Top 13 Side Effects Of Eating Too Many Bananas

February 28, 2023 by Pranay David

A lot of facts about various things generally end up as myths. So we decided to find out whether eating too many benefits can actually cause any side effects or not. After a lot of research we have listed down some of the side effects which prove that eating too many bananas can be harmful. Read on to find out what those side effects are. (1)

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Here are Top 13 Side Effects Of Banana You Must Know

1. Allergies

If you are allergic to latex or to other fruits like avocado, chestnuts, kiwi, etc., then you would be allergic to bananas too. You could also be allergic if you have ragweed allergy. In such cases, you would be affected by the oral allergy syndrome because of which your mouth would feel scratchy and itchy. Though these symptoms would disappear after sometime, the reaction caused due to latex allergy can prove to be dangerous.(2)

2. Migraine

According to the University Of Maryland Medical Center, bananas can be one of the reasons for your migraine attacks. This is be because a substance called tyramine. The amino acid tyrosine present in bananas is converted by our body into tyramine. However, before you jump to conclusions and completely ban bananas from your diet, it would be best to talk to your doctor about it and then take the required steps.(3)

3. Drug Interaction

The tyramine can interact with certain medications. For example, they interact with the medications known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors. So if you do take MAOIs then it is advisable to take your doctor’s permission before including bananas in your daily diet.(4)

4. Gastrointestinal Problems

As long as you don’t over eat, you wouldn’t really face any kind of gastrointestinal problems because of bananas. And even if you do, it would be just temporary. But, if you do binge on them, then be prepared to face problems like diarrhea, gas, bloating, etc. If you are already getting the required amount of fiber from other food items, then adding banana to that mix would put undue pressure on your GI tract resulting in the above mentioned symptoms.(5)

5. Blood Sugar

Bananas can cause a slight increase in your levels of blood sugar since they fall under the ‘medium-level’ glycemic food category. Consuming bananas in the right quantity may not cause any problem but over consumption can lead to an increase in the risk of type 2 diabetes. Also remember that overripe bananas have more glycemic index so you need to be really careful while consuming them. It would be better for you to stick to regular bananas.(6)

6. Constipation

This side effect is due to the resistant starch that we had mentioned earlier. We are usually advised to eat bananas in order to get relief from bowel problems but green or unripe bananas can cause inverse effect and result in constipation. Bananas contain heavy dosage of tannic acid which hinder the gastrointestinal fluid secretion.(7)

7. Tooth Decay

Did you know that bananas can lead to tooth decay? Surprising, right! We all know that bananas are sweet in nature due to their natural sugar content. Other than increasing your calorie intake, this natural sugar doesn’t cause any harm when you eat it in the right quantity. But it can create problems when you over binge on them. The excess intake of sugar can lead to tooth decay, erosion of too enamel and other dental problems.(8)

8. Sleepiness

The next time you are having trouble sleeping, have some bananas as a bedtime snack! Because, eating a dozen or a half of bananas can induce sleepiness. There are couple of reasons which lead to the effect such as – the presence of magnesium in bananas helps in relaxing your muscles, the amino acid tryptophan which triggers an increased production of serotonin. All of these factors when combined together can lead to sleepiness.(9)

9. Nerve Damage

There are a number of weird diets out there and an all banana diet is one of them. However, this is extremely dangerous as eating so many bananas in a short span of time can result in nerve damage. Bananas which contain a high amount of vitamin B6 is a boon to our body when taken in the right amount and fatal when over consumed. So unless you don’t want any permanent nervous system damage, stick to just 1-2 bananas a day.(10)

10. Lack Of Protein

Just like the lack of fat, bananas also have a low level of proteins in them. They have just about one gram of protein which is not sufficient for our body. You can have them as a pre-workout snack due to their high carbohydrates content but avoid them as a post-workout snack.

Don’t feel too overwhelmed with the above mentioned side effects. These usually result when bananas are over consumed. So stick to the right quantities and you will have nothing to worry about.(11)

11. Resistant Starch

Bananas not only contain dietary fiber but also resistant starch. It passes through out GI tract without being digested and gets fermented in the large intestine by the bacteria. Though the fermentation is beneficial for our body, it can also lead to the previously mentioned gastric problems. Once your body gets used to the resistant starch, you will not face these side effects.

[ Read: Do Avocados Have Side Effects ]

12. Hyperkalimea

When the potassium level in our blood is higher than the normal level, it means that you are suffering from a condition called hyperkalimea. Some of the symptoms of this condition are irregular heartbeat, nausea, uneven pulse rate, etc. Wondering how bananas are related to this condition? Well, there is a good amount of potassium present in bananas and when you over consume them, you are increasing the risk of getting affected with hyperkalimea. This condition can also lead to a heart attack in some cases.

[ Read: Shocking Side Effects Of Bitter Melon ]

13. Lack Of Fat

People who are on a diet may love bananas since they don’t contain any fat but you need to remember that your body needs some amount of fat everyday. So again opting for an all-banana diet is not advisable.

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