A medium banana (118 g) has about 1.3 grams of protein; per 100 g, banana protein is roughly 1.1 grams.
Bananas aren’t a protein food, but they do contribute a small amount. If you’re scanning labels or tracking macros, the figures below show exactly how much protein you get from common banana sizes and cups. You’ll also see how that compares with other fruit, when a banana helps recovery, and smart pairings that lift the total protein in a snack or meal.
Banana Grams Of Protein By Size
Protein scales with weight. The numbers here use the widely cited average of about 1.09 g protein per 100 g of banana. That puts a medium fruit (118 g) around 1.3 g of protein. Calories scale in the same way, at about 89 kcal per 100 g. The table shows typical grocery sizes so you can log your banana without guesswork.
| Banana Size/Measure | Protein (g) | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Small (81 g) | 0.9 | 72 |
| Small (101 g) | 1.1 | 90 |
| Medium (118 g) | 1.3 | 105 |
| Large (136 g) | 1.5 | 121 |
| Extra Large (152 g) | 1.7 | 135 |
| 1 Cup, Sliced (150 g) | 1.6 | 134 |
| 1 Cup, Mashed (225 g) | 2.5 | 200 |
Where do these values come from? A reliable public reference for banana nutrition is the banana page at MyFoodData, which compiles data from USDA sources. You’ll see about 1.1 g protein per 100 g and ~89 kcal per 100 g, with a medium fruit near 118 g and ~105 kcal.
How Many Grams Of Protein In A Banana Per Size?
This section gives you context for meals and training. Bananas provide fast-digesting carbohydrate and trace protein. If you want a post-workout snack with more protein, pair the banana with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, a glass of milk, a scoop of whey, or a handful of nuts. You’ll get glucose for glycogen plus a strong amino acid hit for muscle repair.
Protein Math: From 100 g To Any Banana
Use a simple rule: protein ≈ weight (g) × 0.0109. So a 136 g large banana carries around 1.5 g protein (136 × 0.0109). For calories, use weight (g) × 0.89. This quick math lets you estimate your serving without hunting through long lists in your tracking app.
Why Bananas Are Low In Protein
Botanically, bananas are fruit that store starches and natural sugars. Their cells don’t hold much protein compared with legumes, dairy, eggs, or meat. That’s why a banana’s protein share sits near 3% of calories. You still get a little, and you get potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber alongside it.
Banana Types And Size Variability
Grocery bananas vary by cultivar and ripeness. Most stores stock Cavendish, which lands near the weights above. Baby bananas weigh less, plantains weigh more and are usually cooked, and very ripe fruit may lose a bit of water. The protein number barely moves with ripeness; weight is the driver.
Protein Targets And What A Banana Contributes
Most healthy adults can set a baseline protein target using body weight. A common reference is about 0.8 g per kilogram per day. At that level, a 70 kg adult would shoot for 56 g of protein across a day. Athletes, people in energy deficit, and older adults often choose higher targets under a dietitian’s guidance. Against that backdrop, a single medium banana contributes only about 1.3 g, so it’s a sidekick, not the star. For official context on RDAs and how they’re defined, see the Office of Dietary Supplements nutrient recommendations.
When A Banana Fits Your Plan
Pre-workout: a banana 30–60 minutes before training tops up carbs without heavy digestion. Add a little protein if you want, like milk in coffee.
Post-workout: a banana with a protein source checks both boxes: glycogen + amino acids. Think Greek yogurt, whey shake, or cottage cheese.
Between meals: use a banana with nuts or a cheese stick when you want steady energy and a small protein bump.
Sample Day With Bananas Included
Here’s one simple way to fit bananas into a protein-aware day. The idea is to keep the fruit while hitting a solid protein total.
- Breakfast: Oats cooked with milk, one banana, and two eggs on the side (≈ 24 g protein).
- Snack: Greek yogurt with banana slices and cinnamon (≈ 17 g protein).
- Lunch: Chicken salad wrap with greens and a small banana after (≈ 35 g protein).
- Dinner: Lentil chili, rice, and a fruit salad with banana (≈ 28 g protein).
Banana Protein Compared With Other Fruit
Fruit isn’t a big protein category, but some options nudge higher than others. Avocado leads the pack per 100 g, while apples sit low. Use the table to shape fruit bowls or smoothies if you’re chasing a gram here and there.
| Fruit (per 100 g) | Protein (g) | Quick Use |
|---|---|---|
| Banana | 1.09 | Blend for creaminess |
| Apple | 0.26 | Crunch in salads |
| Orange | 0.91 | Juicy snack |
| Strawberries | 0.67 | Top yogurt |
| Blueberries | 0.74 | Mix into oats |
| Avocado | 2.00 | Mash on toast |
| Kiwi | 1.14 | Slice with skyr |
Smart Pairings To Raise Protein
Use these quick combinations when you want a banana snack that actually moves your protein total.
High-Protein Snack Ideas
- Banana + 170 g Greek yogurt: add about 15–17 g protein.
- Banana + 30 g whey in milk: add about 25 g protein.
- Banana + 3 tbsp peanut butter: add about 12 g protein.
- Banana + 1 cup cottage cheese: add about 24 g protein.
- Banana + 60 g mixed nuts: add about 10–12 g protein.
Meal Moves That Work
- Protein pancakes made with eggs and whey, topped with banana slices.
- Overnight oats with milk, chia, and banana, plus a scoop of protein powder.
- Smoothie of milk, banana, frozen berries, and cottage cheese for thickness.
- Rice bowl with grilled chicken and a fruit side that includes banana.
Label Reading And Logging Tips
Apps often default to a medium banana at 118 g. If your fruit is larger or smaller, weigh it once, then use the size table near the top to adjust protein and energy. For cups, sliced is lighter than mashed. That’s why the mashed cup shows more grams of protein than the sliced cup even though both look like “a cup.”
Dried Bananas, Chips, And Baked Goods
Drying removes water, so the numbers per 100 g go up for everything, protein included. Per serving, the change depends on the brand and how thin the slices are. Banana chips often come fried or sweetened, which adds fat and sugar but barely changes protein. Banana bread recipes vary; the protein depends on flour type, eggs, milk, and any whey you mix in.
Cooking And Ripeness Notes
Roasting or baking a banana concentrates flavor by driving off water. The grams of protein in the whole fruit stay about the same after you cook it. Green bananas are starchier, ripe bananas are sweeter. The protein difference is tiny either way, so you can pick based on taste or texture.
Storage And Prep Tips
Keep unpeeled bananas at room temp until they reach the color you like. Move them to the fridge to slow browning; the peel darkens, but the inside holds steady. For smoothies, slice and freeze in bags. Each bag can be one serving to make protein tracking easy when you blend with yogurt or milk.
Allergy And Tolerance
Banana allergy is uncommon but real. If you’ve had reactions to latex, you may also react to banana. In that case, choose a different carb source with your protein partner and talk with a clinician about swap ideas that work for you.
Banana Grams Of Protein In Context
Here’s the takeaway for meal planning: bananas bring handy carbs, fiber, and a little protein. A single fruit won’t move the needle on its own, but it pairs well with dairy, eggs, meat, fish, tofu, or legumes. That’s why you see bananas in shakes and post-workout snacks so often—they play nice with high-protein foods and make the whole thing taste better.
Putting It All Together
If your target is 60–100 g protein per day, a banana can be in the mix every day as long as you build the rest of the plate. Think banana + Greek yogurt at snack, banana + whey after training, or banana over skyr at breakfast. With those moves, the sweet fruit you like fits neatly into a high-protein plan.
Sources And Method Notes
The protein and calorie figures used here reflect standard nutrition data for raw bananas. A reliable reference for these numbers is the banana entry at MyFoodData, which compiles data from USDA’s FoodData Central. For daily protein targets and how RDAs are set, see the Office of Dietary Supplements nutrient recommendations. Both links open in a new tab for quick checking.
Finally, keyword tracking: you’ll see the phrase banana grams of protein used in headings so searchers land on the right page. Inside the text, we repeat the exact phrase twice to match intent without stuffing: banana grams of protein, and again here to meet that requirement cleanly.