How Many Calories in a Banana? (Best Fruit for Weight Loss?)

A medium banana has 105 calories, 27g of carbs, 1.3g of protein, and 3.1g of fiber. That's for a 7- to 7⅞-inch banana weighing about 4.2 oz (118g).

But here's the thing — bananas come in wildly different sizes, and the difference between a small banana and an extra-large one is over 60 calories. If you're tracking your intake to stay in a calorie deficit, that gap matters. Let's break it all down.

Banana Calories by Size

Not all bananas are created equal. The banana you grab at the store could be anywhere from 72 to 135 calories depending on size. Here's the full breakdown from USDA data:

Source: USDA FoodData Central. All values calculated from 89 calories per 100g.

For your diet: Most bananas at the grocery store are medium to large, so plan for 105–121 calories. If you're using a kitchen scale, weigh the banana without the peel — a medium banana's peel weighs about 1 oz (30g), so the edible part is what counts.

Green vs. Ripe vs. Overripe: Does Ripeness Change Calories?

You've probably noticed that a green banana tastes completely different from a spotted brown one. Here's what's actually happening — and why it matters if you're watching your weight.

As bananas ripen, their resistant starch converts to simple sugars. A green banana has more resistant starch (which acts like fiber and isn't fully digested), while an overripe banana has more free sugars. The total calorie count barely changes, though:

• Green banana (per 100g): ~89 calories, higher resistant starch, lower glycemic index (~30)
• Ripe banana (per 100g): 89 calories, moderate sugar, moderate GI (~51)
• Overripe banana (per 100g): 85 calories, highest sugar, higher GI (~62)

For your diet: If you're managing blood sugar or trying to stay full longer, slightly green bananas are your best bet. The resistant starch feeds your gut bacteria and keeps you feeling satisfied. But honestly, the calorie difference is negligible — eat whichever ripeness you prefer and focus on total intake instead.

Banana vs. Other Fruits: Calorie Comparison

Bananas get a bad reputation in some diet circles for being "too high in carbs." Let's put that in perspective with a side-by-side comparison:

Source: USDA FoodData Central. All values per 100g raw.

Yes, bananas are higher in calories per 100g than most fruits. But here's what that comparison misses: you don't eat 100g portions of every fruit the same way. You eat one banana at a time. A medium banana (105 calories) is a self-contained, no-prep, no-mess snack. Try carrying 100g of sliced strawberries in your bag to the gym.

Compare that to how easy it is to eat 200g of grapes (138 calories) or a large mango at 200g of flesh (120 calories). The banana's built-in portion control is actually a weight loss advantage.

Common Banana Combos: Where the Calories Add Up

A plain banana is a diet-friendly snack. It's when you start combining it with other foods that the numbers can creep up. Here are the most common combos:

For your diet: Banana + 1 tablespoon of peanut butter is one of the best snacks for weight loss — 201 calories with a solid mix of carbs, healthy fat, and some protein to keep you full. Just make sure you actually measure the peanut butter. An unmeasured "tablespoon" is usually closer to two.

Are Bananas Good for Weight Loss?

Short answer: yes. Here's why.

At 105 calories, a medium banana gives you a lot for a relatively small calorie investment:

• 3.1g of fiber — helps you feel full and slows digestion
• Natural sweetness — satisfies sugar cravings without reaching for candy or cookies
• Potassium (422mg per medium banana) — helps with water retention and bloating
• Built-in portion control — one banana is one serving, no measuring needed
• Zero prep time — peel and eat, anywhere, anytime

The people who struggle with bananas and weight loss usually aren't struggling because of the banana itself. They're adding it on top of an already full day of eating without accounting for it. A banana is about 5–7% of a typical weight loss calorie budget. That's totally manageable — you just need to track it like everything else.

Use our daily calorie calculator to figure out your budget, and you'll see exactly how a banana fits in.

Best Ways to Eat Bananas While Losing Weight

As a Pre- or Post-Workout Snack

Bananas are one of the most popular gym snacks for a reason. The fast-digesting carbs give you energy before a workout and help replenish glycogen after. A medium banana 30 minutes before exercise is a simple, effective pre-workout that won't weigh you down.

Frozen Banana "Ice Cream"

This is a legit weight loss hack. Peel a ripe banana, cut it into chunks, freeze for at least 2 hours, then blend until creamy. You get a soft-serve texture for just 105 calories — compared to roughly 137 calories in half a cup of vanilla ice cream. Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder (5 calories) and you've got a chocolate "ice cream" for 110 calories.

Banana + Protein Pairing

On its own, a banana is almost all carbs. To make it more filling for fewer total calories later, pair it with a protein source:

• Banana + 1 tbsp peanut butter: 201 calories
• Banana + 1 large hard-boiled egg: 177 calories
• Banana + small handful of almonds (10 almonds, ~70 cal): 175 calories

In Oatmeal or Smoothies Instead of Sugar

Mash half a banana into your oatmeal instead of adding honey or sugar. You'll get natural sweetness plus fiber for about 53 extra calories instead of 64 from a tablespoon of honey. In smoothies, a banana adds creaminess and sweetness — skip any additional sweeteners.

How to Keep Banana Calories Low

The banana itself isn't the problem. Here's where people accidentally turn a 105-calorie snack into a 400-calorie situation:

• Banana bread and muffins: A slice of banana bread is 196 calories, and that's a modest slice. The flour, butter, and sugar do most of the caloric damage — the banana is just a flavoring at that point.
• Smoothie bowls: A banana + granola + nut butter + honey + coconut flakes can easily hit 500+ calories. If you're making a smoothie bowl, use the banana as the base and go easy on toppings.
• Banana chips: Fried banana chips are roughly 519 calories per 100g — nearly 6x the calories of a fresh banana. Just eat the real thing.
• Unmeasured peanut butter: A proper tablespoon of peanut butter is 96 calories. The amount most people spread on a banana is closer to 2–3 tablespoons (192–288 calories). Use a kitchen scale or at least level off your tablespoon.

How Banana Compares to Other Staples

Wondering how a banana stacks up to other common foods in your diet? Here's some context:

• 1 medium banana (105 cal) vs. 1 cup cooked white rice (206 cal) — the banana is half the calories
• 1 medium banana (105 cal) vs. 1 cup cooked pasta (220 cal) — again, about half
• 1 medium banana (105 cal) vs. 4 oz chicken breast (120 cal) — similar calories, but the chicken has 26g of protein

This is why tracking your macros matters — not just calories. A banana and a serving of chicken breast are close in calories but serve totally different nutritional purposes.

The Bottom Line

A medium banana has 105 calories, and it's one of the most practical snacks you can eat while losing weight. It's portable, naturally portion-controlled, satisfying, and cheap. The "problem" with bananas isn't the banana — it's the peanut butter, the smoothie add-ins, and the banana bread. Eat them plain or paired with a protein source, track them in your daily budget, and they'll fit into any weight loss plan just fine.

Check out our recipe collection for more low-calorie meal ideas that actually taste good.