How Many Calories are in a Banana?
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Why, you may ask? After all, a banana is a fruit. Well, this humble, happy yellow fruit packs in approximately 27 grams of carbs - equivalent to more than two slices of white bread, as well as roughly 14 grams of sugar.
Here’s a breakdown of the calorie contents of bananas of different sizes:
- Extra small (less than 6 inches, 81 grams): 72 calories
- Small (6–7 inches, 101 grams): 90 calories
- Medium (7–8 inches, 118 grams): 105 calories
- Large (8–9 inches, 136 grams): 121 calories
- Extra-large (9 inches or longer, 152 grams): 135 calories
- Sliced (1 cup, 150 grams): 134 calories
- Mashed (1 cup, 225 grams): 200 calories
Does eating bananas make you gain weight?
Taking the calorie content and carbs of bananas into account, it’s easy to see why this has become a common question that’s asked.
It’s important to understand that no single food has the power to make you gain or lose weight. Your overall weight is determined by what you eat daily as part, how active you are, and a number of other factors, such as medical conditions that may affect body weight.
Bananas are more than just calories. Their fibre content, for example, can actually help aid in weight loss by helping to keep you feeling fuller for longer (so you won’t be reaching for a naughty snack just thirty minutes later).
So, before you go throwing out all of your bananas or swearing them off for life, read on to learn why the happy spotty banana deserves a place in your healthy balanced diet.
1. Bananas are low in kilojoules
For a surprisingly filling snack, these yellow babies are extremely low in kilojoules at roughly 600kj. So, if you’re still reaching for that morning muffin, think again. Bananas contain far fewer kilojoules in comparison to your go-to café muffin or chocolate bar.
And want to know something even more surprising? For such low kilojoules, this cheeky fruit is known to be very filling. Do you sometimes find that even after a Big Mac meal you still feel like you could eat more? Well, try eating a couple of bananas and then see whether you could still fit in a Big Mac. With their high satiety index, bananas practically guarantee you’ll be saying no to other food after indulging in them.
2. An excellent source of quality carbs
If you’re on a keto diet, bananas are probably already on your ‘do not eat list.’ Because yes, there are just enough carbs in a banana to fill your daily quota.
How many carbs are there in a banana? To answer this question, here’s a quick breakdown of the carbs in bananas:
- Extra small (less than 6 inches, 81 grams): 19 grams
- Small (6–7 inches, 101 grams): 23 grams
- Medium (7–8 inches, 118 grams): 27 grams
- Large (8–9 inches, 136 grams): 31 grams
- Extra-large (9 inches or longer, 152 grams): 35 grams
- Sliced (1 cup, 150 grams): 34 grams
- Mashed (1 cup, 225 grams): 51 grams
But don’t be so quick to judge this humble fruit based on its carbohydrates content alone.
Whilst the average banana contains just over 20 grams of carbs, these are converted into fuel for the body in the form of glucose. Now you may be thinking this means a spike in your body’s sugar levels, but here’s a fun fact: bananas have an extremely low glycemic index. This means bananas produce a steady rise and fall in blood sugar levels, instead of the quick spike and fall you experience when you devour the entire bag of M&Ms.
3. They’re oh so nutritious!
Looking to add a nutritiously wholesome food to your daily diet? Look no further than bananas! Bursting with energy and antioxidants, bananas are packed full of nutritional goodness that’s great for your health. They’re a great source of:
- Vitamin B6
- Fibre
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin C
- Manganese
- Protein
- Copper
With all this natural goodness, it’s no wonder bananas are an ideal choice to bring a boost of energy into your tired muscles, boost your brain function, and even lift your mood.
4. Maintain a happy, healthy gut
Have you been feeling constipated lately? Instead of resorting to laxatives, reach for a banana. They’re chocker block full of gut-loving fibre which helps to regulate bowel movements.
And let’s not forget, for a healthy, happy gut, it’s important to feed the good bacteria that live in your digestive tract. Bananas are an excellent source of prebiotic food in the form of resistant starch, which helps feed the good bacteria so you can say goodbye to all those pesky tummy troubles!
Don’t say goodbye to bananas - say hello instead
Whilst many calorie and carbohydrate-rich foods can pose threats to your health, the humble banana isn’t one of them. So, instead say goodbye to the high calorie, sugary treats, and say hello to the nutritious banana!
And if you’re worried about the sugar content, don’t be. For starters, bananas do not contain excessive amounts of sugar. Their naturally occurring sugars are perfectly healthy as part of a balanced diet. Also, with their low glycaemic index, bananas provide lasting energy and doesn’t impact your blood sugar levels. So, the next time you’re craving something sweet (or simply need a boost of energy), peel a banana instead of reaching for the artificially sweetened sugary treats.
If you’re still sceptical, opt for eating bananas when they’re unripe (or closer in colour to green than yellow or brown). This is when they’re firmer and not so sweet; hence, much lower in sugar. Unripe bananas are also better for fuelling the good bacteria in your gut than their riper counterparts.
Eating bananas as part of a healthy balanced diet
When consuming bananas as part of a healthy diet, it’s recommended that you only eat 1-2 per day. However, if you or someone you know is diabetic, it’s recommended that you only consume 2-3 per week (though be sure to check with your doctor for full nutritional guidance).
And if we haven’t convinced you of the humble banana’s benefits yet - or if you still prefer the soft, spongy texture of your morning muffin - we’ve got you covered!
Banana bread for everybody
Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds? With Spotty banana bread mixes, you can enjoy this cheeky cake and reap the health benefits of the banana, all in a tasty mouthful of banana bread. And why not share the delicious goodness with your friends and family? On a ketogenic diet? Don’t worry! Get baking and enjoy a slice or two with our unique blend of banana bread mixes.
Have specific dietary requirements? We’ve got you covered!
We believe nobody should miss out on a delicious slice of banana bread. That’s why we’ve come up with a range of four banana bread mixes, so you can keep everyone’s tummy happy.
Top-quality premium ingredients
What we put into our body is important for our health, and that includes the ingredients our food is made up of. Food made from poor-quality ingredients can be just as bad for you as junk food.
That’s why, here at Spotty, we only use premium ingredients of the highest quality from sources you can trust.
Where can I buy Spotty banana bread?
Have we got your mouth watering? Simply head over to our online shop to grab your banana bread mixes and indulge in a slice or two (or maybe more).
And why not invite a few friends around while you’re at it and share the deliciousness? Don’t forget to send us a photo!
Got questions?
Have some questions about the Spotty banana bread mixes? Get in touch at hello@spottybananabread.com and we’ll get back to you as a matter of priority.
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