Banana Calories & Nutrition Calculator

A medium banana (118g edible portion) has 105 kcal — the single most cited fruit calorie figure globally. Size matters significantly: a small banana (101g) has 90 kcal, a large banana (136g) has 121 kcal, and an extra-large banana (152g) has 135 kcal. The 45-calorie spread between small and extra-large is nearly 50% — making size estimation important for accurate food journaling ^[1].

Per 100g, raw banana has 89 kcal — derived almost entirely from carbohydrates (22.8g, ~91% of energy). Fat contributes just 0.33g (3%) and protein 1.09g (5%). This makes banana one of the most carbohydrate-dense fresh fruits after bael (31.8g), dates (75g, technically dried), and jackfruit (23.3g).

For food journaling, the medium banana (118g, 105 kcal) is the standard reference. But bananas vary: measure length if you don't have a scale. A small banana is typically 15-17cm (6-7 inches), medium 18-20cm (7-8 inches), large 20-23cm (8-9 inches). Using '1 medium banana' for a large banana creates a ~16 kcal undercount.

Banana contains 358mg potassium per 100g — 8% of the daily value. A medium banana (118g) delivers 422mg (9% DV). This has made banana synonymous with potassium in popular awareness, even though several fruits actually contain more: avocado (507mg), bael (600mg), dried apricots (1162mg), and dried dates (696mg) per 100g all surpass banana ^[1].

What makes banana's potassium reputation practical rather than misleading is accessibility and consumption volume. Banana is eaten globally in quantities far exceeding avocado or dried fruits. The average American eats ~13 pounds of bananas per year — more than any other fresh fruit. A daily banana contributes 422mg toward the 4700mg DV, a meaningful 9% from a single food.

For food journaling, one medium banana is a reliable 422mg potassium entry. Dried banana concentrates potassium to 1491mg per 100g — but dried banana chips are often fried, adding fat and calories. Use the raw variant for fresh banana and the dried variant only for dehydrated (not fried) products.

Banana provides 0.37mg vitamin B6 per 100g — 22% of the daily value. A medium banana (118g) delivers 0.44mg (26% DV). Among common fruits, only plantain (0.30mg) approaches this level; apple has 0.04mg, orange 0.06mg, and mango 0.12mg. To match one banana's B6, you'd need to eat 9 apples, 6 oranges, or 3 mangoes ^[1].

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is an essential nutrient with a daily value of 1.7mg. Two bananas per day would provide 52% of the B6 requirement from fruit alone — a level difficult to achieve from any other single fruit. B6 is typically abundant in poultry, fish, and potatoes, so banana stands out as a fruit-based alternative.

For food journaling, banana is one of the few fruits where the B6 contribution is significant enough to track. If logging micronutrients, one banana covers more than a quarter of the daily B6 need. Combined with potassium (9% DV) and fiber (11% DV), banana delivers a notably broad micronutrient profile for a simple, inexpensive snack.

Ripe banana (yellow, spotted) has 12.2g total sugars per 100g — composed of 4.9g fructose (40%), 4.0g glucose (33%), and 2.4g sucrose (20%), with the remaining ~7% as other simple sugars. This is a relatively balanced sugar profile compared to apple (57% fructose) or grape (50% glucose) ^[1][2].

The sugar composition changes dramatically during ripening. Green banana has as little as 1-2g sugar per 100g, with most carbohydrates stored as resistant starch (up to 12g/100g). As the banana ripens, starch converts to sugar — a fully brown banana may have 17-18g sugar per 100g with virtually no resistant starch remaining. A medium ripe banana (118g) has 14.4g sugar — approximately 3.6 teaspoons equivalent.

For food journaling, ripeness affects sugar content significantly but not calorie content (total carbs remain ~22.8g regardless). If tracking sugar specifically, note the ripeness: green/unripe = lower sugar, higher starch; yellow/ripe = moderate sugar; brown/overripe = maximum sugar. Total calories stay approximately constant across ripening stages.

Drying banana removes ~75% of its water, concentrating calories from 89 to 346 kcal per 100g (3.9x). Potassium concentrates from 358mg to 1491mg (4.2x, 32% DV) — making dried banana one of the highest-potassium foods per gram. Fiber jumps from 2.6g to 9.9g (35% DV), and magnesium from 27mg to 108mg (26% DV) ^[1].

Important distinction: dehydrated banana (346 kcal/100g) is different from commercially fried banana chips, which can have 519 kcal per 100g due to added coconut oil. Check labels carefully — if oil is listed, the calorie content is 50% higher than simple dehydration would produce.

For food journaling, a 30g serving of dehydrated banana has 104 kcal — roughly equivalent to a whole medium fresh banana. Fried banana chips at 30g have 156 kcal. The difference between dehydrated and fried is 50% more calories for the same weight. Always specify which type when logging dried banana products.