It may be hard to believe that a fruit would even contain carbs, but it’s true! Depending on the size, bananas can contain about 19 to 35 grams of carbs. Don’t worry though, this fruit is still considered to be healthy and full of nutrients.
As a popular fruit, bananas make the perfect healthy and low calorie snack, coming in at just 72 to 135 calories each. So go ahead and snack on a banana.
Are They Bad for Weight Loss?
Bananas have a bad reputation when it comes to weight loss. This can be because of their taste, the smell or that people think there is more sugar and carbs in bananas compared to other fruits.
If you’re really into your fruit, you may have even heard that bananas are high in glycemic index (GI), which is said to cause your blood sugar to spike, however this isn’t true! They’re actually low on the glycemic index scale.
How Many Carbs Are In A Banana?
Bananas are almost completely made of water and carbs. Which means, those who are watching their carb intake should stay away from this tasty fruit.
Here is list of the amount of carbs found in standard bananas:
- Extra small (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
Depending on the size, a banana also contains about 2-4 grams of fiber. Plus if you’re ok with eating a green or unripe banana then you’ll consume less carbs.
How Many Calories Are In A Banana?
A medium banana contains 105 calories, on average. Not much more than many other types of fruit such as pear, apple or pineapple.
However, different sizes of bananas contain varying numbers of calories. Below are the calorie contents of standard banana sizes
- Extra small (81 grams): 72 calories
- Small (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
If you’re unsure about the size of your banana, you can estimate that an average banana contains about 100 calories. About 93% of a banana’s calories come from carbs, 4% from protein, and 3% from fat.
Health Benefits of Bananas
You may be surprised to know that bananas have a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. They are loaded with vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Manganese, Potassium, and Folate.
The surprising part is that a lot of people don’t have enough potassium in their diet, this is mainly because they don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables. Which, if people knew that potassium helps maintain the body’s water balance. Plus, the more potassium you eat, the more you may be protected against high blood pressure.
Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large bananas ripe*
- 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats large oats
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips see note
Instructions
- Set the oven rack to the upper-middle position. Then preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat and set aside.
- Peel the bananas and place on a large plate. Using a fork, mash them until smooth with no more lumps.
- Add the oats and mashed bananas to a medium-size bowl and mix well. If the mixture seems too wet, mix in a few more tablespoons of oats.
- Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.
- Scoop one tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet and flatten it to about ½-inch (12 mm) thick with your fingertips. Repeat for the rest of the batter, spacing the cookies an inch apart.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until puffy.
- Remove from oven. Let the cookies cool for 5-10 minutes and then use a rigid spatula to remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
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