Do Bananas Cause Heartburn?

Bananas are considered one of the healthiest foods that can give our bodies a lot of benefits. It provides vital minerals and vitamins like Vitamin A which is very helpful in improving eyesight and keeping the skin looking good. It is also a source of potassium which balances body fluids and electrolytes in body cells, regulating blood pressure and increasing alertness. 

What is Heartburn? 

Heartburn is one of the major symptoms of acid reflux. About ten percent of the population experiences it every day. It occurs when acid in the stomach flows back into the esophagus, creating a very uncomfortable feeling, like your entire chest being on fire. Although the symptom is called heartburn, it doesn’t have anything to do with a person’s heart. Most causes of heartburn are too much intake of alcohol, caffeine, acidic food and even chocolates. It can also be caused by smoking, pregnancy, and obesity. Heartburn is not life threatening but in some cases, it can become one of the indicators of more serious conditions. The best remedy is to avoid and target the major causes while doing your best to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Bananas for Heartburn Relief 

This fruit seems to have varied effects on people suffering from heartburn. While some find it as a contributor to the cause, others however, stick to it as a natural way to relieve them of the symptoms. Bananas have properties which can effectively help neutralize acid in the stomach in a non-expensive and natural way. This is one of the reasons why people prefer this as treatment compared to most antacid products. Research proved that bananas stimulate the stomach lining’s production of mucus, which in turn, creates a natural barrier from too many gastric acids that cause a burning sensation in the chest area when it flows back to the esophagus. 

Ripe, sweet and freshly peeled bananas can be a very good option, which you can add to your meals. Ground-dried bananas can also be an excellent alternative as well as other fruits in relieving heartburn. 

Why Bananas Cause Heartburn 

Bananas truly are great for heartburn relief, that is, when the fruit is ripe. The common reason why some people claim of getting heartburns from eating bananas is that they picked the ones which are not fully ripened. It is easy to distinguish unripe bananas. These are types which still have green specs on the skin. Even those which look bright and golden can still be considered not fully matured and aren’t very advisable to eat. In this case, the bananas will have a very high acid content at a ph of about 5, which adds to the build-up of gastric acids in the stomach. Unripe bananas are also full of unconverted starch. These starches should turn into sugar first before consuming, as this may cause difficulty in digestion. 

When you choose to eat bananas, you should first wait until you see some brown specs on the skin. This means that the fruit is fully ripened and you won’t have to worry about getting heartburns while eating it. If after this you still have problems with the symptoms, you should consult your physician. It might be that you have allergies and your stomach is not reacting very well to the food.