Bananas: Nutrition Facts, Health Benefits, and More

Bananas are the unsung heroes of the fruit world. These glorious golden crops are affordable, transportable, and if they’re Chiquita, adorable. Dan Koeppel, author of Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, calls bananas “one of the most intriguing organisms on earth.” (1)

Unlike highly industrialized foods, such as eggs and meat, bananas are a miracle of biology and are the fourth most-valuable food crop globally. (2)

Americans eat 3 million tons of bananas each year, and they are the single most sold item at Walmart. (1) It’s a big number, and it’s one of the reasons the United States imports most of its bananas from other countries, since it accounts for well under 1 percent of global banana production. (3)

Bananas are most commonly known for being a good source of potassium, but as per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate guidelines, their nutritional worth doesn’t end there. In fact, this fruit is packed with a plethora of vitamins and minerals that are essential to your health, making them one of the world’s most appealing superfoods.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculations, which are based on a 2,000-calorie diet, a medium-size banana contains only 105 calories. Although it seems obvious that these fruits are a relatively healthy snack, they get a bad reputation because of the large amount of carbohydrates they have: 29 grams (g) for a medium-sized banana. (4)

You might have heard carbs are bad (which isn’t always true!), but even if you are watching your carb intake, know bananas aren’t the bad kind. For one thing, bananas are low on the glycemic index, which means they cause a lower and steadier rise in blood glucose, in turn helping stabilize blood sugar if you’re managing type 2 diabetes or type 1 diabetes. Bananas also contain fiber (a medium sized banana contains 3 g), which can help fill you up and prevent overeating — another plus if you’re trying to maintain or lower your body mass index (BMI). (4)

Here are some of the other nutrients in bananas, using roughly a 7-inch-long banana for reference: (4)

Minerals in a Banana

• Potassium: 451 milligrams (mg)
• Magnesium: 34 mg
• Calcium: 6 mg
• Iron: 0.3 mg
• Zinc: 0.2 mg

Vitamins in a Banana

• Vitamin C: 11 mg
• Vitamin A: 4 micrograms (mcg)
• Vitamin B6: 0.5 mg
• Vitamin E: 0.1 mg
• Niacin: 0.8 mg

Bananas are one of the most sought-after superfoods in the world for good reason. They provide a laundry list of health benefits that range from physical to mental in nature. These perks apply to the entire population, not just those people with health issues.

Here are just a few:

Muscle Regeneration

During a workout, your muscles use up their glycogen stores (the main storage form of glucose) for fuel, leaving them partially depleted. It is important to replenish lost carbs, sodium, and potassium so your muscles don’t break down and you don’t get fatigued.

When you sweat, you lose potassium, which is an electrolyte crucial for heart function and muscle contraction. Low levels of potassium can result in cramps and muscle soreness.

A banana can make a great post-workout snack because it contains potassium, magnesium, and carbohydrates.

These nutrients enhance recovery, restore glycogen stores, and support muscle growth. (5)

Fight Inflammation

Bananas contain natural flavonoids, which act as antioxidants to reduce swelling, irritation, and inflammation. (6) Quercetin is the predominant flavonoid found in bananas and is one of the most abundant antioxidants in the human diet. It plays an important role in fighting free radical damage, which happens when antioxidant levels in the body are lower than those of free radicals, resulting in an overloaded immune system. (7)

Inflammation is at the root of several chronic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, so bananas act as a preventative measure as well. (8)

Hangover Helpers

Alcohol makes you pee — a lot, which causes you to lose nutrients and electrolytes, including potassium.

Potassium deficiency results in cramping, soreness, and poor muscle function — which explains that feeling of having been hit by a truck after a night out.

Bananas are 75 percent water, which can help reverse the dehydration caused by excessive alcohol drinking. (4)

Improve Your Sex Life

Studies suggest that potassium deficiency can cause a decrease in testicular testosterone. (9) Increasing banana consumption and raising testosterone levels will improve libido and sexual endurance.

Bananas contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid that produces serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to less depression and improved sleep and memory. (10) Eating bananas boosts serotonin levels in the brain that in turn regulates mood and boosts sex drive.

Last, bananas are a good source of carbohydrates, which give you energy and increase blood circulation throughout the body (including to your genitals).

Aids Digestion

The carbohydrates in bananas are easy to digest and are filled with nutrients that promote gut health. (7)

Potassium in bananas can help restore normal bowel functions after diarrhea by regulating fluids and restoring electrolytes. (6) Eat less-ripe (green) bananas if you have diarrhea because the resistant starch in them helps to slow down bowel movements.

Bananas contain insoluble fiber, which adds to the bulk of your stool and helps to move food through your digestive system. (7) This is why bananas are a good choice in helping to relieve constipation — just make sure that they’re nice and ripe.

People all over the world use bananas in hopes of overcoming or preventing various illnesses, including but not limited to: diabetes, asthma, cancer, heart disease, and depression.

Diabetes

Bananas have a bad reputation in the diabetes community because they are high in carbs and natural sugars, but when you consider bananas as a whole, they’re not necessarily off limits if you have diabetes. While you should always consult your doctor when introducing a new food to your diet, the glycemic index and glycemic load of bananas suggest they can be a diabetes-friendly food, especially when paired with other foods, such as peanut butter.

Glycemic index is a number value assigned to foods based on how quickly they release glucose into the bloodstream. Foods with a GI value of under 55 are considered a low-GI food. Bananas fit the bill, as they have a GI of 51. (11)

But knowing the glycemic index isn’t enough when it comes to fully understanding a food’s effect on blood sugar. The glycemic load is what tells you everything you need to know, which is how quickly a food will make glucose enter the bloodstream, and how much glucose it can deliver based on the portion you eat. (12)

High-fiber foods (like bananas) are diabetes-friendly because their fiber helps keep blood sugar levels steady and promotes a healthy weight, which in turn can reduce insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes. (13)

Asthma

The Imperial College of London found that children who ate one banana a day reduced their risk of developing asthmatic symptoms by 34 percent.

Bananas are filled with antioxidants that may help clean up your immune system and reduce airway stress and tissue damage. (14)

Cancer

One study found that the consumption of fruits including bananas during a child’s early life was associated with a lower risk of leukemia. (16)

Bananas are rich in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that may prevent oxidative damage to the DNA by destroying free radicals. Oxidative damage occurs in cells and can lead to mutations and problems such as cancer, rapid aging, autoimmune disorders, and more. (16)

According to Japanese scientific research, a fully ripe banana produces TNF (tumor necrosis factor), which has the ability to combat abnormal, cancer-causing cells. (17)

Ripe bananas may help act as an anti-cancer agent by stimulating the production of white blood cells. (17)

Heart Disease

According to the American Heart Association, potassium-rich foods (like bananas) are important in managing high blood pressure because potassium lessens the effects of sodium. (18) The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through urine.

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease, and potassium helps control it by helping to ease the tension in your blood vessel walls. Less tension equals lower blood pressure, which means lower risk of heart disease. (18)

Depression

Bananas can help increase levels in your brain of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and social behavior, as well as cognitive, sexual, and digestive functioning.

Depression is associated with low levels of vitamin B6, which is found in bananas. (19)

According to the American Heart Association, about 70 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese. This widespread epidemic puts the majority of the population at risk for health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more. (20)

Determining which foods aid in weight loss and which do not is one of the first key steps in getting to a healthy BMI.

A medium banana contains only 112 calories, 90 percent of which come from carbohydrates. (4) Because of their high carb count, bananas tend to get a reputation of being bad for weight loss — but don’t be so quick to judge.

Foods with a high GI that don’t contain fiber or starch cause a greater and more rapid increase in blood sugar than foods lower on the GI. This characteristic is bad for weight loss because if you don’t need the sugar for energy, it’s stored as fat, and the insulin released when blood sugar spikes sends signals that stop fat from breaking down. (21)

Lucky for banana lovers, bananas fall low on the GI, and therefore do not cause a significant spike in blood sugar compared with other foods higher on the scale.

Another weight-loss aid in bananas is fiber. Fiber keeps you full for longer and prevents overeating. (13)

A study investigating fiber intake found that increasing dietary fiber significantly reduces the risk of unhealthy weight gain in women. (22) Another study comparing dietary habits of people with obesity and normal-weight adults of the same sex, age, and height found that low dietary fiber and low fruit intake may increase the risk of obesity. (23)

All in all, bananas are a good choice when trying to lose weight, but moderation is key.

When eaten in moderation, bananas are considered one of the most health-friendly foods, but it is possible to overdo it. The appropriate number of bananas per day varies from person to person.

Most health experts recommend no more than two bananas per day; this number is not only based on the risks of eating too many bananas, but also on the recommended daily intake of fruit: MyPlate recommends 1.5 to 2.5 cups of fruit per day, depending on age and sex, and one large banana is equal to 1 cup. Variety is also key when it comes to good nutrition, so make sure to include other sources of fruit too.

Here are two possible health risks of eating too many bananas:

Too Much Fiber

Getting more fiber in your diet is usually good, but doing it too fast can lead to unpleasant symptoms like gas, bloating, and cramping.

Allergic Reaction

People with a latex allergy may have a reaction to bananas.

We’ve learned by now that bananas are useful in preventing and treating multiple diseases, but just when you thought these magical fruits couldn’t get any better, they do! Here are some banana peel life hacks you don’t want to miss.

Banish Acne

Take a small piece of banana peel and rub it on the affected area for a few minutes until the inside of the peel turns brown. As it dries, your skin will absorb the vitamins and nutrients in the peel.

Do this 2 to 3 times per day for 30 minutes at a time for best results. (26,27)

This trick may also help reduce acne scars. (27)

Warts

Tape a piece of banana peel over the wart and leave it on overnight. Continue with nightly treatments until the wart is gone. (28)

Bug Bites and Poison Ivy

The ingredients in a banana peel help to relieve itching and inflammation. (29)

Rub the peel on the affected area. Bam! No more itching.

Fine Lines and Wrinkles

Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by rubbing banana peels on your skin — they help to tighten and tone. (26)

Here are some simple, healthy ways to add bananas to your everyday routine:

• Mix mashed ripe banana with peanut butter or almond butter and put on top of toast.
• Mix mashed ripe banana with plain yogurt and add a little peanut butter, then use as a dip for apple slices.
• Add chopped banana to your cereal or oatmeal.
• Bake them in the oven to make your own banana chips (add a little juice and cinnamon).
• Throw them in your pancakes.
• Put them in your smoothies.