Banana pudding: a dessert, whatever the banana does

The strongest study on this page is about a different banana. A meta-analysis of 9 trials in 3,996 children aged 8 to 34 months found that green banana foods added to standard care nearly doubled the rate at which diarrhea resolved (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.62 to 2.37). Seven of the nine trials were open-label, and the food was unripe banana. Ripe banana folded into custard is another product, and that result does not carry over to it. Much of what a cup of banana pudding gives you is sugar. USDA survey data put one 190 g cup at about 304 calories, 37.5 g sugars, 3.8 g saturated fat and 4.9 g protein. That figure is recalculated from 100 g for a single FNDDS recipe, and homemade and shop-bought puddings will differ.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Four banana varieties differed widely in their sugars, with starch, sucrose, glucose or fructose dominating by variety, yet all had glycemic indices between 61 and 69. — Four Sri Lankan banana varieties (Silk, Mysore, Gros Michel, Pisang Awak), glycemic index testing Evidence C source
  GI Silk 61 +/- 5, Mysore 61 +/- 6, Gros Michel 67 +/- 7, Pisang Awak 69 +/- 9 (white bread standard); total dietary fiber 2.7 to 5.3%

What a real portion looks like

• USDA survey data put one cup of banana pudding at 190 g, which works out to about 304 calories, 37.5 g sugars, 4.9 g protein and 243 mg sodium. — FNDDS food code 13241000 Banana pudding, WWEIA category Pudding (n = 1 record) Evidence E source
  Per 1 cup (190 g): energy 304 calories, total sugars 37.5 g, saturated fat 3.8 g, protein 4.9 g, potassium 283 mg, calcium 78 mg, sodium 243 mg; unspecified quantity 130 g = 208 calories

What it does to your health

• In a 12-week pilot trial, 8.8 oz (250 g) of banana a day at breakfast lowered fasting glucose in people with high cholesterol from 99 to 92 mg/dL after 4 weeks, with no significant change in type 2 diabetes. — Thirty hypercholesterolemic and fifteen type 2 diabetic subjects, 250 or 500 g banana daily for 12 weeks (n = 45) Evidence C source
  Fasting glucose 99 to 92 mg/dL (250 g) and 102 to 92 mg/dL (500 g) after 4 weeks, p < 0.05; LDL/HDL ratio 2.7 to 2.4; diabetic glucose and lipids not significant

Safety, limits and interactions

• A case report describes a man on warfarin whose INR fell below target for 3 days after dried banana flakes were started for diarrhea, rated a probable interaction. — One man in his 30s on warfarin, given dried banana flakes for diarrhea (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Subtherapeutic INR for 3 days; Drug Interaction Probability Scale score 5 (probable)
• A two-year-old had anaphylaxis after eating banana, traced to a thaumatin-like protein that stays stable through digestion and heat, and remained sensitized at age nine. — One child, followed from age 2 to 9 (n = 1) Evidence D source
  Anaphylaxis at age 2; banana specific IgE 2.85 kUA/L; skin prick-to-prick test still positive at age 9
• FDA names milk, eggs and wheat among the nine major food allergens. — US packaged foods, FDA allergen labeling Evidence E source
  Nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, sesame

What people believe that the data does not support

• The EU did not authorize a health claim that banana is a major dietary source of antioxidants protecting cells from oxidative damage. — EU Register on nutrition and health claims, substance Banana Evidence E source
  Claim status Non-authorized; no authorized claim for banana in the register
• A meta-analysis of 9 trials in 3996 children aged 8 to 34 months found that green banana foods added to standard care nearly doubled the rate of diarrhea resolution, evidence that concerns unripe banana rather than ripe banana desserts. — Children aged 8 to 34 months with acute or persistent diarrhea, 9 randomized trials (n = 3996) Evidence A source
  HR 1.96 (95% CI 1.62 to 2.37) for resolution of diarrhea; persistent diarrhea HR 2.34 (1.78 to 3.08), acute HR 1.74 (1.45 to 2.09); I2 = 52%

Who this works differently for

• In 61 people with type 2 diabetes randomized to eight fruits, banana had a glycemic index of 83, the highest point estimate, though not statistically different from pears, apples or oranges. — Type 2 diabetic patients randomized into eight fruit groups (n = 61) Evidence B source
  GI bananas 83 +/- 8.5 vs pears 60 +/- 4.9, apples 63 +/- 8.3; no statistical difference in GI between fruits

The bottom line

Every banana study we hold used raw fruit. In 61 people with type 2 diabetes split across eight fruits, banana had a glycemic index of 83, the highest point estimate, with no statistical difference from pears, apples or the rest. Each fruit group held about eight people. Four Sri Lankan varieties tested between 61 and 69 against white bread, and none of them is the Cavendish type used in American puddings. In a 12-week small pilot, 8.8 oz (250 g) of banana a day at breakfast lowered fasting glucose in people with high cholesterol from 99 to 92 mg/dL after 4 weeks. That was measured against their own starting values with no control group. In the 15 people with type 2 diabetes the change did not reach significance. The EU did not authorize a claim that banana is a major source of antioxidants, which means the evidence fell short when it was assessed. None of this was tested in a dessert made with sugar and milk. Who should be careful. Milk, eggs and wheat, the usual bases of pudding and vanilla wafers, are among the nine major allergens FDA requires on US labels. That list covers labeling in general, so check the recipe of the pudding in front of you. Banana itself can be an allergen. In a single case report, a two-year-old had anaphylaxis after eating banana and was still sensitized at age nine. Another single case describes a man on warfarin whose INR fell below target for 3 days after he started dried banana flakes for diarrhea, rated a probable interaction. The drop coincided with the diarrhea easing, so the banana may have acted indirectly. If you take warfarin, mention a sudden change in banana products to whoever manages your INR.

Sources

1. bnpd-r1-05 · glycemic index study
   Silk, Gros Michel, Pisang Awak and Mysore contained the highest percentages of starch (14%), sucrose (38%), free glucose (29%) and fructose (58%) as a percentage of the total available carbohydrate content respectively. Total dietary fiber contents of four varieties ranged from 2.7 to 5.3%. Glycemic indices of Silk, Mysore, Gros Michel and Pisang Awak were 61 ± 5, 61 ± 6, 67 ± 7, 69 ± 9 and can be categorized as low against white bread as the standard.
   Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2011 · checked 2026-09-29
2. bnpd-r1-01 · USDA FNDDS, dataset
   Banana pudding (FNDDS 13241000, FDC 2705697, WWEIA Pudding): 1 cup = 190 g; per 1 cup: Energy 304.0 kcal; Sugars 37.5 g; Saturated fat 3.8 g; Protein 4.9 g; Potassium 283.1 mg; Calcium 77.9 mg; Sodium 243.2 mg; Quantity not specified = 130 g, 208.0 kcal
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, food code 13241000 (FDC 2705697) · checked 2026-09-29
3. bnpd-r1-04 · randomized pilot trial
   In this study, we explored the effects of consumption of banana in thirty hypercholesterolemic and fifteen type 2 diabetic subjects. They were given a daily dose of 250 or 500 grams of banana for breakfast for 12 weeks...Daily consumption of banana significantly lowered fasting blood glucose (from 99 ± 7.7 to 92 ± 6.9 and 102 ± 7.3 to 92 ± 5.7 mg x dL(-1) (p < 0.05) after consuming banana 250 or 500 g/day for 4 wk, respectively)...The changes of blood glucose and lipid profile in diabetic patients were not statistically significant
   Indian J Exp Biol, 2014 · checked 2026-09-29
4. bnpd-r1-07 · case report
   After several days of therapeutic INR, the INR became subtherapeutic and remained so for 3 days. The decreased INR correlated temporally with initiation of consistent administration of dried banana flakes to treat diarrhea and the subsequent decrease in the rate and extent of diarrhea...A probability score of 5 was obtained upon applying the Drug Interaction Probability Scale modified to address interactions between warfarin and dietary supplements, indicating a probable interaction between warfarin and banana flakes.
   Nutr Clin Pract, 2016 · checked 2026-09-29
5. bnpd-r1-08 · case report
   Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) present high stability during digestion and heat treatment...A two-year-old child presented with anaphylaxis after eating a banana...The specific IgE for bananas was 2.85 kUA/L...At the age of nine, the child started immunotherapy for grass pollen. Banana and kiwi SPPT remained positive.
   Cureus, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
6. bnpd-r1-09 · FDA food allergen guidance page
   The major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.
   US FDA, Food Allergies, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29
7. bnpd-r1-02 · EU claims register entry
   POL-HC-6676 Banana Banana is a major dietary source of antioxidants Antioxidants from dietary sources contribute to the protection against free radicals which cause cell damage Contributes to the protection of cells and tissues from oxidative damage Help strengthen our body's natural defences against oxidative stress Non-authorised
   EU Register on nutrition and health claims, claim POL-HC-6676, snapshot 2026-09-21 · checked 2026-09-29
8. bnpd-r1-06 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Nine randomized controlled trials (seven open and two blinded) were included. Studies were conducted in the pediatric population comprising a total of 3996 patients aged 8 to 34 months, eight studies were written in English and one in Spanish. GB-based food consumption significantly increased the hazard of resolution of diarrhea compared to standard treatment (HR 1.96, 95% CI [1.62; 2.37], p < 0.01; I2 = 52%).
   Eur J Pediatr, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
9. bnpd-r1-03 · randomized controlled trial
   Sixty-one type 2 diabetic patients randomized into eight groups--one for each category of fruit--participated in the study. GIs consisted of the following: pears = 60 +/- 4.9; apples = 63 +/- 8.3; oranges = 68 +/- 6.5; grapes = 70 +/- 7.5; plums = 75 +/- 8.4; peaches = 80 +/- 7.4; apricots = 82 +/- 9.1; bananas = 83 +/- 8.5...There was no statistical differences in GI, and PI, within the different fruits.
   Diabet Med, 1995 · checked 2026-09-29