Banana Bread Nutrition Facts
Banana bread is a kind of sweet bread or cake made with mashed bananas. It is often a soft and sweet quick bread as well. Banana bread recipes were published in cookbooks across North America when baking powder became available in grocery stores in the 1930s.
Certain food historians claim that banana bread surfaced as a corporate concoction aimed at fostering the sales of flour and baking soda. Apart from the widespread love for banana bread, it also became extremely popular during the lockdowns of 2020. Let us tell you more about the nutritional values of the bread.
In the Philippines, banana bread is mainly called “banana cake.” It was introduced during the American colonial period of the Philippines as the Philippines became a top banana supplier. In the US, February 23 marks National Banana Bread Day. In this article, we will discuss the banana bread nutrition facts in detail.
What is banana bread?
By combining bananas along with sugar and yeast, this bread comes out soft, sweet, and healthy. The nuts and cinnamon baked into the American-style bread go perfectly with a snack.
Banana Bread Nutrients
Banana bread nutrition facts can vary significantly depending on the ingredients you choose. It could be as wholesome or laden with calories as you would like. Most traditional banana bread recipes produce a sugary dessert high in carbs and fat.
The following nutrition information is provided for a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) slice of store-bought banana bread made with bananas, wheat flour, sugar, eggs, canola oil, baking soda, salt, and baking powder (1 Trusted Source)
Calories: 421
Fat: 15.8 grammes
Carbs: 68.4 grammes
Protein: 5.3 grammes
Fibre: 1.8 grammes
Sugar: 42.1 grammes
Sodium: 298 mg
As you can see, this classic banana bread is high in calories, carbs, and added sugar and low in protein and fiber. While some banana breads have a lot of sugar, fat, and calories, the majority of them are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals.
In other words, bananas are full of potassium and vitamin B6. A healthy dose of these nutrients can be found in banana bread made with these fruits. A 4-ounce (115-gram) banana delivers 8% and 14% of the daily value (DV) for potassium and B6, respectively (2Trusted Source).
Additionally, Banana Bread Nutrition Facts
If you make your banana bread with enriched flour, it will also contain iron and B vitamins like riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid, which is the synthetic form of folate (3 Trusted Source). Vitamin and Mineral Content of Banana Bread You may be wondering what vitamins and minerals are in banana bread.
Just like one example is a loaf of banana bread prepared with almond flour, which has significantly more magnesium and calcium than one made with white flour (4 Trusted Source, 5 Trusted Source). It is also worth noting that some recipes and store-bought brands of food, such as chocolate chips, peanut butter, and caramel, are high in calories, sugar, and fat.
Common Ingredients and Variations
An old-quality banana bread recipe usually includes
Diced ripe bananas—added for natural sweetness and moisture
Flour—generally all-purpose or whole wheat
Sugar—granulated or brown sugar, although honey or maple syrup can be substituted for a healthier option.
Eggs—for structure and texture
Other ingredients – leavening agents—baking powder or baking soda to help the bread rise
Butter or oil—for moisture and richness
Spices and mix-ins—such as cinnamon, vanilla, nuts, or chocolate chips—for extra flavor.
Banana bread comes in many forms. Some are made with whole wheat and almond flour for a nutritious bran, while others might use other sweeteners or mix-ins, such as flaxseeds, oats, or dried fruit, to create a healthier counterpart.
How to make nutritious banana bread at home
What I love about this recipe
Simple Ingredients— No artificial sweeteners or anything out of the ordinary here. I use basic ingredients you already have. Healthy—without oil, low sugar, FOUR bananas, and around 100 calories per slice.
It Tastes Amazing—When baked goods are “healthy,” they often don’t taste great, but I promise you no one would ever guess that this banana bread is any different! It is still just as moist and sweet as traditional banana bread.
4 mashed bananas
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
How to make it?
You can make nutritious banana bread at home. It is effortless to cook.
Coat a regular 9×5″ loaf pan with grease (I also prefer to cover or grease the pan’s bottom with parchment paper to stop it from sticking). Put mashed bananas in a mixing bowl. Mix egg, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla essence, and cinnamon. Stir well.
Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in another bowl. Mix well. Fold through the banana, add it, and then combine. Mix in melted butter. Baking time is 35-45 minutes at 350 degrees. Or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clear.
It means your cake is ready.
Cool it in the pan before serving it.
Now bake at 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes.
For 5-10 minutes, cool in the pan.
Recipe Variations
Mix-Ins: Feel free to stir in ¾ cup of your favorite chocolate chips, raisins, and chopped nuts at the end before adding the batter to the pan.
Conclusion
Banana bread is fully delectable but very healthy. However, the primary banana bread is full of added sugar, refined carbs, and calories. Small portions of the bread, when eaten with a rich diet, can be significantly helpful.
If you wish to make the bread more nutritious, adding nut flour, seeds, or any fiber-rich substances will do the trick. It will increase the banana bread nutrition facts. If reduced sugar is replaced with fruit or a zero-calorie sweetener like monk fruit, it still tastes just as delicious as before.
However, the other brown bananas are all good; they are added with sugar to refine their carbs and calories. That’s precisely why you should treat banana bread as just a snack on a balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
For instance, if you want to enrich the nutrient density of your banana bread with added vitamins and mineralization without affecting calories, using high-fiber ingredients such as nut flours and flaxseed may give protein, vitamins, and minerals. Reduce added sugar by substituting it with a fruit or an artificial sweetener that has zero calories.