Moist Spelt Banana Bread with Walnut & Vanilla
Ingredients for a 9 × 4.5 inch loaf pan :
- 4 ripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup ground walnuts (about 100 g)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 package baking powder (about 2 ½ tsp)
- 3 ⅓ cups spelt flour (Type 1050, about 400 g)
- ¾ cup Skyr (about 180 g)
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Grease a 9 × 4.5 inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until smooth.
- Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add them along with the baking powder and ground walnuts to the mashed bananas. Blend everything into a smooth, creamy, light-brown mixture.
- Add the spelt flour, Skyr, and eggs to the banana mixture and knead well until a thick, smooth dough forms (similar to bread dough).
- Transfer the dough into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the oven for 50–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool slightly in the pan, then remove it and let it cool completely before slicing.
Sources:
Afzal, M. F., Khalid, W., Akram, S., Khalid, M. A., Zubair, M., Kauser, S., Abdelsamea Mohamedahmed, K., Aziz, A., & Anusha Siddiqui, S. (2022). Bioactive profile and functional food applications of banana in food sectors and health: A review. International Journal of Food Properties, 25(1), 2286–2300. Source
Cassettari, V. M. G., Machado, N. C., Lourenção, P. L. T. de A., Carvalho, M. A., & Ortolan, E. V. P. (2019). Combinations of laxatives and green banana biomass on the treatment of functional constipation in children and adolescents: A randomized study. Jornal De Pediatria, 95(1), 27–33. Source
Palsdottir, H. (2025). Do Bananas Help You Poop? What to Know. Healthline. Source
Bananas are more likely to relieve than cause constipation, as a single banana contains enough fiber (about 6 g) to soften stool and promote bowel movements. Unripe (green) bananas provide resistant starch, which is fermented in the colon and stimulates intestinal motility, as shown in animal studies. In a clinical study by Cassettari et al. (2019), green banana biomass reduced hard stools, straining, and pain in children with functional constipation. Overall, bananas support regular bowel movements, especially when consumed with adequate fluids and at the appropriate ripeness (Afzal et al., 2022; Cassettari et al., 2019; Palsdottir, 2025).