Banana vs Apple: Nutrition, Calories & Best Choice

Banana vs Apple at a Glance

Banana and apple are both whole fruits with no added sugar, yet they behave very differently in a meal plan. Per 100 g (3.5 oz), a raw banana supplies 89 calories while a raw apple with skin supplies 52. Nearly all of that gap comes from water and carbohydrate, not from fat or protein.

The table below compares both fruits gram for gram. Values are USDA FoodData Central figures for raw banana and raw apple with skin, with glycemic index averages from published international tables.

Three differences stand out. Banana is roughly 70 percent more calorie-dense per gram, it carries more than three times the potassium, and its glycemic index runs higher once the fruit is ripe.

Calories and Portion Size: One Banana vs One Apple

Almost nobody eats exactly 100 g of fruit, so portion math matters more than the raw table. These figures use typical edible weights.

• 1 small banana (101 g / 3.6 oz): 90 kcal
• 1 medium banana (118 g / 4.2 oz): 105 kcal
• 1 large banana (136 g / 4.8 oz): 121 kcal
• 1 cup sliced banana (150 g / 5.3 oz): 134 kcal
• 1 medium apple with skin (182 g / 6.4 oz, about 3 in / 7.6 cm across): 95 kcal
• 1 cup sliced apple (109 g / 3.8 oz): 57 kcal
• 1 cup chopped apple (125 g / 4.4 oz): 65 kcal

The headline is closer than the per-100-g table suggests. One medium banana at 105 calories sits only about 10 calories above one medium apple at 95. Cup for cup, though, sliced banana is more than twice as calorie-dense as sliced apple, because banana packs tightly into a measuring cup.

That has a practical consequence. If you snack from a bowl of sliced fruit, apple gives you more volume and more chewing time per calorie.

Sugar, Carbs, and Glycemic Index

All of the sugar in both fruits is naturally occurring, which is why neither carries the risks linked to added sugar. Per 100 g, banana has 12.23 g of total sugars and apple has 10.39 g, a difference of under 2 g.

Per portion the picture flips. One medium banana holds about 14.4 g of sugar, while one medium apple holds about 18.9 g, simply because the apple is the larger fruit.

Carbohydrate quality matters more than the sugar number alone:

• Banana: 22.84 g carbs, 2.6 g fiber, about 20.2 g net carbs per 100 g
• Apple: 13.81 g carbs, 2.4 g fiber, about 11.4 g net carbs per 100 g

Glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood glucose. Published averages put a ripe banana near 51, a medium value, and an apple near 36, which is low. Banana ripeness shifts this: an underripe, starchy banana tests lower, while an overripe speckled banana tests higher as starch converts to sugar.

Glycemic load accounts for portion size. Per 100 g, banana lands around 12 and apple around 5. Scaled to a typical fruit, a medium banana (118 g) comes to roughly 14, which is moderate, while a medium apple (182 g) comes to roughly 9, which is low. For most people without diabetes, both fit comfortably into a balanced day.

Fiber, Potassium, and Micronutrients

Fiber is the closest call on this page. Per 100 g, banana edges ahead at 2.6 g versus 2.4 g for apple. Per fruit, the larger apple wins: about 4.4 g of fiber versus about 3.1 g in a medium banana. Both supply mainly soluble fiber, including pectin, which supports fullness and feeds gut bacteria.

Potassium is where banana separates itself. One medium banana provides roughly 422 mg, close to 9 percent of the 4,700 mg daily value, while one medium apple provides roughly 195 mg. Potassium supports normal blood pressure as part of an eating pattern that limits sodium.

Where each fruit earns its place:

• Vitamin B6: 0.43 mg in a medium banana, about 25 percent of the daily value, versus a trace amount in apple
• Vitamin C: about 10 mg in a medium banana and about 8 mg in a medium apple
• Magnesium: 32 mg in a medium banana versus about 9 mg in a medium apple
• Polyphenols: apple skin supplies quercetin and related flavonoids concentrated in and just beneath the peel

Leave the apple peel on. Peeling removes a meaningful share of its fiber and polyphenols, turning a low-GI fruit into a faster-digesting one.

Pros, Cons, and Best For

Banana pros:

• Highest potassium and vitamin B6 of the two
• Fast, portable carbohydrate for pre-workout fuel
• Soft texture works in smoothies, oats, and bland diets

Banana cons:

• Higher calories and net carbs per 100 g
• Higher glycemic index when very ripe
• Easy to overeat in baked goods or larger bunches

Apple pros:

• Lower energy density and a low glycemic index
• More fiber and eating volume per fruit
• Long shelf life and no peeling required

Apple cons:

• Far less potassium and vitamin B6
• Peeling costs most of its polyphenols
• Excess fructose can aggravate symptoms in some people with IBS

Best for: banana for pre-workout fuel, potassium, and creamier texture; apple for volume eating, a lower glycemic response, and shelf-stable snacking.

Which One Fits Your Goal?

Weight loss. Apple is the easier default because it delivers more volume, more fiber per fruit, and fewer calories per 100 g. Banana still works when the portion is measured: half a large banana (68 g / 2.4 oz) is about 60 calories and satisfies a sweet craving.

Blood sugar. Apple's lower GI and glycemic load make it the gentler choice for most people managing glucose. Pairing either fruit with protein or fat, such as Greek yogurt or nut butter, flattens the glucose curve further.

Workouts. Banana wins. Its fast-digesting carbs and potassium suit the 30 to 60 minutes before training, and it is the fruit most sports nutrition guidance names for that purpose.

Everyday nutrition. Rotate them. Banana covers potassium and B6, apple covers polyphenols and volume, and the pair costs far less than most supplements.

Bottom line: Per fruit they are nearly tied in calories (105 vs 95), so choose apple for volume and a lower blood sugar impact, and banana for potassium, vitamin B6, and workout fuel.