How Many Calories in a Banana? Types & Macros

By Dr. Lisa Valente · Published March 9, 2025 · 6 min read

So, how many calories are in a banana? A medium banana — about 118 grams peeled — contains 105 calories. That puts it in the same practical range as a medium apple, making bananas one of the most nutrient-dense portable snacks you can reach for. The exact count shifts meaningfully by size, variety, and ripeness, so here is the complete breakdown.

Calories in a Banana by Size

Size is the biggest variable. The USDA FoodData Central lists raw banana at 89 kcal per 100 g. Here is how that scales across common sizes:

All figures above refer to the peeled fruit. The peel adds roughly 40–60 g of weight but contributes near-zero digestible calories, so standard databases and nutrition labels always omit it. If you want to track your intake precisely, weighing the banana after peeling — or snapping a photo with Caloria to get an instant AI estimate — removes all the guesswork.

Full Nutrition Profile of a Medium Banana

A medium banana (118 g) delivers far more than just carbohydrates. Here is the complete macro and micronutrient picture based on USDA data:

Bananas are one of the richest everyday sources of vitamin B6, which supports brain function, protein metabolism, and immune health. Their potassium content helps regulate blood pressure — a benefit the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health highlights as particularly meaningful for cardiovascular health.

Calories by Banana Type

Not all bananas are the same. Variety and ripeness both shift the calorie count and the nutritional makeup.

Plantains deserve a special mention. They are often grouped with bananas but contain significantly more starch and fewer natural sugars when raw. A 100 g serving of raw plantain provides about 122 calories and 31 g of carbohydrates, compared to 27 g in a standard banana. Plantains are typically cooked — boiled, fried, or baked — which further changes their nutritional profile.

How Ripeness Changes the Numbers

Ripeness barely changes the calorie count, but it significantly alters the type of carbohydrate — and therefore how your body responds.

As a banana ripens, starches convert into simple sugars. This transformation drives a major shift in glycemic index (GI):

A study published in Diabetes Care measured GI at 43 for under-ripe bananas and 74 for fully ripe ones in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Unripe bananas contain resistant starch, which digests slowly, feeds beneficial gut bacteria, and causes only a gentle rise in blood sugar.

Are Bananas Good for Weight Loss?

Yes — despite the persistent myth that bananas are too starchy or sugary for dieters. The evidence tells a different story.

A large Harvard cohort study tracking 133,468 U.S. adults for up to 24 years found that increased consumption of whole fruit — bananas included — was associated with less weight gain over time, not more. The fiber in a medium banana slows gastric emptying and stabilizes blood sugar, which helps you feel full longer and naturally moderates total calorie intake.

At 105 calories with 3.1 g of fiber, a banana is considerably more satiating than most packaged snacks of similar calorie content. Unripe bananas amplify this effect because resistant starch is particularly effective at reducing appetite between meals.

For practical strategies on fitting fruit into a calorie-controlled day, see our guide on calories and weight loss.

How Bananas Compare to Other Fruits

Bananas are slightly more calorie-dense than most fruits because of their lower water content — but they still rank as a high-value, low-calorie option compared to processed snacks.

Compared to apples, bananas are modestly more calorie-dense but deliver a stronger hit of potassium and vitamin B6. For a deeper look at another popular fruit, see our full breakdown of how many calories are in an apple.

Understanding how individual foods compare helps you build meals that hit your calorie and nutrient targets without over-restricting. Our guide on what calories actually are gives a broader framework for how energy from food works in the body.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in a medium banana?

A medium banana (about 118 g peeled) contains 105 calories, 27 g of carbs, 3.1 g of fiber, and 14 g of natural sugars. For a smaller banana around 90 g, expect roughly 80 calories. All figures refer to the peeled fruit.

Are bananas good for weight loss?

Research says yes. A large Harvard cohort study found that eating more whole fruit — bananas included — correlates with less weight gain over time. Their fiber slows digestion and promotes fullness, helping control total calorie intake without strict restriction.

How many carbs are in a banana?

A medium banana has 27 g of total carbohydrates — 3.1 g of fiber and 14 g of natural sugar. Unripe bananas contain more resistant starch (which digests like fiber) and less sugar than fully ripe ones, giving them a lower glycemic impact.

Is a banana high in sugar?

A medium banana contains 14 g of sugar — comparable to a medium apple. The sugar is naturally occurring fructose and glucose, packaged with fiber, which slows absorption and keeps the glycemic index low at 51. This behaves very differently in the body than 14 g of added sugar from a processed food.

What is the glycemic index of a banana?

A ripe yellow banana has a GI of 51 — low (under 55). An unripe banana sits as low as 42. Pairing a banana with protein, fat, or additional fiber (such as Greek yogurt or nut butter) further blunts the blood sugar response.

Start Tracking What You Eat

Knowing that a banana has 105 calories is a useful starting point — but understanding how it fits into your full day is what drives real results. Caloria makes it effortless: snap a photo of your meal and get an instant calorie and macro breakdown. No searching databases, no manual entry.

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