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Carbohydrates in Bananas

How many carbohydrates are in a banana?  If you are on a low carbohydrate diet in an effort to lose weight, you may have been warned to stay away from fruits, which tend to be high in carbohydrates.  Bananas are one of the fruits that tend to be high in carbohydrates.

Bananas are a starchy fruit and are loaded with potassium.  While they are high in nutritional qualities, they are also high in carbohydrates.  The average banana has 17.5 grams of carbohydrates and 108 calories.  This is assuming that you eat the flesh of the banana only.  For those who eat the skin, the banana contains nearly 40 grams of carbohydrates. 

In addition to being high in potassium, bananas are also high in magnesium.  These are two essential minerals for healthy living.  Bananas also contain a good source of B vitamins, which act as antioxidants and are said to stave off a variety of diseases, including cancer. 

In comparison to other fruits, however, bananas are high in carbohydrates as well as calories.  While eating a banana is a good source of B vitamins and potassium, you can get B vitamins from other sources besides a banana. 

When compared to vegetables, fruits are higher in carbohydrates.  Because they are generally sweet, however, more people like to consume raw fruits rather than raw vegetables.   Anyone on a low carbohydrate diet is better off consuming a piece of fruit than a candy bar.

Instead of starting the day off with a banana, which is very high in carbohydrates, why not start the day off with a tangerine?  A tangerine has much nutritional value, will give you a sweets boost in the morning and is very high in vitamin C.  In addition, instead of having 17 or 18 grams of carbohydrates, a tangerine has only 6 grams of carbohydrates and only 26 calories, as compared the 108 calories of a banana.

It is important to also note that bananas tend to loose their carbohydrates the more they ripen.  Bananas that are very ripe tend to have fewer carbohydrates than those that are firm. 

While bananas may be a valuable source of potassium and have great nutritional value, they are not the best choice to make when attempting a low carbohydrate diet.  You are better off to switch the banana with another fruit, such as a tangerine, orange or Clementine, in the morning.   A banana has just under the same amount of carbohydrates as a whole potato and is loaded with starch.