How many calories do bananas of different sizes contain?
Bananas contain approximately 100 calories, but this may vary depending on the size of the fruit and how you eat it. Here are the calories in a standard banana size:
- Extra small (shorter than 6 inches, 81 g): 72 calories
- Small (6-7 inches, 101 g): 90 calories
- Medium (7-8 inches, 118 g): 105 calories
- Large (8-9 inches, 136 g): 121 calories
- Extra large (9 inches or longer, 152 grams): 135 calories
- Sliced (1 cup, 150 g): 134 calories
- Mashed (1 cup, 225 grams): 200 calories
If you're not sure about banana size, you can estimate that the average banana contains about 100 calories.
About 93% of the calories in bananas come from carbohydrates, 4% from protein, and 3% from fat.
How many carbs are in a banana?
Bananas are composed almost entirely of water and carbohydrates.
People who are concerned about their carbohydrate intake are interested in knowing how much carbohydrate is in their food.
This is the carbohydrate content of a standard banana size:
- Extra Small (shorter than 6 inches, 81 grams): 19 grams
- Small (6-7 inches, 101 g): 23 g
- Medium (7-8 inches, 118 g): 27 g
- Large (8-9 inches, 136 g): 31 g
- Extra large (9 inches or longer, 152 grams): 35 grams
- Sliced (1 cup, 150g): 34g
- Mashed (1 cup, 225 grams): 51 grams
One banana also contains 2-4 grams of fiber, depending on its size. If you are calculating "net" carbs (net carbs = total carbs - fiber), you can subtract 2-4 grams.
Additionally, the ripeness of a banana may affect its carbohydrate content.
Generally speaking, green or unripe bananas contain less digestible carbohydrates than ripe bananas.
Unripe (green) bananas contain more resistant starch
The nutritional makeup of bananas changes as they ripen. Unripe bananas are rich in starch, including resistant starch. However, as they turn yellow, the starch converts to sugar, resulting in fully ripe bananas containing less than 1% resistant starch. Resistant starch functions like fiber, reaching the colon undigested and nourishing beneficial gut bacteria. When these bacteria digest resistant starch, they produce gases and short-chain fatty acids, which support digestive health. Although resistant starches provide fewer immediate calories than regular carbohydrates, they can later be converted into calories through these fatty acids. As a result, green and yellow bananas may offer similar calorie amounts.
Therefore, green and yellow bananas may end up providing similar amounts of calories.
Bananas contain many other beneficial nutrients
Bananas contain a lot of vitamins and minerals.
One medium banana contains:
- Fiber: 3.1 grams
- Vitamin B6: 25% of daily value
- Vitamin C: 11% of daily value
- Manganese: 14% of daily value
- Potassium: 12% of daily value
- Folic acid: 6% of daily value
- Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 5% of daily value
Bananas are delicious and nutritious. They make a great, healthy, low-calorie snack.
