Banana
One serving: 1 medium pisang berangan (60 g)
Calories, Glycemic load (GL)
Calories
27 kcal
30 g
Available carbohydrate 6.1 g
Blood sugar
Low impactGL 4 (range 3–6)
Calories
53 kcal
60 g
Available carbohydrate 12.1 g
Blood sugar
Low to medium impactGL 8 (range 5–12)
Calories
80 kcal
90 g
Available carbohydrate 18.2 g
Blood sugar
Low to medium impactGL 12 (range 8–17)
Calories
107 kcal
120 g
Available carbohydrate 24.3 g
Blood sugar
Low to high impactGL 17 (range 10–23)
Can people with diabetes eat Banana?
Yes. Lab studies of dessert bananas in South and Southeast Asia measured a wide range of GI, from low to high, but one pisang berangan is a small portion, so its impact is low to medium. A big Cavendish banana is about two servings, so it raises blood sugar more.
Numbers from Henry et al. 2021, Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2020, USDA FoodData Central. Method and sources
| Portion | Calories (kcal) | GL | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ½ serving30 g | 27 | 43–6 | Low impact |
| 1 serving60 g | 53 | 85–12 | Low to medium impact |
| 1½ servings90 g | 80 | 128–17 | Low to medium impact |
| 2 servings120 g | 107 | 1710–23 | Low to high impact |
The range comes from the lowest and highest GI behind this number.
Nutrients
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 53 kcal |
| Protein | 0.7 g |
| Fat | 0.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 13.7 g |
| Fibre | 1.6 g |
| Available carbohydrate | 12.1 g |
| Sugars | 7.3 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg |
Glycemic index (GI)
Measured in 10 lab studies, glucose = 100. We show the median and the lowest to highest result.
Measurements
- GI 43 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 605: India, 'Banana (yallakki)', GI 43 (SEM not given) (ref. 117, Premanath et al. 2011); test portion 120 g, 25 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 62 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 292: Philippines, 'Banana, Lakatan', GI 62 ± 5 (ref. 90, Trinidad et al. 2010); test portion 180 g, 50 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 61 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 759: Sri Lanka, 'Banana (Silk)', GI 61 ± 5 (ref. 158, Hettiaratchi et al. 2011); test portion 190 g, 50 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 61 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 760: Sri Lanka, 'Banana (Mysore)', GI 61 ± 6 (ref. 158, Hettiaratchi et al. 2011); test portion 220 g, 50 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 67 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 761: Sri Lanka, 'Banana (Gros Michel)', GI 67 ± 7 (ref. 158, Hettiaratchi et al. 2011); test portion 270 g, 50 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 69 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 762: Sri Lanka, 'Banana (Pisang Awak)', GI 69 ± 9 (ref. 158, Hettiaratchi et al. 2011); test portion 220 g, 50 g available CHO, 10 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 81.55 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 646: India, 'Banana (Robusta)', GI 81.55 (SEM not given) (ref. 130, Eagappan et al.); test portion not given, 50 g available CHO, 20 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 83.36 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 647: India, 'Banana (Poovan)', GI 83.36 (SEM not given) (ref. 130, Eagappan et al.); test portion not given, 50 g available CHO, 20 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 82.23 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 648: India, 'Banana (Chenkadali)', GI 82.23 (SEM not given) (ref. 130, Eagappan et al.); test portion not given, 50 g available CHO, 20 healthy participants, glucose
- GI 95.98 – Henry et al. 2021, Table 1, row 649: India, 'Banana (Njalipoovan)', GI 95.98 (SEM not given) (ref. 130, Eagappan et al.); test portion not given, 50 g available CHO, 20 healthy participants, glucose
GI says how fast a food’s carbohydrate raises blood sugar. GL adds how much of it you eat, so it is the better guide for a real portion.
Tips at the stall
- One pisang berangan is one serving. With a big Cavendish banana, eat half and keep the rest for later.
- Eat it fresh rather than as pisang goreng: frying adds batter and oil.
Lower-impact swaps
Watermelon has a lower GI than most bananas, so a cup of it raises blood sugar a little less than one pisang berangan.
Method and sources
Nutrients are added up from the recipe below, using USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient.
| Ingredient | Grams | Available carbs (g) | GI | Nutrient data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banana, raw (raw) | 60 | 12.1 | – | FDC 173944 |
Sources
- Henry et al. 2021. Henry CJ, Quek RYC, Kaur B, Shyam S, Singh HKG. A glycaemic index compendium of non-western foods. Nutr Diabetes. 2021;11(1):2. doi:10.1038/s41387-020-00145-w. Licence: CC BY 4.0; .
GI values from Henry et al. 2021, licensed under CC BY 4.0. We rounded them and, where there are several, show the median and range.
- Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2020. National Coordinating Committee on Food and Nutrition (NCCFN). Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2020. Ministry of Health Malaysia; 2021. ISBN 978-967-19598-2-4. hq.moh.gov.my. Licence: Cited as fact; .
- USDA FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov. fdc.nal.usda.gov. Licence: CC0 1.0; .
Medical disclaimer
Educational information only, not medical advice. The numbers are for a typical serving and vary with the recipe, the portion and the person. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, or take medicine for blood sugar, talk to your doctor or dietitian before changing what you eat.
Checked by Bruno Braga (editor) on . Not yet reviewed by a dietitian.