Are bananas good during pregnancy?

Yes, as an ordinary fruit, and no trial has tested them as anything more. We found no randomized trial of bananas in pregnant women with a clinical outcome. The closest evidence is about fruit in general: across 8 cohort studies in 28,604 women, those who ate the most fruit had an 8 percent lower risk of gestational diabetes (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.99). That is an association, and bananas were not analyzed separately.

Unsettled. The banana itself has never been put to a test in pregnancy. A Cochrane review of 41 trials in 5,449 women with early pregnancy nausea found no trials of dietary or lifestyle changes at all. Bananas for morning sickness is advice nobody has measured.

What the trials found

Gestational diabetes: fruit, in cohorts

In the 2023 meta-analysis, each extra 3.5 oz (100 g) of fruit a day went with a 3 percent lower risk of gestational diabetes (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99). Fruit juice showed no link, RR 0.97 with an interval from 0.91 to 1.04. An earlier meta-analysis of 5 cohorts found fruit eaten before pregnancy linked to a 5 percent lower risk, and fruit eaten during pregnancy linked to nothing, with high heterogeneity between studies. A third review of 13 cohorts linked prudent and Mediterranean eating patterns, rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, with a 22 to 29 percent lower risk. All three are observational. Women who eat more fruit differ in many other ways, and none of these studies isolates the banana.

Nausea: vitamin B6, in doses a banana does not reach

Bananas carry some vitamin B6, and B6 is the one nutrient with trial evidence for pregnancy nausea. A 2023 meta-analysis of 18 studies found pyridoxine, alone or combined with another active ingredient, improved nausea scores (Rhodes score by 0.78, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.31). A 2026 network meta-analysis of 24 randomized trials in 3,017 pregnant women found vitamin B6, ginger and several drugs possibly effective, with low to moderate certainty. Those were supplements. One raw banana of 4.4 oz (126 g) provides about 0.3 mg of B6, according to the USDA survey database. The dose ACOG recommends is 10 to 25 mg, three or four times a day.

Constipation: fiber supplements, one small trial

A 2015 Cochrane review of constipation in pregnancy found one trial of 40 women. Fiber supplements raised bowel movements by 2.24 a week compared with no treatment (95% CI 0.96 to 3.52), on moderate quality evidence. That was a supplement and not fruit. In an Australian cohort of 804 women in late pregnancy, only 29.5 percent reached the fiber target of 28 g a day, and the women eating the most fiber ate more fruit, apples and bananas in particular. That describes where fiber came from. It does not show what bananas do.

Pre-eclampsia: one old case-control study

In Zimbabwe, a study of 374 women found eating bananas and mangos unrelated to the risk of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. Diet was recalled for the month before delivery, in one hospital population.

Who should be careful

We found no study reporting harm from bananas eaten in pregnancy. The cautions we found are about vitamin B6 supplements. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says high B6 intakes from food have not been reported to cause harm, and the adult upper limit of 100 mg a day covers food and supplements together. A 2025 systematic review of high-dose B6 for pregnancy nausea found that 164 of 1,226 women in 12 reports had nerve symptoms such as burning, tingling or numbness from excess B6, and its authors urged caution with high doses in early pregnancy. Those reports are mostly observational and do not show how often it happens.

After birth, one Turkish study of 59 breastfed infants found that crying time correlated with how much banana the mother ate (R = 0.44). It was small and has not been repeated, so it is no reason to drop bananas while breastfeeding.

Not for everyone. If you take vitamin B6 for nausea, take it at the dose your doctor or midwife sets and count every product that contains it toward the 100 mg upper limit. Bananas do not move you toward that limit in any meaningful way.

What expert bodies say

We found no expert body position on bananas in pregnancy. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reports that ACOG recommends 10 to 25 mg of vitamin B6 three or four times a day as a first treatment for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, and advises talking to a physician first.

How we searched

What would change this answer

• A randomized trial of whole bananas, or banana snacks, for nausea or constipation in pregnancy.
• A cohort that reports banana intake on its own against gestational diabetes or weight gain in pregnancy, instead of folding it into total fruit.

More on the banana itself, including potassium and blood sugar: Banana.

Sources

1. ev-banpg-01 · Observational data · systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies · n = 28604
   Summarizing all eight comparisons with a random effects model, fruit intake was inversely associated with the risk of GDM (RR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.86–0.99).
   
   Who: women in prospective cohorts; diet assessed before pregnancy or in the first or second trimester
   Effect: RR 0.92 (95% CI 0.86 to 0.99), I2 = 36%; each extra 100 g fruit a day RR 0.97 (0.96 to 0.99)
   Certainty: Meta-analysis of cohorts, not RCTs; bananas not analyzed separately; 100 g ≈ one small banana.
   Nutr J, 2023, Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
2. ev-banpg-02 · Observational data · systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies · n = 28604
   Fruit intake increased by 100 g per day was linked to a 3% lower risk of GDM in a dose‒response meta-analysis (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99) (Fig. 3).
   
   Who: women in prospective cohorts; dose-response analysis
   Effect: RR 0.97 (95% CI 0.96 to 0.99) per 100 g/day fruit; fruit juice RR 0.97 (0.91 to 1.04), not significant
   Certainty: Observational; whole fruits versus juice is an important difference for pregnant women.
   Nutr J, 2023, Fruit, vegetable, and fruit juice consumption and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the fulltext
3. ev-banpg-03 · Observational data · systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies · n = 5 cohorts
   In women who consumed higher amount of fruits before pregnancy, the risk of GDM was 5% lower than in those who consumed lower amount of fruits (0.95; 95 %CI: 0.91, 0.99, I2: 0%, p = 0.85).
   
   Who: women in 5 cohort studies, highest vs lowest fruit intake
   Effect: pre-pregnancy fruit RR 0.95 (95% CI 0.91 to 0.99); during pregnancy RR 1.18 (0.48 to 2.91), I2 94.6%
   Certainty: Few studies, high heterogeneity; the authors ask for caution.
   Complement Ther Med, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
4. ev-banpg-04 · Observational data · systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies · n = 13 studies
   This meta-analysis revealed that "prudent" (RR = 0.78, CI = 0.63-0.96), "vegetable" (RR = 0.86, CI = 0.76-0.98), and "Mediterranean" (RR = 0.71, CI = 0.56-0.91) dietary patterns with high levels of whole grain, fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy intake decreased the risk of GDM.
   
   Who: women in 13 cohort studies of dietary patterns
   Effect: prudent RR 0.78 (0.63 to 0.96); Mediterranean RR 0.71 (0.56 to 0.91); western RR 1.27 (1.03 to 1.56)
   Certainty: About dietary patterns, not banana; observational.
   Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
5. ev-banpg-05 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis · n = 18 studies
   Supplementation of pyridoxine alone as well as combined treatment of pyridoxine with an active ingredient as the intervention significantly improved the symptoms of nausea according to Rhode's score [0.78 [95% CI: 0.26, 1.31; p = 0.003; I2 = 57%, p = 0.10)] and PUQE score [0.75 (95% CI: 0.28, 1.22; p = 0.002; I2 = 0%, p = 0.51)], respectively.
   
   Who: pregnant women with nausea and vomiting; pyridoxine alone or with another active substance
   Effect: Rhodes score improvement 0.78 (95% CI 0.26 to 1.31); PUQE score improvement 0.75 (0.28 to 1.22)
   Certainty: About B6 supplements, not bananas; the dose is not named in the abstract; one banana ~0.3 mg B6 (FNDDS).
   Arch Gynecol Obstet, 2023 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
6. ev-banpg-06 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and network meta-analysis of RCTs · n = 3017
   Results: Of 9844 records screened, 24 randomized controlled trials (3017 participants) met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 16 intervention categories.
   
   Who: pregnant women with nausea and vomiting in placebo-controlled RCTs, search to May 2024
   Effect: most of 16 intervention categories better than placebo; vitamin B6, metoclopramide, dimenhydrinate, ginger, quince, acupressure possibly effective; low to moderate certainty (CINeMA)
   Certainty: The newest synthesis; banana does not appear among the interventions.
   Nutrients, 2026 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
7. ev-banpg-07 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · Cochrane systematic review of RCTs · n = 5449
   There were no included studies of dietary and other lifestyle interventions.
   
   Who: women up to 20 weeks of gestation with nausea, vomiting or retching
   Effect: 41 RCTs; no dietary or lifestyle intervention studies; only limited evidence for vitamin B6 and doxylamine-pyridoxine
   Certainty: Cochrane; the absence of dietary RCTs is the key gap for the question about bananas.
   Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
8. ev-banpg-08 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · Cochrane systematic review of RCTs (no meta-analysis possible) · n = 40
   Pregnant women who received fibre supplementation had significantly higher frequency of stools compared to no intervention (mean difference (MD) 2.24 times per week, 95% CI 0.96 to 3.52; 40 women, one study, moderate quality of evidence).
   
   Who: pregnant women with constipation; fiber supplementation vs no intervention
   Effect: stool frequency MD +2.24 per week (95% CI 0.96 to 3.52); moderate quality evidence
   Certainty: Fiber supplement, not bananas; one small study.
   Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2015 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
9. ev-banpg-09 · Position of an expert body · government fact sheet citing ACOG · n = —
   The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends monotherapy with 10–25 mg of vitamin B6 three or four times a day to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy [29].
   
   Who: pregnant women with nausea and vomiting
   Effect: 10 to 25 mg vitamin B6 3 to 4 times daily; add doxylamine if no improvement
   Certainty: Therapeutic doses from supplements; dietary B6 from a banana (0.3 mg) is hundreds of times smaller.
   NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
10. ev-banpg-10 · Position of an expert body · government fact sheet · n = —
    High intakes of vitamin B6 from food sources have not been reported to cause adverse effects [1].
    
    Who: adults, including pregnant women
    Effect: UL 100 mg/day vitamin B6 for adults; neuropathy reported with 1 to 6 g/day supplements; no adverse effects reported from food
    Certainty: Safety: bananas do not bring you close to the limit; the risk lies in supplements.
    NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Vitamin B6 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
11. ev-banpg-11 · Observational data · systematic review of mostly observational reports · n = 1226
    Among these sources, 12 reports detailed the adverse effects of excessive vitamin B6 intake in women; 164/1226 individuals experienced neurological symptoms such as burning, tingling, paresthesia, ataxia, or perioral numbness.
    
    Who: women and others in 19 reports on high-dose vitamin B6, including pregnant women treated for nausea
    Effect: neurological symptoms in 164/1226; 4 miscarriages and 1 intrauterine death among 245 women (causality not shown)
    Certainty: Review of reports, not an RCT; causality not established; concerns supplements, not food.
    Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2025 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
12. ev-banpg-12 · Observational data · case-control study · n = 374
    While intake of bananas and mangos was unrelated to risk, women who consumed other fruits (i.e. apples, oranges, grapes, peaches, apricots, paw paw, and plums), were 1.7 (95% CI = 1.0 to 3.1) times more likely to develop pre-eclampsia/eclampsia as women who ate none of these fruits.
    
    Who: 180 women with pre-eclampsia or eclampsia and 194 normotensive women, Harare Maternity Hospital, 1995 to 1996
    Effect: banana and mango intake unrelated to pre-eclampsia risk; other fruits OR 1.7 (95% CI 1.0 to 3.1)
    Certainty: Retrospective recall of the diet in the month before delivery; one population.
    Cent Afr J Med, 1998 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
13. ev-banpg-13 · Observational data · observational cohort · n = 804
    Women consuming the highest quartile of fiber intakes (34.8 (IQR 32.1-39.5) g/day) consumed more fruit, especially apples and bananas, than women consuming the lowest quartile of fiber intakes (15.9 (IQR 14.4-17.5) g/day).
    
    Who: women in late pregnancy, semi-quantitative FFQ
    Effect: median fiber 24.1 g/day; 237/804 (29.5%) met the 28 g/day AI; top quartile ate more apples and bananas
    Certainty: Descriptive; shows the role of bananas in getting fiber, not a clinical effect.
    Nutrients, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
14. ev-banpg-14 · Observational data · prospective case-control study · n = 59
    The crying time was moderately negatively correlated with the percentage of protein in the maternal diet (R = -0.45, p = 0.01) and the presence of potatoes in the maternal diet (R = -0.38, p = 0.034) and positively correlated with the maternal consumption of walnut (R = 0.38, p = 0.034), banana (R = 0.44, p = 0.01).
    
    Who: 30 colicky and 29 non-colicky breastfed infants and their mothers; 1-week diet records
    Effect: crying time correlated with maternal banana intake R = 0.44 (p = 0.01)
    Certainty: Postpartum (breastfeeding), small sample, correlation; not a reason to exclude bananas.
    J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med, 2016 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
15. ev-banpg-15 · Position of an expert body · national food survey nutrient database · n = —
    Banana, raw, FNDDS code 63107010, fdc_id 2709224: Vitamin B-6 0.212 MG per 100 g; 1 banana 126 g, 0.3 MG; Folate, DFE 15 UG per 100 g; 1 banana 126 g, 18.9 UG
    
    Who: USDA survey database record for raw banana
    Effect: vitamin B6 0.212 mg/100 g, 0.3 mg per banana; folate 15 mcg DFE/100 g, 18.9 mcg per banana
    Certainty: Per-serving calculation from FNDDS; for comparison with therapeutic doses of B6 (ev-banpg-09).
    USDA FNDDS, food code 63107010, Banana, raw (fdc_id 2709224) · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the dataset