Question: Can bananas cause constipation? My grandmother says no, but I have read that they can. So what’s the deal?

Answer: Can bananas cause constipation? Well, there is actually some dispute over whether this is the case or not.

Many people have blamed the banana for causing their constipation and they may be right, but it seems to have to do with how ripe they are. Green bananas seem to be less likely to cause constipation while yellow, or over ripe, bananas seem to cause more constipation.

What is not in doubt is that bananas offer many, many benefits and can assist in weight loss, lowering blood pressure, and improving concentration.

For these reasons alone they should be a part of most peoples diets. If you are currently constipated it might be wise to lay off of the bananas for a few days, but in general they should be fine to eat in moderation.

Bananas may cause constipation in children more frequently than in adults so if you have a child complaining of constipation then perhaps the bananas are the culprit. You should discuss this with your pediatrician if it is a concern.

We suspect that we did not answer your question regarding whether bananas can cause constipation, but that is simply because there is a lot of conflicting research and no definitive answer is yet available. Our advice is to err on the side of caution and take a break from the banana if you are constipated.