How many carbs and calories in a banana? Today, Bananas are one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world thanks to their nutritional benefits; grown in at least 107 countries and ranked fourth among the world’s food crops in monetary value bananas are highly fruits used to fuel athletes, lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of cancer and asthma and boost the health of malnourished children.
While sometimes criticized for being high in calories and carbohydrate, they also contain healthy fiber and protein along with a large dose of healthy potassium. From babies to adult, bananas actually make a healthy snack to keep you going.
Healthy Facts About Bananas
All those nutrient and vitamins can do major good for your mind and body. You are snacking toward these benefits every time you eat one:
Source Of Potassium
- One medium size of banana has 422 mg potassium this is according to the United State Department of Agriculture.
- Bananas are famous for their richest quality of potassium.
- Potassium helps oxygen to get to your cell and also manages blood flow and hydration level in your body.
- It is a mineral electrolyte, which maintains electricity flowing throughout your body.
- High intake of potassium also decreases the rate of dying from other causes by 20%.
- Potassium is valuable in protecting against high blood pressure.
- It also reduces the threat of heart disease and stroke.
Protect Against Depression and Mood Enhancer
- Serotonin protects against mood issues such as anxiety and depression.
- Bananas have high levels of tryptophan which enhances our mood when our body converts tryptophan into serotonin.
- The study indicates that tryptophan performs a vital role in boosting your mood and preserving memory.
- Banana also contains vitamin B6, which assist you to get better sleep.
- Good for bone health
- Banana is not the rich source of calcium but it contains other vita nutrients that require good bone health.
Carbs in Bananas
The amount of carbohydrate in a banana will vary with the large of the fruit as you can expect 15 grams effective carbohydrate for 0.5 cups of sliced bananas. This portion also offers 9 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and other 67 calories.
It’s vital to know the carb count in bananas since most we buy are large. One large banana 8 to 9 inches long will have 31 grams effective carbohydrate, 17 grams of sugar, 3.5 grams of fibers and 121 calories.
Even though a banana provides about 14 grams of sugar, it is a low glycemic food. A medium banana has an estimated glycemic load of 10 and a 0.5 cup of sliced bananas is about 6. As they ripen, banana converts starch to sugar. This means that the riper the bananas are, the more sugar they contain. If you are watching your sugar intake keep this in mind.
Is There More Resistant Starch in Unripe (Green) Bananas?
The main nutrient in bananas is carbs which change drastically during ripening. Unripe bananas contain a high level of starch with and some starch is resistant starch. Yellow banana contains much less resistant starch than green ones since the starch in a banana is converted to sugar during ripening. In fact, the resistant starch content of a fully ripe banana is less than 1%.
Resistant starch is a type of indigestible cobs that escape digestion and function like fiber in the body. It feeds friendly gut bacteria when it reaches the colon undigested. When the bacteria digest resistant stanches, they form gases and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) which are vital for digestive health.
About 95% of these SCFA is then rapidly absorbed by the cells in the colon and used by the body for energy.
So although resistant starches will not yield as many calories as regular carbs during digestion, they may be transformed into SCFA that provide calories later.
Pros of Carbs
- They elevate your metabolic rate if eaten at the right time. A diet low in carbs will slow down metabolism hence slower fat loss.
- They provide energy. You need carbs to function optimally.
- They protect muscles. When the body lacks carbs it breaks down the muscle tissue for fuel. This slows down fat loss.
- Carbs raise insulin levels. This help with muscle building that accelerates fat loss.
Cons of Carbs
When carbs are consumed in excess over a prolonged period, you will have insulin insensitivity, will gain weight, become obese, etc. Many negative consequences arise from excessive carb consumption.
- Carbs spike blood sugar and insulin levels. These results in weight gain and create a situation in the body that inhibits fat loss.
- 1 gram of carb retains 4 grams of water. Too much carb consumption will leave you feeling and looking bloated.
- Lastly, unhealthy carbs cause a host of other health-related problems ranging from high cholesterol to immune system issues.
Calories in Bananas
A medium banana is about 7 to 8 inches long with 105 calories. Many of the bananas that you find in the grocery store locally are larger than that. Since you probably don’t get out a tape measure for your fruit, a safe estimate is that the average banana contains 90 to 120 calories, depending on its size.
Many dieters eat half a banana keep their calories count in control and to stay on the safe side. Half a banana would only provide 45 to 6o calories. However, bananas don’t keep well after they are peeled, so the other half often goes to waste, though there are ways around that.
Pros Of Calories
- Weight change is ultimately about calorie balance as when you are eating out, you will need to go somewhere that has calorie counts for everything on the menu, or at least the dish you will be eating.
- You learn to estimate calories if you spend enough time at the gym lifting weights, you get pretty good at estimating how the heavy object is thanks to eating bananas.
- You learn to eat mindfully, beyond getting good at calories estimation; counting calories build the habit of being more aware of what you are putting into your mouth.
Cons Of Calories
- Even if you do everything right it is often hard to count calories accurately because restaurant calorie counts are not always that accurate. Consumer report shows that calorie count for some dish is off by more than 20% and many more are off by more than 10 %.
- It is a lot of work as long as you eat packaged foods with a calorie label as you should know exactly what portion of calorie in the package, you are consuming.
How Many Carbs And Calories are in a Banana?
Depending on the portion and size, here is the amount of carbs and calories in a banana:
- An extra small banana that is less than 6 inches and weighing 81g will offer 19 carbs and 72 calories.
- A small banana between 6 to 7 inches and 101g heavy has 23 carbs and 90 calories.
- A medium-sized banana between 7 to 8 inches long and weighing 118g will give you 27 carbs and 105 calories.
- Large banana between 8 to 9 inches and weighing 136g provide 31 carbs and 121 calories each.
- Extra-large banana with 9 or more inches long and weighing about 152g will offer 35 carbs and 135 calories each.
- One cup of sliced bananas weighing 150 grams has 34.2 carbs and 134 calories.
- A cup of mashed bananas, 225g has 51.3 carbs and 200 calories.
Healthy Ways To Eat Bananas
You can make many delicious recipes by using a banana. This will help you add a banana in your diet and gaining the required calories and carbs for an energy-packed day. Some of them are here:
Mango Banana Waffle
It is a healthy recipe which is made by using waffle and stuffed with sliced banana and mangoes. Spread some caramel and enjoy it to your taste.
Special Banana Nut Bread
It is a kind of muffin added with banana and your favorite nut in it. Bake it till a golden brown hue.
Banana Cheesecake
This is the best recipe to use ripen banana, bake a lovely crusty cheesecake and top it with sliced banana.
Banana and Berry Smoothie
Take one banana and some berries, add a spoon of honey and blend the mixture. Garnish it with some nuts to give it crunchy touch.
Banana Bread
The smell of freshly baked bread with mashed banana on the top can never be beaten with any other dish. It is tasty and filling too.
Conclusion
Bananas are the fruit which is used in the ripe form. A regular average banana can provide you with approximately 30 carbs and 100 calories. It is a good substitute for carbs content if you are on a diet plan. It has many benefits starting from improved digestion, boosting energy, mental and physical fitness to good heart health.
Bananas are fruits that satisfy you and help you lose weight too keeping a check on your craving due to its fiber content.
However, it is extremely vital to note that if you experience some allergic reactions after them, consider seeking professional medical advice.