Banana has about 1 gram of protein per 100g. A banana has up to 1.6 grams of protein, which is less than 3% of the required daily intake! Other banana products have some protein as well.
What’s the recommended daily intake of protein?
According to the National Academy of Sciences, an adult should consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (2).
This means that a person of 70 kg (155 lb) should consume 56 g of protein a day, while a person of 90 kg (200 lb) should consume 72 g of protein daily.
Additionally, the British Nutrition Foundation suggests the same amount of protein for adults. It is estimated that adult men should consume about 56 g of protein daily and women 45 g (3).
Infants, children, pregnant, breastfeeding women, and athletes have increased demands on protein as well.
Actually, most people consume much more protein than they need. This excess protein may make you gain weight, though.
How much protein does a banana have?
Raw banana contains only 1.09 g of protein per 100g. Moreover:
- A medium banana (7″ or 120g) has 1.3 g of protein.
- A large banana (9″ or longer) has about 1.6 g of protein.
Moreover, ripe and overripe bananas have slightly less protein per 100g than green bananas.
What’s the protein content of other banana products?
Dehydrated bananas are much richer in protein. They have 3.9 g of protein per 100g. A tbsp of dehydrated banana powder has 0.24 g of protein.
Banana chips are also high in protein as compared to raw banana. They have 2.3 g of protein per 100g. A small serving (1 oz) has 0.65 g of protein.
Banana flour has 3.3 g of protein per 100g, or 1 g per serving. Hence, all favorite banana products have some protein. For instance, banana bread is a good dietary source of protein, containing 4.3 g of protein per 100g. A slice of banana bread has 2.6 g of protein. Also, banana cupcakes have 2.47 g of protein per 100g, or 5 g of protein per piece.
Can you depend on banana for protein?
As you can see, bananas contain some amount of protein, but it isn’t much. Bananas are good sources of carbs and sugars. Thus, the best time to eat a banana is at breakfast.
Furthermore, banana isn’t a complete protein. Actually, it has low-quality protein. It lacks certain essential amino acids, and it has a low bioavailability.
If you want to boost your protein intake, you could drink a banana smoothie. It’s great as a post-workout snack.
Actually, banana has a great nutritional value. It contains many vitamins and minerals. It’s a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and many more.
Also, fiber in banana supports weight loss. It keeps us full for hours!
Do other fruits contain more protein than banana?
Avocados with 2 g of protein per 100g have twice the amount of protein than a banana. Most popular dried fruits are also great dietary sources of plant-based protein.
Apricots, kiwi, and berries have a similar protein content to banana.
On the contrary, oranges, peaches, cherries, and cantaloupes have less protein than bananas.
High-protein plant-based foods
Legumes, beans (e.g. lentils), whole-grains (e.g. oatmeal), seeds, nuts, mushrooms, and even many vegetables (e.g. spinach, kale) are good dietary sources of protein.
A well-balanced diet provides more than enough protein.
Sources:
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020: A Closer Look Inside Healthy Eating Patterns
- The National Academies Press: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (pdf)
- British Nutrition Foundation: Nutrients, Food and Ingredients
