Can eating bananas after meals help digestion? Doctor of Nutrition's answer is...

People who like to eat fruits and hope to get nutrition often ask: "Should fruit be eaten before or after meals?" "How many hours before or after meals is it better to absorb when eating fruit?" Some people also ask: "Can eating bananas after meals help digestion?"

★Should fruit be eaten before or after meals?

Here’s the Answer:

In fact, there is no substantial difference between eating fruit before or after meals. Eating it on an empty stomach or with food has specific significance. The word "fasting" often appears in medication instructions, meaning that you need to wait two hours before or after eating before taking the medicine.

Bai Xiaoliang, a nutrition education doctor living in the United States, stated in his book "Don't Let Wrong Nutrition Views Harm You" that there is no such thing as water-soluble or fat-soluble fruit, but the vitamins they contain are divided into water-soluble or fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, as the name suggests, must be in the presence of oil to be absorbed and utilized. In other words, fruits rich in fat-soluble vitamins are best eaten with foods containing oil. Whether it is within two hours before or after a meal, it is called eating with food. Fruits rich in water-soluble vitamins C and B group do not matter whether you eat them on an empty stomach or with food, because food contains some water.

Follow the nutrition experts:

Most fruits contain both water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, but there are still differences in proportion, so different ways of eating can still be distinguished:

Although bananas do not contain protein enzymes that can digest meat, they are indeed a good fruit for regulating the intestines and strengthening the stomach.

Fruits rich in fat-soluble vitamins, such as kiwi, are best eaten with foods containing oil.

★Fruits that need to be eaten with food

1. Fruits rich in vitamin A: dried apricots, cantaloupe, mango, peaches, papaya, and tomatoes.

2. Fruits rich in vitamin E: olives, kiwi, tomatoes, mangoes, dried apricots, and avocados.

3. Fruits rich in vitamin K: plums, kiwi, avocado, blueberries, peaches, and grapes.

★Fruits that can be eaten on an empty stomach

All fruits including oranges, strawberries, watermelons, kiwis, papayas, mangoes, guavas, cantaloupes, bananas, grapes, etc.

★Can eating bananas after meals help digestion?

Here’s the Answer:

Bananas do not help digest protein (meat), but they are beneficial to the health of the digestive system.

The pectin contained in bananas is a unique and complex type of fiber. A medium-sized banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, which helps regulate digestion speed. Ripe bananas are softer and sweeter because as bananas ripen, the amount of water-soluble pectin increases and the concentration of fructose also increases relatively.

Bananas also contain fructooligosaccharides (FOS). The fructooligosaccharides in bananas cannot be broken down by enzymes in the digestive tract. They are metabolized by bacteria after entering the small intestine. They help maintain the "good bacteria" (such as bifidobacteria) inside the small intestine, which is a balanced ecology of probiotics and maintains the health of the overall digestive system. Although bananas do not contain protein enzymes that can digest meat, they are indeed a good fruit for regulating the intestines and strengthening the stomach.

Pineapple, papaya and kiwi can help protein digestion

Pineapple contains bromelain, papaya contains papain, and kiwifruit also contains actinidin, which is similar to papain. All of these can break down large protein molecules. Therefore, when the protein intake is high, especially animal meat, eating any fruit containing protein enzymes immediately after the meal can help break down and digest the protein.

The acidity of pineapple is 3.2~4.0, which is lower than stomach acid (the lower the pH value, the greater the acidity), so theoretically it will not have any effect.

Many people worry that pineapples are sour and will irritate the stomach. In fact, the pH value of gastric acid is 1.5~3.5, which is a strong acid. Physiologically, the gastric mucosa is extremely thick and has the function of protecting the stomach wall. It will not be easily eroded unless it is destroyed by strong acid or strong alkaline drugs or chemicals. The acidity of pineapple is 3.2~4.0, which is lower than stomach acid (the lower the pH value, the greater the acidity), so theoretically it will not have any effect.

Everyone's physical condition is different. If you feel uncomfortable, you can eat papaya or kiwi fruit instead. These two fruits are milder in acidity and can effectively help digest protein. But among these three fruits, pineapple has a higher fiber content and is more helpful for excretion.

Follow the nutrition experts:

When you consume a large amount of protein, such as at an all-you-can-eat buffet or banquet, it is best to eat pineapple, papaya, or kiwi fruit after the meal to help break down and digest the protein.