Are Bananas Good for Breakfast? Should They Be Eaten on an Empty Stomach?

Bananas are the most widely consumed fruit in America, and many people will even eat a banana for breakfast. Bananas are soothing to the stomach, so you can eat them on an empty stomach if you want to.

Bananas are the most widely consumed fruit in America, and many people will even eat a banana for breakfast. More than a thousand types of bananas are cultivated worldwide, but almost all bananas sold in the U.S. belong to the Cavendish type. These bananas are sweet and easily digestible, and you can eat them without cooking. Other varieties of banana require boiling, frying, or roasting before consumption. 

Cavendish bananas are also called dessert bananas. They're mildly sweet, and their green or yellow peel develops brown spots as the banana ripens. An overripe banana's peel is completely dark, and the sugar inside has fermented. The best time to eat this banana (at least in terms of flavor) is when it is golden yellow with a few dark spots. 

Bananas come in many varieties and consequently vary in their nutritional value. The nutrient contents also change as the fruit ripens. A 100-gram portion of ripe bananas provides: 

• Energy: 98 calories
• Water: 75.3 grams
• Proteins: 0.74 grams
• Total fat: 0.29 grams
• Carbohydrates: 23 grams
• Sugars: 15.8 grams
• Dietary fiber: 1.7 grams

Bananas contain several vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, biotin, and folate, along with several minerals — potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, iodine, and phosphorus.

Most bananas are larger than 100 grams, so they provide on average 110 calories, 1 gram of protein, 28 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of dietary fiber, and 450 milligrams of potassium. Bananas provide significant energy but little protein or fat. 

Bananas also contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, and carotenoids. These phytochemicals have antioxidant properties and other health benefits.

Fruits are good to eat in the morning and are an important part of a healthy breakfast. You should have five portions of fruits or vegetables a day, so you can add a banana to your breakfast cereal, blend it into a smoothie, or have it by itself. Bananas can help provide a healthy breakfast high in fiber and low in salt, fats, and added sugars.

An overnight fast can let stomach acid collect. Eating anything spicy or fried can similarly cause gastritis and heartburn at night. Bananas are soothing to the stomach, though, and have antacid properties. On top of that, one of its flavonoids, leucocyanidin, increases the thickness of the mucous layer of the stomach, protecting against ulcers.

Bananas make a nutritious addition to your breakfast. They provide natural sugars, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, making them better than many processed breakfast foods.

Carbohydrates have an important role in a healthy diet. About a third of your energy should come from carbohydrates. Avoid overly sugary foods and drinks, though, because they provide calories with few other nutrients. Bananas provide carbohydrates for energy, but they also contain minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber. Starchy foods like potatoes and wholegrain bread are also good carbohydrate sources.

Bananas are often eaten during training for energy, along with commercial sport nutrition products. Carbohydrate intake improves endurance during training of any intensity.

You especially need some carbohydrates in the morning since you've not eaten for several hours. Bananas contain about 23 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. Part of the carbohydrate content is indigestible, though, and does not contribute to your energy intake. 

The sugar content of bananas is about 16 grams per 100 grams. Most of these sugars are glucose, fructose, and sucrose.

People with diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes, carbohydrate intake must be regulated because it can spike your blood sugar levels. Along with the absolute carbohydrate content, the glycemic index (GI) is also important. This measures the potential of a food to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar. Foods with a GI of 55 or less break down slowly during digestion, so your blood sugar will rise gradually. Bananas have a GI of 51, making them safe for people with diabetes in limited amounts.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables is important. You should also restrict fats, sugar, and salt. Bananas have more sugar than other fruits, so look for smaller bananas and spread your fruit intake over the day.

Bananas are especially rich in potassium, providing 326 milligrams per 100 grams. Potassium is a vital mineral and has many functions in your body. Having enough potassium in your diet can lower your blood pressure if you have hypertension (high blood pressure). Consequently, adequate potassium intake can protect you from stroke and heart disease.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your intestines can't digest. Animal-source foods like meat and dairy are typically low in fiber, but plant-source foods like fruit and vegetables provide significant amounts. Since fiber is not digested, it helps other food and waste products to move through the digestive system.

Bananas contain non-starch polysaccharides such as pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. These indigestible carbohydrates are forms of dietary fiber. The dietary fiber content of bananas varies depending on how ripe they are, though. Unripe bananas have 18 grams of dietary fiber/100 grams. This decreases to 4 grams/100 grams when the banana is ripe. Overripe bananas have only 2 grams/100 grams. This makes unripe bananas valuable for boosting your fiber intake but unsuitable if you're on a low-fiber diet.

Your doctor may advise a low-fiber diet to avoid obstructing a narrowed part of the intestines or irritating an inflamed bowel. You should avoid unripe bananas if you are dealing with such conditions, but ripe bananas may be allowed in such diets.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming nutrient-dense foods. Such foods provide minerals, vitamins, and other health-promoting nutrients while containing little or no sodium, saturated fats, or added sugar. Bananas are an excellent example of a nutrient-dense food and deserve a place at your breakfast table.