factual basis for bananas being considered "binding" or "constipating"?
A. Bananas do have a reputation for being constipating but I think any "binding" effect they may have has been greatly exaggerated. Perhaps the notion stems from the fact that bananas are an effective home remedy for treating diarrhea. They contain pectin, a fiber that absorbs water in the intestinal tract. They are also high in potassium, which can be depleted by an extended bout of diarrhea. But the fact that bananas are helpful in calming diarrhea doesn't necessarily mean that eating them will cause constipation.
However, I'm not sure bananas are the best choice for diabetics, or anyone else trying to manage their blood sugar levels.
As you have pointed out, they are high in sugar and have a high glycemic index, and although bananas do contain some fiber, vitamins, and minerals, there are other fruits that have much more going for them nutritionally and are also lower in sugar. Good choices for diabetics include berries (all kinds) and cantaloupe, which are high in antioxidants but low in sugar. Prunes and apples are also good sources of fiber.
Bananas are widely known for being high in potassium, which they are. But potassium is actually found in many foods: Avocados, oranges, potatoes, dried beans, tomatoes, wheat bran, dairy products, and eggs are all good sources. Even if you never ate another banana, it would be very unlikely that you would ever suffer from a potassium deficiency.
With all of that said, if you just love bananas, I think there is still room for you to enjoy them from time to time. Just keep your serving size moderate (a small banana or half a larger one) and combine bananas with other foods that contain protein or fat (such as nuts or nut butters), which helps to slow the absorption of the sugars.
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Posted by: beth | Oct 28, 2008 6:31:21 PM
hi i was wondering the same thing as ive read on my blood p tablets,pack that hbp tabs lower potassium, but my doctor has never told me to take them, could this be the reason that my body seems to just want heaps of potassium containing food as i do also eat banannas and must have potatoes and nuts and sunflower seeds, milk,fish, pinkin, peas and corn everyday, i usually eat this cereal three times a day as well as i just seem to need it, like my body is craving it if it misses out, and of the main potassium foods
Posted by: Vicster | Jun 10, 2008 2:42:26 PM
I've been eating 10-12 bananas a day for 22 years, and you can set your watch by my consistent bowel movements (3/day). Bananas are the best human food on the planet, period!
Posted by: Bubu | Mar 27, 2008 9:12:06 AM
I was recently diagnosed with DM-2 and was wondering how many calories per meal can I consume, mainly for lunch and dinner after taking the sugar pill. By the way I was told to have 1/2 a banana with breakfast everyday, mainly because I also take a pill for HBP, which lowers potassium.
Posted by: Skeptic | Oct 7, 2007 3:56:02 PM
What's with bananas?
Unlike many other diseases, the major threat from DM-2 is from chronic or end-organ failure... mostly through vascular destruction. So, focusing on a banana as a culprit seems a little odd. It's definitely not restricted in the clinical setting. Instead, DM2 management should focus on long term management of hyperglycemis that occurs via insulin resistance. It is widely accepted that insulin resistance is best approached through, e.g., weight loss, reduced saturated fats, and reduction of simple sugars, etc.
Okay, this is the first I've heard of bananas being contraindicated for type 2 DM. A balanced diet has fat, sugars, and proteins... the issues here are balance diet and source of the nutrients... also in the case of fats-eating the right type.
Overall, it's suggested that DM patients control hyperglycemia, which over time is the source of disease complications --> micro and macro vascular disease. How does one do this? Well a good start is reducing insulin resistance (insulin resistance leads to hyperglycemia) A good way to approach this is weight loss, especially central obesity (aka truncal fat or a "gut"), since obesity increases insulin resistance (especially central obesity).
Dietary restriction can include saturated fats and simple sugar (bananas have an assortment of carbohydrates and are NOT considered a high source of simple sugars).
A person that is diabetic or pre-diabetic can also benefit from exercise and the cessation of smoking. Exercise not only will assist in weight management, but muscle can uptake glucose independently of insulin. So, if muscle is taking up glucose in the plasma --> there is decreased risk of hyperglycemia --> resulting in less damage to your micro- macrovasculature . The ability of exercise to lower blood glucose independently of insulin is why physical activity is factored into daily insulin management.
I recently heard that blended carrots is NOT advised for diabetic due to an issue of extremely high glycemic index. In general however, because of the complex process of digestion/absorption (mixing different foods together which have divergent glycemic indices can ameliorate the overall glycemic index of the meal as a whole, etc.), WHEW! as you see glycemic index becomes too complex a concept for most diabetics to factor into their diet management.
It can be noted however, that as a banana rippens the amount of simple sugar increases. If you search the internet on ripeness vs. glycemic index you'll find confliciting information. However, from a biologic perspective as fruit rippens starches degrade into their basic components, which is simpler sugars --> thus it makes sense that riper food should have a higher glycemic index, since they contain more simple sugars. Plus it makes sense emperically: the riper the fruit the sweeter it is --> this suggests the increased presence of simple sugars.
Additionally, bananas are a good source of soluble fiber, which helps lower plasma cholesterol levels--> which will lessen vascular damage over time.
Commentary: I'd have to go with not too ripe bananas being a good thing... definitely better than a can of a high fructose cornsyrup drink.
Posted by: Chris | Jun 24, 2007 12:59:20 PM
According to "The GI Diet" book by Rick Gallop, bananas are listed in the "yellow" or medium range GI, certainly not "low".
I like the idea of combining with with a protein source, and limiting the guantity to half a banana. My wife also used to get these mini bananas as the grocery store, but I forget what they're called. If you ever see them, grab them. they're the perfect size if you don't have anyone to share your banana.
Posted by: Monica Reinagel | May 14, 2007 9:19:15 AM
Your right that a GI of 51 is considered "low." My comments have to do with bananas relative to other fruits...and make more sense when you look at glycemic load as well.
The glycemic load of a food takes into account the glycemic index as well as the total carbohydrates. Compared with other fruits, bananas have a relatively high glycemic load. One banana has a GL of 13, compared with an apple (6), and orange (3), canteloupe (4), and strawberries (1).
Posted by: David Vargas | May 14, 2007 12:07:10 AM
I disagree with the post by Monica Reinagel. Banana's are not considered a high GI food. Their glycemic index will increase as they become more ripe but even then there are many foods that are much higher. Additionally, if you follow the link to the GI from her article it clearly shows a large banana having a GI of 52, where anything below 55 is considered low. There are many benefits from fruits that I'm sure have not been discovered yet. I would not just accept the currently known vitamins and minerals as being the only sources of nutrition in the banana without doing further research.
Posted by: Alan Sherman | Mar 12, 2007 11:37:05 AM
I am diabetic and would like to know what fruits I can eat (not in abundance) and not worry too much about carbohydrates. You mentioned cantalope was good, but how much can I eat and be safe?
Alan
925 250 3945
Posted by: Erik | Feb 20, 2007 2:08:19 AM
Many foods are higher in potassium than bananas, without having so much sugar. As I understand it, bananas have one of the highest potassium-to-sodium RATIOS of any food on earth. However, a lot of the alternatives might have, say, 2 milligrams of sodium vs 1 milligram in an equal weight of banana, (vs 350 or more mg of potassium). So if you want high potassium and low sodium, there are a lot of options.
Some foods which contain as much or more potassium as a banana without as much sugar: spinach, greens (collard, turnip, mustard, kale, chard, pretty much anything green and leafy), mushrooms, beans (white beans are great but almost anything), most fish (bass, clams, halibut, tuna), most meat (pork, beef, buffalo), avocados, most nuts (almonds are great), potatoes (actually much higher source of potassium than banana), wheat germ, psyllium, quinoa (a south american grain which is much higher in potassium than most other whole grains), cilantro, parsley, oat bran, flaxseed, cocoa powder, and most dried spices are excellent sources of potassium.
As for binding, some of them definitely are. For example, psyllium is sold as metamucil. Now THAT'S binding. Good luck!
