Fruits · IFCT 2017
Banana: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, a ripe robusta banana gives 105 kcal, 23.6 g carbohydrate, 13.7 g sugars, 306 mg potassium and 0.44 mg vitamin B6, according to IFCT 2017. Vitamin B6 is where banana stands out: 100 g covers about 18 per cent of a man's and 23 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Otherwise it is a quick, easily digested source of carbohydrate.
About banana
Banana is on sale all year in India, grown on a huge scale from Jalgaon in Maharashtra to Theni in Tamil Nadu, Anand in Gujarat and the river plains of Assam. It is kela in Hindi and Urdu, kele in Marathi, vazhaipazham in Tamil, arati pandu in Telugu and bale hannu in Kannada. Every part of the plant is used: the ripe fruit as snack and offering, the raw fruit as a vegetable, the flower and stem in southern and Bengali cooking, and the leaf as a plate.
IFCT 2017 analysed four ripe types. Robusta, the tall Cavendish-type banana of city carts, is the reference here. Poovan, the small, slightly tart banana of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is close at 106 kcal per 100 g but has the most fibre and protein of the four, 2.3 g and 1.5 g. The red banana, sevvazhai or chenkadali, is the most energy-dense at 112 kcal. Montham, a stout southern variety usually cooked green, has the most vitamin C and iron when ripe, 8.1 mg and 0.4 mg.
What banana brings to a meal
- 01
Vitamin B6 is the standout
With 0.44 mg vitamin B6 per 100 g, banana meets about 18 per cent of a man's and 23 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. The body uses B6 to process protein and to make red blood cells and brain chemical messengers.
- 02
Potassium, though not the most
Robusta banana has 306 mg potassium per 100 g, ranking 10th of 44 fruits. That is useful, but bael and avocado both rank higher among fresh fruit, and pulses and leafy greens carry more still.
- 03
Easy carbohydrate
Its 23.6 g carbohydrate per 100 g ranks 6th among fruits. As the fruit ripens, starch turns to sugar, so a ripe robusta already holds 13.7 g sugars. That makes banana a handy snack before exercise or for a hungry child.
- 04
Magnesium for a fruit
Banana gives 35 mg magnesium per 100 g, 6th of 43 fruits and about 8 per cent of a man's and 9 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
Banana nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 105 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 1.2 g | 2% | 3% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 23.6 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 1.9 g | ||
| Free sugars | 13.7 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Water | 71.9 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.11 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.13 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 73 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 5 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.28 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.14 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 35 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 24 mg | ||
| Potassium | 306 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.13 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 4.8 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Beta-carotene | 57 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.47 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.44 mg | 18% | 23% |
| Folate (B9) | 17 µg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.08 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 2.8 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Banana: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/banana/
Where banana sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 43 fruits and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fruits | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 57 µg | 10th of 41 | 76th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 73 mg | 9th of 42 | 87th of 202 |
| Energy | 105 kcal | 7th of 44 | 110th of 257 |
| Vitamin C | 4.8 mg | 36th of 44 | 111th of 130 |
| Magnesium | 35 mg | 6th of 43 | 120th of 242 |
Every form of banana in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banana, ripe, robusta (shown above) | 105 kcal | 1.2 g | 1.9 g | 0.28 mg | 5 mg |
| Ripe, montham | 111 kcal | 1.2 g | 2.2 g | 0.4 mg | 7 mg |
| Ripe, poovam | 106 kcal | 1.5 g | 2.3 g | 0.35 mg | 9 mg |
| Ripe, red | 112 kcal | 1.3 g | 2 g | 0.24 mg | 10 mg |
How banana is eaten
- Sliced over beaten rice with jaggery and grated coconut, a quick South Indian breakfast and a common temple offering.
- Mashed into Satyanarayan sheera, banana halwa, or the batter for Mangalore buns and sweet banana dosa.
- Panchamrit, where banana is mixed with milk, curd, ghee, honey and sugar for puja.
- Fruit chaat with apple, papaya, chaat masala and a squeeze of lemon.
- Pazham pori, Kerala's tea-time fritter of ripe banana slices dipped in batter and fried, best kept as an occasional treat.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Banana's 306 mg potassium per 100 g is a concern only for people with kidney disease who have been put on a potassium limit; for most people it is welcome. Ripeness changes the fruit: a green-tipped banana holds more resistant starch, while a heavily spotted one has turned more of that starch into sugar. People managing blood sugar can choose firmer fruit and eat it with nuts or curd. Recipes such as undhiyu, shukto and Assamese khar use raw banana, which behaves as a starchy vegetable rather than a sweet fruit.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about banana
How many calories are in 100 g of banana?
IFCT 2017 gives 105 kcal per 100 g of ripe robusta banana. The other ripe types are close: poovan 106 kcal, montham 111 kcal and red banana 112 kcal. The weight of the peeled fruit, not the count of bananas, decides the total.
Which banana variety is the healthiest?
The differences are small. Per 100 g, poovan has the most fibre and protein, at 2.3 g and 1.5 g. Montham has the most vitamin C and iron, at 8.1 mg and 0.4 mg. Red banana has the most calcium, 10 mg. Robusta, the commonest, is lowest in energy. Choose by taste and price.
Can people with diabetes eat banana?
Yes, with care over ripeness and amount. Ripe robusta has 23.6 g carbohydrate and 13.7 g sugars per 100 g, so a small, firm banana eaten with a protein food is wiser than a very ripe one on its own. People on diabetes medication should plan fruit portions with their doctor or dietitian.
Should kidney patients avoid banana?
Only if they have been told to limit potassium. Banana has 306 mg potassium per 100 g, and people with advanced kidney disease often need to restrict it. Those with healthy kidneys need not worry. A kidney patient should follow the limit set by their nephrologist or renal dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Plantain (raw banana)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Chikoo (sapota)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mango
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Papaya
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jackfruit (ripe)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dates
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Banana vs Apple
Side by side, per 100 g.
Calories in One Banana: By Size and Ripeness, and Is It Fattening?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
Calories (energy) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calories (energy) per 100 g.
All fruits
44 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.