Banana’s are a versatile fruit. On its own, its good for an energy boost. A single Banana can give a nice energy boost when you feel sapped. It is even useful for the gym goer. Taken prior to a workout, there are just enough calories in a Banana for a pre-workout boost. It is a healthy super food.
In terms of nutrition, Bananas are low in the Saturated Fats, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Manganese and a very good source of Vitamin B6. There are also high levels of Potassium (422mg in a Medium Banana), providing as much as 12% of your daily requirement. You can also see the Protein in a Banana, Carbs in a Banana or the Fat in a Banana.
Before I discuss recipes and other uses, here is a table of Banana calories.
| Popular Banana Serving Sizes | Fat(g) | Carbs(g) | Prot(g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 extra small | 0.27 | 18.50 | 0.88 | 72 |
| 1 small | 0.33 | 23.07 | 1.10 | 90 |
| 1 medium | 0.39 | 26.95 | 1.29 | 105 |
| 1 large | 0.45 | 31.06 | 1.48 | 121 |
| 1 extra large | 0.50 | 34.72 | 1.66 | 135 |
| Standard Banana Serving Sizes | Fat(g) | Carbs(g) | Prot(g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | 0.09 | 6.48 | 0.31 | 25 |
| 100 grams | 0.33 | 22.84 | 1.09 | 89 |
| 1 cup sliced | 0.50 | 34.26 | 1.64 | 134 |
| 1 cup mashed | 0.74 | 51.39 | 2.45 | 200 |
| Other Common Suggestions | Fat(g) | Carbs(g) | Prot(g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Baked Banana | 0.47 | 41.78 | 1.56 | 163 |
| 1 Fried Red Banana | 11.39 | 23.90 | 1.16 | 191 |
| 1 Banana Fritter | 6.90 | 11.12 | 1.63 | 111 |
| 1 Chocolate Covered Banana with Nuts | 18.15 | 42.79 | 6.58 | 328 |
| 1 oz Banana Chips | 9.53 | 16.56 | 0.65 | 147 |
| 1 slice Banana Bread | 6.30 | 32.76 | 2.58 | 196 |
| 1 piece Banana Cream Pie | 19.58 | 47.38 | 6.34 | 387 |
| 1 oz Banana Pudding | 1.02 | 6.01 | 0.68 | 36 |
| 1 Banana Nut Muffin | 18.00 | 70.00 | 7.00 | 470 |
Please note that Bananas get sweeter with age. So the more ripe the Banana is, the higher the sugar and carbohydrate content.
Banana’s are perfect for protein shakes. It adds sweetness and gives taste.
Are you trying to build muscle? Do you drink protein shakes? You should make Banana’s a staple of your shake recipe. Here’s my absolute favorite protein shake recipe:
ChocBananaPeanut Shake
2 scoops Chocolate Whey Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1 Large Banana
12 oz Milk
4-6 Ice Cubes
The process is simple. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz. You can add more ice cubes until you reach a consistency you are happy with. You can add and subtract the quantities to get the desired nutritional profile. Building muscle? Add more milk, peanut butter. Weight loss? Swap water in for milk.
All in all Bananas are a healthy choice to add to your diet be it for muscle gain or weight loss. Check out this site for a larger more expansive list of protein shakes recipes.