Bananas – Carbohydrates, proteins and fats – Do bananas have sugar?

The banana, also known as plantain, banana, or guíneo, is one of the most popular and accessible fruits.

One of the most frequent myths about this fruit is that it makes you fat. Although it can be said that one of the nutritional properties of banana is that it is relatively high in carbohydrates (and therefore contributes a significant amount of calories), to affirm that the banana is fattening is a mistake.

This article analyzes the properties of the banana, its amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Contains sugar?

What is the banana?

The banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry of a plant of the genus Musa. Banana plants look like a sapling and are called banana trees.

The banana is a fruit with variable qualities in size, color, and firmness. The pulp of the banana is rich in starch (a carbohydrate ) and is covered with a peel, which can be green, yellow, red, or brown when ripe.

All bananas are sterile fruits that do not produce seeds; this is because they have been genetically selected.

Banana carbohydrates

The banana provides about 22 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams.

Of your carbohydrates, about 12 grams are sugar, 3 grams are fiber, and the rest are starch.

Although the banana has carbohydrates, to say that the banana is fattening is a mistake.

According to the WHO, 60% of daily calories must come from carbohydrates. This is the equivalent of consuming 300 grams of carbohydrates per day for a person who needs 2000 calories per day.

Therefore, eating one or even two bananas per day would cover less than 25% of a person’s carbohydrates per day. Banana carbohydrates are an excellent option to eat after training.

Do bananas have sugar?

The banana starch, complex carbohydrates, or starch are gradually converted into sugar in the ripening process. The more ripe the banana, the more sugar it contains.

Every 100 grams of a ripe banana, there are about 12.2 grams of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose.

So it is always better to eat bananas that are not too ripe. In this case, the carbohydrates in the banana are accompanied by a high content of vegetable fiber, so they are healthier.

// Recommended: Fruits have sugar – So they get fat?

Banana nutritional properties

The banana is a food with excellent nutritional properties: potassium, phytonutrients, and even provides antioxidants like vitamin C.

Banana’s calorie intake is relatively high compared to other fruits. A medium-sized banana unit provides about 120 Kcal. This is due to its carbohydrate content.

Another of its properties is pectin’s presence; after consumption, this molecule allows a feeling of satiety for long periods.

Banana has a medium glycemic index. This figure varies depending on the state of maturity. The greenest fruits have 30 units, while the mature ones have 50-60 units. The nutritional properties of banana in 100 g are described below:

Table of nutritional value of banana (100 g). Source

How many calories and protein does a banana have?

A ripe banana (120-140 g in weight) contains around 100-120 KCal, which comes from carbohydrates. This amount of calories can vary according to the state of ripeness; the more ripe a banana is, the more calories it has.

Platan contains 1.5 g of protein per unit. Covering the daily amount of protein with this fruit is not good.

Banana minerals and vitamins

We all know that banana is a food rich in potassium. However, it is not the only one of its nutritional properties. An average banana covers 25-30% of the recommended intake of vitamin В 6, 12-15% of the daily dose of vitamin C, 16% manganese, 12% potassium, and 8% magnesium ( 1).

Does the banana have carbohydrates, so does it makes you fat?

The banana is fattening because its carbohydrate content is a mistake. What causes weight gain is the positive balance of calories.

A banana will gain weight or not according to the rest of the foods with which it is accompanied and the level of physical activity of a person. If you are in a weight loss process, we recommend not eating more than two bananas per day.

On the other hand, bananas are not allowed in low carbohydrate diets such as the ketogenic diet. Its consumption would represent 30-40% of the carbohydrate dose. This diet allows only soft carbohydrate fruits, and bananas are not one of them.

Banana contraindications

Banana is not recommended for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. This food could aggravate the disease (2). According to a Harvard Health publication, the banana can cause allergies, stomach inflammation, and other digestive problems in these cases.

In isolated cases, the banana can cause an increase in the viscosity of the blood, which has the consequence of decreasing blood flow to the extremities. This phenomenon can be dangerous for people who suffer from varicose veins.

ABSTRACT

The banana is a fruit with numerous nutritional properties. Carbohydrates and micro minerals such as potassium and antioxidants such as catechin stand out.

To say that the banana is fattening is a mistake. What leads to weight gain is a person’s calorie balance. While it is high in carbohydrates, eating 1 or 2 bananas per day is healthy.

Banana contraindications are for people with irritable colon and varicose vein problems.

To know more about the properties of bananas, you can check the following video.