How Banana Helps Digestion in Babies

Bananas are a wonder food for your baby. It is one of the first foods that you will introduce to your baby. Most babies like bananas for their taste and texture. It is a sweet fruit with zero fat. Moreover, a toothless or teething baby doesn’t need to chew banana and it easily passes through their mouth. Bananas have numerous benefits. One of the most important benefits of bananas is that it helps the baby’s digestion.

How does bananas aid digestion?

Pediatricians usually recommend bananas as the first solid food for small babies. The digestive system of a small baby is not fully developed to process solid food. Introducing any complex food will upset the underdeveloped digestive system. Banana is given as the first solid food because it does not bother the digestive system. Instead, it helps the digestive system to develop gradually.

Banana contains pectin, a water-soluble fiber. In babies, pectin helps in digestion and keeps gastrointestinal issues at bay. Pectin catalyzes the breakdown of carbohydrates into simple sugars. This makes digestion easier for babies. If your baby suffers from constipation, then give them ripe bananas in a mashed form. The dietary fiber in mashed potatoes adds bulk to the baby’s stool and helps to add water. This makes passing stool easier for your baby. 

Bananas also help in managing diarrhea. However, to treat diarrhea, you must use an unripe banana. You can boil the unripe banana and then mash it. If you feed this, it will tighten loose stool and make your baby feel comfortable.

Other benefits of banana

Besides aiding digestion, bananas help in many other ways.

• Bananas contain lots of vitamin B6 and carbohydrates that provide instant energy. A growing baby needs lots of energy, making a banana an ideal food.

• Banana is rich in potassium and helps develop your baby’s bones, muscles, and eyes.

• The norepinephrine and serotonin present in bananas boost your baby’s mood.

• The antioxidants present in bananas protect your baby from chronic diseases.

• Banana also contains iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, which helps to prevent anemia. Bananas increase the hemoglobin level of the baby.

Ideally, introduce a banana when your baby is six months old. Avoid giving bananas if your child is suffering from a cough and cold.