Pregnancy is one of the most delicate periods in every woman’s life, and all expectant mothers need to be cautious about their diet to ensure the well-being of both themselves and their unborn child. Whether it is your first, second, or third trimester, if you are bearing a child in your stomach, you need to be very careful of what you eat and drink, as your consumption is directly linked to the health of the baby.
Eating a lot of natural items such as fruits and vegetables is recommended for expectant ladies as they are good sources of nutrition and minerals for both the baby and the mother. However, some fruits are good for consumption but have some side effects, too, so women must either limit or avoid their intake during pregnancy. So, here are some significant reasons why you must avoid eating bananas when you have a child in your womb.
7 Reasons To Avoid Eating Bananas During Pregnancy
1. Can Trigger Your Migraine
If you have a history of migraine and are sensitive to tyramine, then you should avoid the consumption of bananas during your pregnancy period. This is because these fruits contain a higher amount of the chemical tyramine, which is known to trigger your migraine and cause you extremely unbearable headaches.
The levels of this chemical keep on increasing as the bananas get ripe, so it won’t be completely wrong to say that if you are pregnant and have a migraine condition, then you must avoid the consumption of bananas.
2. They Contribute To Causing Tooth Decay
You know that your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy, right? One of the major changes is the fluctuation in hormone levels, which leads to the making of the tissues and gums around the teeth loosen and get sensitive.
Although your gums and tissues are usually very sensitive on normal days, they get more sensitive when you have a baby. If you consume bananas in these conditions, then the starch and sugar that are present in the fruit can cause dents in your teeth, which will eventually lead to their decay.
3. Not Good For You If You Are Diabetic
Although bananas are a good source of multiple nutrients, you must avoid them during pregnancy if you are diabetic. This is because the fruit contains both glucose and fructose, which can contribute to raising the level of sugar in your blood.
Any kind of fluctuation in your blood sugar levels can be dangerous for both your child and your health, so if you want to eat a banana, then you can eat the cooked, unripe one.
Since ripe bananas can trigger your sugar levels and cause them to surge, you must avoid eating them and replace them with other fruits.
4. You May Feel Sleepy Or Drowsy
You already know that bananas are rich in Vitamin B6, right? But did you know that this Vitamin promotes the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin and helps in relaxing your stressed muscles? So, when your muscles are too relaxed, you automatically feel sleepy and drowsy.
Hence, if you eat a lot of bananas, then you will eventually feel more sleepy, and that is not good for you and the baby. So, you must substitute these fruits with other energy-giving ones or limit their intake so you can stay quite active even during your pregnancy.
5. The Condition Of Hyperkalemia May Occur
It is a fact that all nutrients, such as Vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, potassium, iron, and calcium, are needed by an expectant woman, but an excessive amount of these can be harmful to both mother and child.
One such case is the amount of potassium because it is good for health as it serves as an aid to operate the nerves and neurons. But what will happen if you consume them in excess during pregnancy? There is a higher chance that you will suffer a stroke or heart attack, so to avoid that, you must not eat bananas during your pregnancy days.
6. You May Have To Deal With Constipation
Constipation is one of the health conditions that may occur during pregnancy, but if it is happening because of your eating habits, then you must immediately change them. This can be harmful to both you and your baby, so you must try your best not to let this occur.
As you know, ripe bananas are good for treating this health condition, but at the same time, the green, unripe ones are the catalysts to promote it. Ripe bananas contain soluble fibers, whereas green ones have high levels of resistant starch and tannic acid, so they result in causing you constipation.
7. Can Trigger Your Latex Fruit Syndrome
You must avoid eating bananas during your third trimester as much as possible because it is the time when your developing fetus is prone to cardiovascular diseases. These fruits contain latex allergens that contribute to the sudden rise in your body temperature, which can harm the baby inside you.
So, if you want your baby to have a healthy heart and not suffer any allergic reactions that may happen due to your consumption of bananas, then you must either limit eating the fruit or avoid them completely until you are going through pregnancy.
Conclusion
Bananas have low-calorie content and are a good source of multi-nutrients, but your gynecologist or doctor may not recommend eating them during pregnancy because they contain chemicals that may harm the baby.
Furocoumarin is a chemical that is known to protect fruits and vegetables from the insects that eat them up, so it is good for the plants but not for the fetus and mother.
Apart from that, if you are allergic to certain minerals or have acidity, then you must definitely not eat bananas unless you are directed to do so by your doctor or dietitian.
Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful and sensitive phases of your life that requires special attention and restrictions, so you must try your best to keep yourself and your baby healthy.
References
- Reynolds A., Mann J., Cummings J., Winter N., Mete E., Te Morenga L. Carbohydrate quality and human health: A series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet. 2019;393:434–445. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9. [PubMed]
- Osmond C., Barker D.J.P. Fetal, Infant, and Childhood Growth Are Predictors of Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Hypertension in Adult Men and Women. Environ. Health Perspect. 2000;108:545–553. [PMC free article]
