Is Eating a Banana for Breakfast Healthy?

Arx0nt/Getty Images

Bananas are a versatile and flavorful fruit often added to smoothies, baked goods, sauces, and desserts.

Many people also enjoy eating bananas for breakfast, thanks to both their portability and low price tag.

However, some wonder whether bananas are a good option for their morning meal.

This article evaluates whether eating a banana for breakfast is healthy.

Are Bananas A Healthy Breakfast?

Bananas are highly nutritious, boasting a good amount of potassium, fiber, and vitamins B6 and C (1).

However, they’re also relatively high in carbs and natural sugars (1).

While this can help provide a quick burst of energy to get your morning off to the right start, it can increase blood sugar levels and cause a mid-morning crash among those with type 2 diabetes (2).

Studies also show that eating a breakfast comprising mostly processed carbohydrate foods may increase hunger levels and increase the risk of weight gain in the long term (34).

Instead, pairing healthy, higher fiber, high carb foods like a banana with heart-healthy fats and a good protein source may be more beneficial for blood sugar and appetite regulation (567).

SUMMARY

Bananas contain carbohydrates and natural sugars, which may increase blood sugar levels if consumed alone.

Eating Bananas Before Breakfast

While eating a banana on its own might not be ideal as a breakfast meal, enjoying a banana before your morning meal or as part of a balanced breakfast could be beneficial.

In fact, one medium banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, a plant compound that slows stomach emptying to increase feelings of fullness and support regularity (18).

Unripe green bananas also contain a specific type of fiber called resistant starch, which resists digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and promotes gut health (9).

Bananas are likewise a great source of several key nutrients that your body needs, including potassium and vitamin C (1).

Potassium is involved in fluid balance and muscle contractions and may help reduce your blood pressure (10).

Meanwhile, vitamin C supports the immune system and may help protect against inflammation and chronic disease (11).

SUMMARY

Eating bananas before breakfast or as part of a balanced meal may help promote satiety and aid digestive health. Bananas contain several important micronutrients, including potassium and vitamin C.

Complementary Breakfast Foods

Pairing bananas with other foods high in protein and heart-healthy fats can help round out your meal.

This can support blood sugar regulation, improve satiety, and reduce hunger between meals (7).

Furthermore, increasing your intake of protein may promote weight loss and fat loss (1213).

Here are a few healthy breakfast ideas that include bananas:

  • frozen banana bites with yogurt and nut butter
  • Greek yogurt with bananas and chia seeds
  • a protein smoothie with spinach, berries, and frozen banana
  • oatmeal topped with nuts, seeds, and sliced bananas
  • banana breakfast bars with nut butter, oats, and walnuts

SUMMARY

Pairing bananas with other ingredients that are high in protein and fiber for breakfast may help improve satiety, reduce hunger, and promote digestive health.

The Bottom Line

Bananas are relatively high in carbohydrates and natural sugars, but they’re a good source of fiber and important vitamins and minerals, which makes them superior to highly processed high-carb breakfast foods.

Therefore, they can be great a great addition to a well-rounded meal, especially when paired with other foods high in healthy fats or protein.

For an easy way to enjoy bananas for breakfast, try adding them to smoothies, yogurt parfaits, oat bowls, or high protein breakfast bars.

Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.healthline.com by Rachael Link, MS, RD where all credits are due. Medically reviewed by Kathy W. Warwick, R.D., CDE, Nutrition

Disclaimer

The watching, interacting, and participation of any kind with anything on this page does not constitute or initiate a doctor-patient relationship with Dr. Farrah®. None of the statements here have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The products of Dr. Farrah® are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information being provided should only be considered for education and entertainment purposes only. If you feel that anything you see or hear may be of value to you on this page or on any other medium of any kind associated with, showing, or quoting anything relating to Dr. Farrah® in any way at any time, you are encouraged to and agree to consult with a licensed healthcare professional in your area to discuss it. If you feel that you’re having a healthcare emergency, seek medical attention immediately. The views expressed here are simply either the views and opinions of Dr. Farrah® or others appearing and are protected under the first amendment.

Dr. Farrah® is a highly experienced Licensed Medical Doctor certified in evidence-based clinical nutrition, not some enthusiast, formulator, or medium promoting the wild and unrestrained use of nutrition products for health issues without clinical experience and scientific evidence of therapeutic benefit. Dr. Farrah® has personally and keenly studied everything she recommends, and more importantly, she’s closely observed the reactions and results in a clinical setting countless times over the course of her career involving the treatment of over 150,000 patients.

Dr. Farrah® promotes evidence-based natural approaches to health, which means integrating her individual scientific and clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. By individual clinical expertise, I refer to the proficiency and judgment that individual clinicians acquire through clinical experience and clinical practice.

Dr. Farrah® does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of any multimedia content provided. Dr. Farrah® does not warrant the performance, effectiveness, or applicability of any sites listed, linked, or referenced to, in, or by any multimedia content.

To be clear, the multimedia content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any website, video, image, or media of any kind. Dr. Farrah® hereby disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental, or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of the content, which is provided as is, and without warranties.