Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world. They are readily available, affordable, convenient, and nutritious. Many people enjoy bananas as a snack or addition to meals and smoothies. However, some people wonder if bananas are too high in carbohydrates, especially for low-carb or ketogenic diets. This article will dive into whether or not bananas are considered high carb.
Are Bananas High in Carbohydrates?
Bananas do contain a moderate amount of carbohydrates. One medium banana (118 grams) contains about 27 grams of carbohydrate (1).
For comparison:
| Food | Serving | Total Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Banana | 1 medium | 27 grams |
| Apple | 1 medium | 25 grams |
| Orange | 1 medium | 15 grams |
| Strawberries | 1 cup | 12 grams |
| Broccoli | 1 cup | 6 grams |
As you can see, a banana contains a similar amount of carbohydrates as an apple or orange. The carbs in a banana are a bit higher than berries or non-starchy vegetables.
So while bananas are not extremely high carb, they do contain a moderate amount of carbohydrates.
Are Bananas Considered High Glycemic?
In addition to total carbohydrate content, the glycemic index or glycemic load of a food matters too.
The glycemic index is a scale of how quickly a food raises blood sugar and insulin levels after eating it (2).
Foods higher on the glycemic index cause faster and larger spikes in blood sugar. Low glycemic foods cause a slower, smaller rise in blood sugar.
Here is how the glycemic index of bananas compares:
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load (per serving) |
|---|---|---|
| Banana | 51 | 12 |
| Grapes | 43 | 7 |
| Apple | 40 | 6 |
| Oranges | 42 | 5 |
| Strawberries | 32 | 1 |
| Broccoli | 10 | 1 |
Bananas have a moderate glycemic index of 51. This is somewhat higher than other fruits like apples, grapes, and berries.
However, the glycemic load takes into account the serving size. Since a typical banana is small to medium-sized, its glycemic load is moderate at 12.
Other fruits and starchy vegetables have a similar glycemic load in regular serving sizes. So bananas are not especially high glycemic compared to many other carb-containing foods. Their impact on blood sugar is moderate.
Nutrition Profile of Bananas
Looking beyond carbs, bananas also provide many beneficial nutrients:
| Nutrient | Amount per Medium Banana | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 3.1 grams | 11% |
| Potassium | 422 mg | 12% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5 mg | 23% |
| Vitamin C | 11 mg | 12% |
| Magnesium | 32 mg | 8% |
Bananas provide carbs along with fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and magnesium. The fiber in bananas helps slow digestion and nutrient absorption to minimize spikes in blood sugar (3).
Potassium helps reduce blood pressure and risk of stroke. Vitamin B6 is important for metabolism and brain development. Vitamin C boosts immunity. Magnesium aids bone health and sleep quality.
Therefore, despite having a moderate amount of natural sugars, bananas are nutritious and provide many health benefits.
Effect of Ripeness on Banana Carbs
As bananas ripen, their starch converts into sugars.
Unripe green bananas are higher in starch. When bananas turn yellow or get brown spots, they become sweeter with more sugars.
Here is how the carb composition changes (4):
| Ripeness | Total Carbs | Sugars | Starch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mostly Green | 22 grams | 3 grams | 19 grams |
| All Yellow | 27 grams | 16 grams | 11 grams |
| Brown Spots | 29 grams | 19 grams | 10 grams |
Less ripe green bananas are lower in sugar and higher in resistant starch. As they ripen, the carbs shift from starch to sugars.
This means ripe yellow/spotted bananas will taste sweeter and may have a greater impact on blood sugar compared to greener bananas. So eating them less ripe can help manage carb and sugar intake.
Tips for Lower Carb Banana Meals
Here are some tips for keeping banana meals lower in carbs:
– Choose greenish, underripe bananas – they will have more resistant starch and less sugar.
– Eat smaller or medium bananas instead of extra large bananas to reduce carbs.
– Pair bananas with protein like Greek yogurt or nuts to help minimize blood sugar spikes. The protein and fat helps slow digestion.
– Combine bananas with lower carb foods like berries or kale in smoothies.
– If having dried banana chips, stick to smaller portions since drying concentrates the carbs.
– Bake unripe green banana slices into chips or fries for a lower carb snack option.
So you can still fit bananas into a low carb eating pattern by paying attention to portion size, ripeness, and how they are prepared and served!
Are Bananas Keto?
The ketogenic diet strictly limits carb intake, usually to under 50 grams per day. This very low carb intake helps the body reach ketosis for using fat and ketones for fuel instead of mainly glucose.
Since bananas provide about 27 grams of carbs per medium fruit, they are generally not considered keto-friendly.
Some people may be able to fit in a very small unripe banana on keto providing they keep the rest of their meals very low carb. But bananas are one of the fruits that keto eaters typically avoid, along with mangos, pineapples, apples, and pears.
Lower carb fruits like berries are more commonly eaten in moderation on keto diets.
Bananas on Low Carb Diets Like Paleo
Some low carb diets like the Paleo diet are not as restrictive as keto. They advise limiting most grains, legumes, dairy, and processed foods.
Paleo diets tend to allow carb intake up to 100-150 grams per day, coming mainly from fruits and vegetables.
Within this carb range, it is possible to include bananas as part of a low carb paleo diet. However, portion control is still important. Eating multiple large bananas in a day could easily surpass the allowed carb limit.
People following lower carb diets like Paleo may be able to fit in about 1 medium banana per day as part of meals and snacks. This can provide carbohydrates, potassium, and other nutrients without excessive carb intake.
Banana Carb Alternatives
For those strictly restricting carbohydrates, there are some lower carb alternatives that provide similar nutrients and flavor:
– Instead of banana ice cream, make “nice” cream from avocado or coconut cream blended with berries.
– Use berries, unsweetened coconut flakes, or chopped nuts as toppings for yogurt instead of banana slices.
– Replace bananas in breads and muffins with grated zucchini or pumpkin puree.
– For chip cravings, bake jicama, kale, or beet chips instead of banana chips.
– Make smoothies with avocado, nut butter, frozen cauliflower, and/or lower carb fruits like strawberries.
– Substitute celery sticks with nut butter instead of banana slices for portable snacks.
With some creativity, you can find alternatives to bananas in low carb recipes while still enjoying its flavor and nutrients.
The Bottom Line
Bananas do contain a moderate amount of natural carbohydrates from their sugar and starch. A medium raw banana has about 27 grams total carbs.
However, they are not extremely high in carbohydrates compared to other fruits and starchy vegetables. Bananas also provide fiber, potassium, vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds.
Underripe green bananas are highest in resistant starch and lowest in sugars. As bananas ripen their carbs convert from starch to sugars, so riper bananas will be sweeter.
On very low carb diets like keto, bananas are typically avoided. But on moderate lower carb diets, bananas can likely be incorporated in moderation as part of a healthy meal plan.
To reduce the carbs in bananas, you can:
– Eat them less ripe
– Portion smaller bananas instead of extra large
– Pair them with protein and healthy fats
– Combine with lower carb foods in recipes
– Moderate your portions
This allows you to take advantage of their great nutrition while managing your carbohydrate intake.
Overall, bananas can be included even in moderately lower carb diets providing appropriate portion sizes are followed. They provide plenty of benefits beyond just carbs.
