Plátanos

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By Nikola · Precision Nutrition L1 · Updated 4 November 2026

Bananas (Musa spp.) are the soft, sweet fruit of a tropical plant and one of the easiest whole foods to carry and eat. A medium banana (118 g) gives about 105 kcal, 27 g of carbohydrate, 3 g of fibre, 422 mg of potassium and 0.4 mg of vitamin B6. Bananas are best known for potassium, but per calorie they are an even better source of vitamin B6. Their glycemic index is 51, in the low-to-medium range, so a banana is a reasonable snack for most people, including those watching their blood sugar, as long as the portion stays sensible.

Banana nutrition per 100 g and per medium banana

Nutritivo	Per 100 g	Medium banana, 118 g
Energía	89 kcal	105 kcal
Agua	74.9 g	88 g
Proteína	1.1 g	1.3 g
Fat	0.3 g	0.4 g
Carbohydrate	22.8 g	26.9 g
of which sugars	12.2 g	14.4 g
Fibre	2.6 g	3.1 g
Potasio	358 mg	422 mg
Magnesio	27 mg	32 mg
Vitamina B6	0.37 mg	0.43 mg
Vitamina C	8.7 mg	10.3 mg
Manganese	0.27 mg	0.32 mg
folato	20 µg	24 µg

Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, “Bananas, raw”, FDC ID 173944, checked 4 November 2026. USDA gives 118 g for a medium banana (about 18-20 cm long) and 150 g for a cup of slices; the medium column is calculated from the 100 g values. In USDA data the carbohydrate figure includes fibre. Values rounded.

Glycemic index

Raw banana has a glycemic index of 51 ± 3 (glucose = 100) in the international GI tables (Atkinson 2008). That puts it in the low-to-medium range, below boiled white rice (73) and close to the 50 line that separates “low” from “medium”. A medium banana carries about 27 g of carbohydrate, so the amount you eat matters as much as the index. Many people eat it with yogurt or a spoon of nut butter rather than on its own. More on how to read these numbers in What is the glycemic index (with table).

Health benefits: what the evidence says

• Potassium. NIH lists one medium banana at 422 mg of potassium. According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, most clinical trials suggest that potassium supplements lower blood pressure, while the observational evidence for potassium from food is inconsistent. Bananas fit well into eating patterns built around fruit and vegetables, such as the Dieta tablero, but they are not a blood pressure treatment on their own.
• Vitamin B6. A medium banana gives 0.4 mg of vitamin B6. NIH explains that the active forms of B6 take part in more than 100 enzyme reactions, mostly in breaking down and building proteins.
• Type 2 diabetes risk. In three large US cohorts with over 187,000 people, eating more whole fruit was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. For bananas the link was small: about 5% lower risk for every three servings a week (Muraki 2013). Fruit juice, by contrast, was associated with a slightly higher risk. This is an observational finding, not proof of cause.
• Fibre. A medium banana gives about 3 g of fibre. EFSA considers 25 g of fibre a day adequate for normal bowel function in adults, so one banana covers roughly an eighth of that.
• Convenient energy. With 27 g of carbohydrate in a package that needs no preparation, a banana is a practical choice before exercise or on a busy morning. See also Foods for energy without caffeine.

Ayurveda: bananas in the traditional system

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines, bananas are favourable for Vata. For Pitta and Kapha they are on the list of foods to avoid. In practice, people who follow Ayurveda and have a Pitta or Kapha constitution tend to eat bananas rarely, while for Vata types they are a welcome, grounding fruit. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding. For the basics of the system, see Ayurvedic diet for beginners.

How to use bananas

• Desayuno: sliced banana on porridge with a pinch of cinnamon and a few walnuts; the fruit sweetens the bowl so you can skip added sugar.
• With protein: banana with Greek yogurt, a glass of kefir, or on toast with peanut butter.
• Smoothies: a frozen banana gives a smoothie a thick, creamy texture without ice cream. Blend with milk or kefir, a spoon of chia and a handful of blueberries.
• Baking: very ripe, spotty bananas are ideal for banana bread or oat pancakes, and let you cut the sugar in the recipe.
• Storage: keep bananas at room temperature until ripe. To stop over-ripe bananas going to waste, peel, slice and freeze them for smoothies and baking.

Who should be careful

• Kidney disease and some medicines. NIH notes that people with chronic kidney disease, or who take ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers or potassium-sparing diuretics such as spironolactone, can develop high blood potassium (hyperkalaemia), sometimes even at normal dietary intakes. If this applies to you, agree on your potassium intake from all foods, bananas included, with your doctor or dietitian.
• Latex allergy. MedlinePlus lists bananas, together with palta and chestnuts, as the foods most commonly linked to “latex-fruit syndrome”, where people allergic to latex also react to certain foods. If you have a latex allergy and notice itching or swelling after eating a banana, talk to an allergist.
• Diabetes. Bananas are fine for most people with diabetes, but a large banana has more carbohydrate than a small one. Count it as a carbohydrate portion and check your own glucose response if you measure it.

Related entries and articles

• Avena – the classic base for banana porridge
• Greek yogurt – protein to pair with fruit
• manzanas – a lower-GI fruit for comparison
• Palta – another potassium-rich food
• Dieta tablero – the eating pattern built on fruit and vegetables
• 7 healthy foods for breakfast
• What is the glycemic index (with table)

FAQ

How much potassium is in a banana?

A medium banana of about 118 g has 422 mg of potassium, according to USDA data used by NIH. That is a useful amount, although in the same NIH table dried apricots, prunes, raisins and a glass of orange juice give more per serving.

Are bananas good for people with diabetes?

They can be part of a diabetic diet. Raw banana has a GI of 51 and in a large US study banana intake was associated with a slightly lower, not higher, risk of type 2 diabetes. A medium banana still has about 27 g of carbohydrate, so treat it as one carbohydrate portion and pair it with protein.

Is it OK to eat a banana every day?

For healthy people, yes. One medium banana adds about 105 kcal, 3 g of fibre and 422 mg of potassium to your day. The exception is people with kidney disease or on medicines that raise blood potassium, who should agree on their potassium intake with a doctor.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Bananas, raw (FDC ID 173944). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B6: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov
4. Muraki I, Imamura F, Manson JE, et al. Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies. BMJ 2013;347:f5001. PMC
5. EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
6. MedlinePlus. Latex allergy – for hospital patients. medlineplus.gov
7. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008. Diabetes Care 2008;31(12):2281-2283. PMC
8. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.