If you happen to suffer from any allergies, perhaps you have wondered, do bananas have lactose?
Obviously, if you are lactose-intolerant, you need to avoid any foods that could be harmful to you.
What could be in a banana that could upset your stomach?
Lactose is a sugar, and bananas have high sugar content, so perhaps they could contain lactose.
Where does lactose come from anyway?
Let’s try and answer these questions.
Bananas do not contain any lactose. They are safe to eat for those individuals who are lactose-intolerant. Lactose is only found in the milk of mammals and is actually a sugar. The milk obtained from cows, goats, and sheep contains lactose, but bananas definitely do not. However, do be careful when eating banana desserts such as ice cream, cakes, smoothies, or banana bread, as they will typically have been made with dairy products. Despite having no lactose, bananas may cause some abdominal pain, but this could be attributed to fiber, starch, or sucrose.
Can You Eat Bananas If You Are Lactose-Intolerant?
If you are lactose-intolerant, then you have to be careful with your diet.
Thankfully, bananas don’t contain any lactose, so they are safe to eat.
People often wonder if bananas have lactose because the fruit contains a lot of sugar.
It’s an easy mistake to make, knowing that lactose is actually a form of sugar.
However, lactose is only found in mammal milk, including that from cows, sheep, and goats.
Obviously, bananas don’t have any milk in them, and therefore no lactose.
One thing to be wary of is when eating bananas in any other form, such as desserts or cakes, or muffins.
These delicious treats are, unfortunately, likely to have been made with dairy products, so you may have adverse side effects.
Look for banana desserts made with plant-based alternatives such as soy milk or almond milk.
Can Bananas Cause Stomach Upset?
Even if you are not lactose-intolerant, you may find that bananas cause a stomach upset anyway.
This will be due to several reasons.
Typically, abdominal pain could be caused by eating unripe bananas.
Underripe bananas contain a high level of resistant starch, and this is difficult to digest.
If this is likely to be the reason for your particular stomach problems, always ensure your bananas are ripe or only eat them when cooked in some form.
Fiber is another culprit when it comes to the side effects of eating bananas.
The fruit contains as much as 3.5 grams, and this could be an issue if you are not used to eating large quantities of fiber.
Or perhaps you already include a lot of fiber in your diet, and eating bananas simply overload your digestive system.
The symptoms are similar to those with lactose intolerance and include bloating, cramps, gas, and nausea.
The fructose in bananas may also cause abdominal problems.
Fructose intolerance can result in cramps and diarrhea.
Bananas actually contain only minimal fructose compared to other fruit, but even this low amount could be responsible for stomach pain for those who are intolerant of this sugar.
Other fruits to be avoided because of a high level of fructose include dried apricots, grapes, and pears.
Lactose Intolerance
Final Thoughts
Bananas do not contain any lactose at all.
They are safe to eat for those who are lactose-intolerant.
Banana-based desserts may contain dairy products, and the ingredients should be carefully scrutinized.
Bananas may cause stomach upsets due to their starch, fiber, or fructose.
The symptoms will be similar to those of lactose intolerance.
Always consult your medical professional if you experience any digestive problems.
Another side effect of this fruit you may be concerned about is whether eating bananas can result in acne.