Constipation from Bananas and GS substitute

[zig_zag]

Does anyone else experience constipation and or bloating from bananas? Its a shame cause Im addicted to them! And I cant seem to make a satisfyingly cream GS without them. Im not fond of the taste of avocado in green smoothies... has anyone else found a good alternative? Thank you.

[RawHeaven]

Yes! I know how you feel...if I eat too many bananas, I get constipated too. In fact, my body is not digging the bananas at all right now and I've stopped eating them for the time being. Perhaps don't force your body to eat bananas even if your "mind" is craving them. It may be telling you loud and clear to lay off of them for awhile.

Same thing happened to me with oranges. Couldn't eat them for awhile, now I'm fine. Our bodies are all different I know, but I think they pretty much communicate to us the same way. If you're uncomfortable, something may be temporarily out of balance. Mono eating may help too and eating more variety.

As an alternative, I've started putting red apples and ginger root in my green smoothies and they are soooo good. The ginger root may really help with the bloating and your overall digestion as a bonus too.

Good luck.

[rawstrength]

Have you tried pineapple juice as a base for GS?
Juice some pineapple, then blend in as many greens as you can to the juice. It's so good! I also like ginger root in GS. Hides the green taste and makes them really easily digestible. Oh, and ginger pineapple is good, too!
If you don't have a juicer, I can send you a link to how to quickly and easily make juice in a blender.

Flax seeds can make GS creamier, too. You can throw in some dates to sweeten.

[veganman]

Hi Zig_Zag -

what stage of ripeness are the bananas. Green are really starch while yellow with spots are easier to digest for a lot of people.

[beckx]

funny that you posted this, i've been experimenting for the last few days how to do gs without bananas. i haven't noticed constipation from them but i hack and cough mucus and my nose runs like crazy right after a gs with more than 1/2 a banana... so thinking that's a sign to try something else ;)

today i did strawberry, mango and young coconut meat+water with wild dandelion greens and melissa. it was really good. other good fruit bases i've tried: cantaloupe (creamy), pineapple, frozen berries, durian (creamy), and orange. if you aren't worried about food combining you can make anything creamy with a thick nutmilk, too... green mylkshake. :)

[zig_zag]

Hmmm, I don't have a juicer, so I cant juice pineapple. The bananas are medium ripeness- I find that if they are too ripe, they are WAY to sweet. And besides, its hard to find bananas that are for sale that ripe- I dont like having bananas around the house (I"ll just eat em all), so I only buy bananas when I think its time for a green smoothie. Eh... I love bananas!!!!!! Why do they not love me hehe.

[BullyForYou]

I just figured out two days ago it was bananas constipating me. I don't usualy eat fruit, but am struggling with breakfast, so was eating some smoothies w/ banana. Ouch on the constipation. So yes......

[Erika]

Well maybe that's my problem then. I put a banana in my green smoothie every day. I also take iron supplements and eat lots of spinach so I don't really know exactly what the problem is. Today I had a terribly upset stomach and I still do. I feel like I need to go but I am not quite ready to go, you know the feeling. I'm bloated and my stomach hurts really bad. What else causes constipation?

[raw_danceruk]

For making it creamy I use either

one Mango

1/2 pinapple

or a couple very ripe pears

You dont have to juice the pineapple, just chuck it in there

Get the banana's..put them in a cuboard for a good 4-5 days..then use them in your smoothie..but they wont constipate you when ripe properly!!

[GlimR]

I buy the large mexican papayas, when they are perfectly ripe I cut them into cubes, freeze them on a cookie sheet and store in a ziploc in the freezer....they make the smoothie very, very creamy. If you don't care so much for the taste of them add strawberries and blueberries to it...I use them frozen too....with an oj base.

Ditto about the ripe bananas.......green or just yellow are constipating....yellow w/ black spots are much easier to digest as the starches have turned to sugar.

[Eva]

[QUOTE=GlimR;426618

Ditto about the ripe bananas.......green or just yellow are constipating....yellow w/ black spots are much easier to digest as the starches have turned to sugar.[/QUOTE]

I don't EVER eat a banana without a good amount of both brown and yellow on the peel because it makes me feel awful. But NO problems with them all spotty.

Anyways -- these have been great ideas so far! What about making a savory green smoothie? With tomatoes, greens, a few soaked dates, herbs, whatever else sounds good.

[MrsJohnnyG]

What else causes constipation?
I have actually never been constipated, but I thought it was because dehydration?

[BullyForYou]

Iron Supplements cause constipation! What kind of iron supplement is it? They can also cause stomach aches. Aha!

[Erika]

Iron Supplements cause constipation! What kind of iron supplement is it? They can also cause stomach aches. Aha!

I'm taking Deceliron (decelerated iron) from vitaminerals inc. My husband is a chiropractor and it's the one that he recommended to me. I take 50mg a day because I'm anemic. Today I don't feel bad at my tummy anymore and I've had good "movement" so I don't know what the problem was.

[BullyForYou]

Oh good. I know back in the day (12 years ago maybe) when I had to take iron supplements, they blocked me up terribly.

Glad you're feeling better.