No credible research has specifically found that eating bananas lowers your risk of prostate cancer, but they can still be a good food to include in your diet to support your overall health.

The United States is the second biggest banana importer worldwide after the European Union.

Bananas have many potential benefits, such as:

  • supporting your heart health with nutrients like potassium
  • helping support your immunity with vitamin C
  • stabilizing your blood sugar levels and aiding with weight loss due to their fiber content

Research from 2022 suggests that plant-based dietary patterns are associated with lower rates of prostate cancer and less aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

Read on to learn more about the link between bananas and prostate cancer.

Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can potentially help you maintain your overall health and prevent disease. There are many reasons to include bananas in your diet, but no studies have found a link between banana consumption and lower prostate cancer risk.

In a 2017 study, researchers examined data from 142,239 men from eight European countries and found that higher fruit intake was associated with a small reduction in prostate cancer risk.

But the researchers noted in their conclusion that it’s unclear whether eating more fruit decreased the risk of prostate cancer or whether other variables caused the link.

In the study, the researchers divided fruit into the following subtypes:

  • citrus fruits
  • apples and pears
  • bananas

Of these three types, only citrus was associated with a significant trend toward lower prostate cancer rates.

There’s no conclusive evidence that consuming bananas has a direct benefit for prostate cancer treatment.

That said, bananas contain many micronutrients that can help support your overall health while you’re undergoing treatments such as radiation therapy or hormone therapy.

One medium-sized banana contains about 2 grams of fiber as well as more than 5% of your daily value (DV) of each of the following:

Learn more about prostate cancer treatment.

Prostate cancer can cause many symptoms, including:

Learn more about prostate cancer symptoms.

Yet there’s no evidence that consuming bananas can help manage these symptoms.

Two small studies have found some theoretical evidence that banana products may reduce symptoms caused by a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as an enlarged prostate. Yet these are very early studies, and much more research is needed before drawing conclusions.

In the first study from 2018, researchers examined isolated human cells in a laboratory. The researchers suggest that banana flower extract may suppress an enlarged prostate by helping regulate the inflammatory response.

The second study from 2009 was conducted in mice. Researchers suggest that methanol extract from banana peels may help reduce enlarged prostate symptoms. Yet this research is older and was performed in animals, so more recent studies in humans are needed.

Researchers are still examining the relationship between diet and prostate cancer risk. A study from 2022 suggests that plant-based diets seem to be associated with lower overall prostate cancer risk.

Here’s a summary of some of the nutrients that have at least some evidence to support the idea that they might reduce the risk of prostate cancer:

NutrientExample foods
selenium• pork
• beef
• fish
• shellfish
• eggs
• Brazil nuts
zinc• oysters
• beef
• pumpkin seeds
vitamin E• sunflower seeds
• wheat germ oil
• almonds
• hazelnuts
• salmon
isoflavones• soy products
catechins• green tea
resveratrol• nuts
• grapes
• apples
• red fruits
• black olives
• red rice
• capers
lycopene• tomato and tomato products, especially after heated
• pink grapefruit
• papaya
• goji berries
• melon
isothiocyanates• Brussels sprouts
• broccoli
• bok choy
• turnips
• cauliflower

Learn more about which foods may be good for prostate health.

A 2023 study that looked at data collected from 1992–1996 suggests that a typical Western dietary pattern is associated with higher risks of prostate cancer than the Prudent and Mediterranean dietary patterns. Both these diets encourage a high intake of fruits and vegetables, fish, and seafood, as well as minimal consumption of processed foods.

Some foods that may increase your risk of prostate cancer are eaten too much in a typical Western diet. These include:

  • sugary sodas and juices
  • foods with added sugar
  • alcohol
  • white flour
  • highly processed foods

Some research from 2021 suggests that high fat diets are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Some studies have also found a link between prostate cancer and dairy consumption, but other studies haven’t found a connection. Due to this, the relationship remains unclear.

Learn more about foods to help prevent prostate cancer.

Bananas are filled with many nutrients that can help support your overall health. As of now, there’s no evidence that they reduce your risk of prostate cancer. Yet they’re unlikely to put you at a higher risk, and they have many other benefits.

Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, fish, and seafood and low in processed foods seems to be associated with lower rates of prostate cancer. These foods are often part of the Mediterranean diet.