Of all fruits, bananas have the worst reputation. People say they’re too carbohydrate-rich, have too much sugar, or contain too many calories. There’s an entire movement dedicated to making banana-less smoothies because of these worries. But can you still eat them — even if you’re trying to lose weight? Yes and yes. Here’s the truth about what this sweet and creamy fruit will do to — and for — your body.
1. How Many Calories Are in a Banana?
One medium banana (about seven inches long) comes in at 105 calories. “A banana is a perfect 100-calorie snack,” says Jennifer Davis, RDN, a regional supervisor of medical nutrition and dietary services for Kaiser Permanente in Honolulu, Hawaii.
2. What’s Actually in a Banana?
Well, it is mostly carbs — and that’s actually a great thing. (One medium banana packs 27 grams of carbs.) “Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for muscles. You need them for your body to run on,” says Davis. A larger banana might equal two slices of bread, while a small would be equivalent to an apple or orange.
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3. Are Bananas Filled With Sugar?
Yes, they do have some sugar in them — 14 g — but this sugar is wrapped up in a healthful package of 3 g of fiber and even 1 g of protein. Bananas are fat-free, and they don’t contain the added sugar that’s found in energy bars, cookies, and candy — the kind of sugar that can lead to health problems.
“A high intake of fiber helps fill you up and move your bowels,” says Davis, adding that fiber may even protect against certain types of cancer, such as colon cancer. Research published in August 2015 by theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition backs that up. Davis says that along with the naturally occurring sugar, you also get small amounts of other nutrients, like vitamin C, magnesium, folate, vitamin A, and iron. Bananas are also rife with disease-fighting antioxidants, suggests a review published in September 2016 in Food Chemistry.
4. What About the Potassium Content in Bananas?
You’ve long heard that bananas are great sources of the mineral potassium. “This is an electrolyte that most of us don’t get enough of. It helps your muscles contract and your heart beat,” says Davis. She explains that both sodium and potassium work together to move fluid in and out of your cells, and research shows that potassium is key to balancing your blood pressure. In fact, a study published in April 2017 in the American Journal of Physiology concluded that increasing the amount of potassium eaten in the context of nutritious, natural sources can reduce blood pressure, and therefore have an impact on lowering the risk of heart and kidney disease.
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5. Should You Eat Bananas Before a Workout?
Yes! Because of a banana’s benefits to muscle function, it may be what you need to get through exercise. A study published in May 2012 in the journal PLoSOne concluded that eating a banana during a workout was just as effective as an energy drink in terms of boosting performance. Besides, “a banana is a healthier source of potassium than an energy drink,” says Davis.
6. Should You Eat a Banana if Your Stomach Hurts?
Definitely. According to a December 2014 article in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, bananas contain soluble fiber, which is known to help ease or prevent gas pain and constipation. Also, their potassium helps to stabilize sodium levels, reducing bloating, according to Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Letter.
7. Should You Pair Your Banana With Something Else?
Not necessarily. But if you have type 2 diabetes, you may want to eat it with a protein source, like nut butter, to help you feel fuller and potentially increase your chances for weight loss success. You can also add a mashed banana into cooked quinoa (which contains protein) for breakfast. If you have diabetes, know that bananas furthermore contain a type of fiber called resistant starch, which lowers your blood sugar response — one study published in January 2017 in Nutrition Bulletin showed that foods containing resistant starch like bananas may be particularly beneficial for those who have diabetes.
8. Are There Any Health Risks Associated With Eating Bananas?
Most people could safely eat up to six or seven bananas a day, says Davis. (But unless you’re participating in a food eating contest, you’re probably not doing that.)
However, if you have a condition where taking in too much potassium can be dangerous (like chronic kidney disease), you’ll want to talk to your healthcare provider about what is safe for you.
Likewise, if you’re taking certain medications, like beta-blockers, which can interact with higher potassium levels, you also want to check with your doctor, says Davis. According to the American Heart Association, beta-blockers are just one of the heart disease drugs associated with hyperkalemia, also called high potassium. Others include diuretics and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors). Be sure to check with your doctorif you’re downing multiple bananas (or other foods high in potassium) regularly.
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9. Are Bananas a Good Choice if You Want to Lose Weight?
Yes! A review published in October 2016 in Nutrients found that fruit intake was protective against weight gain and obesity, supporting the conventional wisdom thatit’s important to include a variety of fruit in your diet, bananas among them. Davis recommends eating a banana before a meal. The fiber will help fill you up so you have less room for what follows. You can also use mashed bananas to replace the oil in baked goods and decrease the calories, Davis points out. And you can freeze a banana, chop it up, and whirl it in the food processor to make “ice cream” for dessert.
The Bottom Line on Bananas, Your Health, and Your Waistline
Despite the bad rap they often get, bananas are a cheap, nutrient-packed, portable food that’s a great choice for people looking to reduce their disease risk, and either maintain or achieve a healthy weight. Because most Americans don’t eat enough fruits and veggies, a banana can be a good way to meet your daily quota, says Davis.
