Banana isn’t a good dietary source of calcium. It contains only 5 mg of calcium per 100g. A banana contains less than 1% of the DV! Other banana products have a much higher calcium content, though.
How much calcium is in a banana?
Adult men and women require approximately 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium a day.[1]
Banana has a low calcium content. It contains only 5 mg of calcium per 100g. A medium banana contains 5.8 g of calcium, while a large banana contains up to 7.6 mg of calcium. This amount is about 0.8% of the Daily Value (DV).
Green, ripe, and overripe bananas have the same calcium content. The calcium content of banana doesn’t depend on the ripeness stage.
Other banana products have a much higher calcium content:
- dehydrated bananas have 22 mg of calcium per 100g. They have 4 times more calcium than raw bananas! A tbsp provides 1.4 mg of calcium. A handful of dehydrated bananas provides 6 mg of calcium, or 0.6% of the DV.
- banana chips have 18 mg of calcium per 100g. A 1-oz serving provides 5.1 mg of calcium.
- banana bread has 21 mg of calcium per 100g, or 12.6 mg per slice. A slice of banana bread provides 1.3% of the DV. Whole wheat bread is much richer in calcium, though. It has 163 mg of calcium per 100g.
Can banana help meet our daily needs of calcium?
Banana contains only traces of calcium. We can’t depend on it to meet our daily needs.
However, although banana has a low calcium content, it can promote calcium consumption. A banana smoothie with green leafy vegetables, seeds, and fruits with vitamin C could provide more than the 30% of the recommended daily intake of calcium!
Common foods high in calcium
Actually, there are plenty of foods rich in calcium. We can get more than enough calcium from our diet.
Besides milk and other dairy, animal-derived sources of calcium are eggs and fish.
We can get high doses of calcium from plant-based sources as well. Fruits, beans, leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds are excellent dietary sources of calcium.
Cabbage, kale, broccoli, and spinach are particularly high in calcium. Even dark chocolate is a good dietary source of calcium!
Moreover, you can increase the absorption of calcium, eating foods high in vitamin C. Bananas contain moderate amounts of vitamin C.
The richest plant-based food in calcium is moringa powder, though. Moringa powder contains about 2,700 mg of calcium per 100g! Just for comparison, cow’s milk contains only 113 mg of calcium per 100 mL. Moringa power is a true superfood. It’s packed with protein, minerals, chlorophyll, and carotenoids. You can find a wide variety of moringa powders on iHerb.
Consuming high amounts of calcium from food is safe. But, we shouldn’t consume high dosages from dietary supplements.
Are bananas good for you?
As banana is mainly sugars, the best time to eat it is at breakfast. Also, banana has some protein.
In addition, banana could be a great late night snack. Banana contains melatonin, which helps us sleep better at night. Moreover, melatonin is involved in calcium metabolism. High intakes of both calcium and melatonin can significantly increase bone density, elevate serum calcium level and reduce bone mineral loss. Hence, their combination may prevent and even treat osteoporosis.[2]
In addition, banana is a good source of potassium. It contains about 16% of the DV. A diet high in potassium supports weight loss.
Also, banana is pretty rich in magnesium. Obese people and people with diabetes tend to have low levels of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency may lead to many health problems, such as hypertension, cardiovascular, and metabolic disease.[3,4]
Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are the main electrolytes. They’re necessary for proper hydration.
Bananas contain only traces of other minerals.
