If you love fruit and you’re trying to eat healthy, you may find yourself in the grocery aisle pondering the all-important question: How many calories in a banana? It’s a good question, because bananas are recognized as one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. They contain valuable nutrients, and also have the added benefit of making you feel full if you’re on a diet. Finding out how many calories are in a banana is a good start to a healthy diet, because you’ll be educating yourself about a health-giving fruit that should be a regular part of anyone’s daily intake.
How Many Calories in a Banana Depends on the Size
| Size |
WEIGHT(g) |
FAT(g) |
CALORIES |
| Small (< 6 inches) |
81 |
0.3 |
75 |
| Medium(< 7.8 inches) |
120 |
0.4 |
104 |
| Large (< 9 inches) |
140 |
0.4 |
120 |
It may seem obvious, but a lot of people don’t realize that the caloric content of a banana depends on how large or small it is. Calorie content can differ greatly among small, medium, large and extra-large-size bananas. There are small bananas on the market which are only six inches long; these bananas typically contain around 75 calories. Medium-sized bananas that are seven or eight inches long usually contain around 90 calories. Larger bananas usually measure nine inches long and contain around 120 calories. In today’s produce aisles, you can also find extra-large bananas which are even an inch or two longer; these typically contain approximately 135 calories.While these calorie numbers are fairly accurate, it’s important to remember that they are still only approximations, as each banana is different in size and shape, so if you’re maintaining a very strict caloric intake and you’re especially concerned about how many calories are in a banana, you’ll want to give yourself a bit of leeway on exact numbers.
Banana Information: General Banana Info
Bananas make up the fourth largest fruit crop in today’s global market. While they’re typically found only in tropical areas, some homeowners and horticulturalists are tempted to try and grow them in backyard gardens and greenhouses. This poses a challenge, because even with the right type of climate, bananas are slow growing; it usually takes 10 or 15 months of ideal conditions before a banana tree even begins to flower. In addition, climate conditions have to be frost-free, and in some areas, researchers have found that any temperature drop below 80 degrees will cause bananas to stop growing and developing. Because of these considerations, bananas are considered to be a high-maintenance crop even for experienced growers and harvesters.
Nutritional Facts: Banana Calories
While it’s important to ask “How Many Calories In A Banana”, it’s also important to consider the many nutritional benefits that bananas can bring to the daily diet. As any nutritionist will tell you, bananas are a valuable source of potassium, fiber and manganese; they also contain large amounts of vitamin B6 and the all-important vitamin C.To get an idea of these amounts, it’s useful to know that a serving of 100 grams of banana contains 10 milligrams of vitamin C. Likewise, this same amount of banana contains 0.36 milligrams of vitamin B6. Those who are concerned about how many calories are in a banana will also be interested in knowing that a portion of 100 grams of banana has a sugar content of 20.4 grams; however, fruit sugars can be a healthy source of energy when consumed in a balanced diet. Best of all, bananas are low in fat, so it’s a perfect fruit for those concerned about weight gain.
Banana Calories & Weight Loss
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or concerned about maintaining a healthy dietary regimen, being aware of how many calories are in a banana will serve you well on the road to healthy living. As with any other food, it’s important to keep a perspective on how well you balance your food intake. This means that you should educate yourself about what constitutes a balanced diet, as well as what foods are healthy for your own individual optimum body mass index, which matches your height with your ideal weight.
No matter what type of dietary restrictions you may have, chances are that you’ll still be able to enjoy bananas at least several times a week without being concerned about the
calories in a banana.
Bananas are not only delicious and exceptionally nutritious; they’re also quite inexpensive and readily available all year round. Because of these factors, many nutritionists consider bananas to be the perfect fruit for everyone.
