When is a banana ripe enough to not cause constipation?

Question

This might seem like a funny question, but it actually is not.

My 13 month old daughter started to have constipation and we were trying to figure out what it could have been.

While researching, I found out that you need to stay away from BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Apples, Toast)...the combo that helps you when you have diarrhea. Those four things are actually her favorite. We started to reduce the amount of bananas (she really loved 'nanas') and the others, too and that seemed to do the trick. Upon further research supposedly ripe bananas do not cause constipation.

So my question is...how ripe does a banana have to be so as to not contribute to constipation?

UPDATE

http://www.raw-food-health.net/Bananas-Constipation.html - here's a good reference that talks about ripeness and effects on constipation.

Our pediatricians had us buy a box of Miralax. Our girls hate food, so as it goes, they only liked things like Bananas, Rice, etc. I wasn't about to just toss out two of the three things they willingly ate, so I would use Miralax when it seemed like it was catching up to them. It seemed to work when needed. I am not one for regiments, so obviously I didn't give them a daily dose or anything. — Kai Qing, Mar 02 '15 at 22:46

score 13 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 22 '12 at 11:58

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It's not a matter of ripeness, if you feed her a banana you're feeding her a banana. The BRATY diet is fine even when a child is well, you just need to make sure she's drinking enough fluids.

Kids often don't feel thirsty, or recognize it when they are, you have to remind them to drink. Make sure there's water available to her, and remind her to drink. Constipation is often more a result of dehydration then diet.

answered Nov 22 '12 at 11:58

GdD

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I've never heard that ripeness matters, but the amount does. We have a rule of "one per day" and that works fine. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun Nov 22 '12 at 12:18
@TorbenGundtofte-Bruun a good habbit to teach in general anyway. Moderation is great. – balanced mama Nov 23 '12 at 15:34
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I agree that hydration is a big factor. I didn't use to think that ripeness mattered, but there were many sources that I read which indicates that it does. I think that part of the inconsistent conclusions regarding bananas/ripeness/constipation is due to the subjective determination of 'ripeness' of a banana. :) Please see my update above. – milesmeow Nov 23 '12 at 20:14
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Is there some reference for this? Absent actual research inks, this seems as invalid of a guess as the opposite, sorry – user3143 Dec 03 '12 at 10:49
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FYI: http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/13907/does-the-ripeness-of-a-banana-have-any-effect-on-causing-constipation/13911#13911 – user3143 Dec 03 '12 at 17:14
@DVK, I think whomever wrote that post on skeptics is familiar with constipation. Whew. – GdD Dec 03 '12 at 17:23

score 8 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:46

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According to Skeptics.SE: never. Banana's ripeness has almost no effect on constipation.

https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/13907/does-the-ripeness-of-a-banana-have-any-effect-on-causing-constipation/13911#13911

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:46

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answered Dec 03 '12 at 17:15

user3143

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But the other accepted answer says it does – mmmmmm Jun 13 '16 at 13:23

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Mar 21 '16 at 19:09

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In this article on Ehow.com, it is the ripeness of banana that will determine if it can cause constipation or not. Green or unripened bananas can cause constipation because it is full of heavy starches that exacerbate constipation. Whereas, a ripe banana has fiber content which helps in removing the stool in the intestinal tract, so it helps in relieving constipation.

edited Mar 21 '16 at 19:09

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answered Nov 25 '12 at 02:49

Ayls Billones

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score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 13 '16 at 09:54

An unripe banana will lead to constipation.

There are 2 factors when considering bananas and constipation:

starch vs. simple sugars:
A green banana with some yellow is 80% starch and 7% sugar.
A mostly yellow banana is 25% starch and 65% sugar.
A spotted and specked banana is 5% starch and 90% sugar.
Starch is significantly harder to break down & digest than sugar.
pectin vs. pectinase:
As bananas ripen they produce ethylene gas.
Ethylene causes the production of an enzyme called pectinase.
Pectinase breaks down the pectin between the cells of a banana.
Less pectin makes it considerably soften and easier for the body to digest.

So unless you or your child has diarrhea, let your bananas get very soft :)

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 05 '16 at 08:26

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The answers above are all misleading. Green bananas are highly beneficial in alleviating constipation. Why? Because green bananas are high in resistant starch. Resistant starch feeds the gut bacteria in your large intestine and promotes regular bowel movement. Once bananas turn yellow the resistant starch is turned into regular starch and sugars.

answered Apr 05 '16 at 08:26

Sandy

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Out of curiosity, do you have any sources to back up this? Adding those would make this a much better answer. – Becuzz Apr 07 '16 at 14:24

score -3 · Answer 6 · edited Jun 13 '16 at 09:53

To wait until the banana has "black dots" throughout the surface of its peel, the fruit is already over-ripe and tastes like something you might have dug out of your composting bin!

I find as an adult that I can consume bananas in various stages of ripeness as well as several medications that cause constipation, and wash it all down with a few healthy gulps of Diet Coke (a diuretic) provided that I supplement these dehydrating and constipating substances with one basic, easily accessible food... dates. I eat a couple of fresh cooking dates (available in the bulk section of my local supermarket) every day and my once chronic constipation is a thing of the past! Ergo, let your kids eat bananas the way they like them and eat the foods they enjoy without restriction based on constipation-related concerns as long as their diet is regularly supplemented with dates and they're drinking plenty of water throughout the course of the day.

Welcome to Parenting.SE! As a new user, I recommend you take our site's [tour] to get an idea of how things work (we're not quite like a typical forum). I've edited your answer to focus it more on what the OP was specifically asking. If you have feedback for others on their own answers, please use comments. Any other questions, let me know -- and again, welcome. — Acire, Jun 13 '16 at 09:55

When is a banana ripe enough to not cause constipation?

6 Answers6