Banana glycemic index and glycemic load
Banana has a low glycemic index of 49 (the median of 3 lab tests, range 47 to 53) in the 2021 International Tables, where pure glucose is 100. A serving of 1 banana, peeled (4.1 oz, 115 g) has 24.5 g of carbs minus fiber, which gives a glycemic load of about 12.
Glycemic load by portion
| Portion | Carbs | Fiber | Carbs minus fiber | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 banana, peeled (4.1 oz, 115 g) | 26.4 g | 2 g | 24.5 g | 12 |
| 1 cup, mashed (7.9 oz, 225 g) | 51.8 g | 3.8 g | 47.9 g | 23 |
| 1 cup, sliced (5.3 oz, 150 g) | 34.5 g | 2.5 g | 31.9 g | 16 |
| 1 extra small (2.9 oz, 81 g) | 18.6 g | 1.4 g | 17.3 g | 8 |
Glycemic load = GI 49 × carbs minus fiber ÷ 100. Carbs from USDA FoodData Central, Bananas, ripe and slightly ripe, raw.
Every standardized test
| Food as tested | GI | Category | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banana, raw | 47 | low | Australia |
| Banana, lady finger (Moraitis, Australia) | 49 | low | Australia |
| Banana, lady finger (Moraitis, Australia) | 53 | low | Australia |
Glucose = 100. Low 55 or less, medium 56 to 69, high 70 or more (category cut-offs from the International Tables). Only tests that followed the ISO 26642:2010 method: at least 10 healthy adults, a portion with 25 or 50 g of available carbs (Supplemental Table 1). Tests of raw banana, the form in the glycemic load table above.
What changes the number
The same food tested in different forms, from the tests above and the other standardized tests of banana in the tables.
| Form in the test | Tests | Median GI | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raw | 1 | 47 | — |
| Over-ripe | 1 | 57 | — |
| Form not stated | 2 | 51 | 49 to 53 |
Variety, ripeness, cooking time and the lab all move the result, which is why one food can span a wide range.
Compared with similar foods
| Food | GI | Portion | Carbs minus fiber | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberries | 40 | 1 cup, halves (5.4 oz, 152 g) | 8.6 g | 3 |
| Apple | 44 | 1 cup, quartered or chopped (4.4 oz, 125 g) | 14.3 g | 6 |
| Orange | 45 | 1 cup sections no membranes (5.8 oz, 165 g) | 16.2 g | 7 |
| Banana | 49 | 1 banana, peeled (4.1 oz, 115 g) | 24.5 g | 12 |
| Watermelon | 50 | 1 cup, balls (5.4 oz, 154 g) | 11 g | 6 |
Same group in the International Tables (Fruit), each at its usual US portion. A low GI with a big portion can give a higher glycemic load than a high GI with a small one.
Older and smaller studies
21 more tests of banana are listed in the tables' second list (31 to 75, median 48). They deviate from the ISO method: fewer than 10 people, people with diabetes, a different reference food or sampling time, or wide variation. They are not part of the number at the top.
Show the 21 tests
| Food as tested | GI | Country | Who was tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banana, under-ripe (yellow with some green skin) | 31 | Denmark | type 2 diabetes, 10 people |
| Banana, NS | 35 | Taiwan | healthy, 20 people |
| Banana, NS | 41 | Taiwan | type 2 diabetes, 17 people |
| Banana, slightly under-ripe (yellow with green tips) | 41 | USA | type 2 diabetes, 7 people |
| Banana, slightly under-ripe (yellow with green sections) | 42 | USA | type 2 diabetes, 7 people |
| Banana (Musa spp.), Kolikuttu -Silk AAB variety, ripe | 43 | Sri Lanka | healthy, 10 people |
| Banana (Musa spp.), embul- Mysore AAB variety, ripe | 43 | Sri Lanka | healthy, 10 people |
| Banana (Musa paradisiaca) | 44 | Nigeria | type 2 diabetes, 9 people |
| Banana, NS | 47 | Germany | diabetes |
| Banana (Musa spp.), anamalu -Gros Michel AAA variety, ripe | 48 | Sri Lanka | healthy, 10 people |
| Banana, over-ripe (yellow flecked with brown) | 48 | USA | type 2 diabetes, 7 people |
| Banana (Musa spp.), seeni kesel -Pisang Awak ABB variety, ripe | 49 | Sri Lanka | healthy, 10 people |
| Banana, NS | 49 | Israel | gestational diabetes, 9 people |
| Banana, ripe (all yellow) | 51 | USA | type 2 diabetes, 7 people |
| Banana, over-ripe (yellow with 1-2 mm brown spots) | 53 | Denmark | type 2 diabetes, 10 people |
| Banana, NS | 59 | Italy | type 2 diabetes, 8 people |
| Banana, NS | 59 | Canada | type 2 diabetes, 6 people |
| Banana | 62 | Canada | healthy, 6 people |
| Banana, NS | 70 | South Africa | healthy, 8 people |
| Banana, (Musa sapientum), Nendra variety | 70 | India | healthy, 12-15 people |
| Banana (Musa paradisiaca), yellow skin without green or brown discoloration | 75 | Nigeria | healthy, 10 people |
Supplemental Table 2 of the International Tables. NS means the study did not specify.
How much the glycemic index tells you
Researchers and health bodies do not agree on how much weight to give the glycemic index of single foods.
- Level E The World Health Organization examined the glycemic index, found it inconsistent, and refused to build guidance on it. Carbohydrate intake for adults and children: WHO guideline, 2023
- Level C A year after the World Health Organization set the glycemic index aside, a meta-analysis of cohorts each over a hundred thousand people linked high glycemic index diets to more diabetes, heart disease and death. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, 2024
- Level C Glycemic index and glycemic load, the other two ways of judging carbohydrate, held up far worse than fiber in the same analysis. Reynolds et al., The Lancet, 2019
What studies found about banana and blood sugar
- Level B The banana has the highest glycemic index of eight common fruits tested in people with type 2 diabetes, and the difference between all eight was not statistically significant. Bianchi et al., Diabetic Medicine, 1995
- Level C Every one of four banana varieties tested came out low on the glycemic scale, between 61 and 69 against white bread. Hettiaratchi et al., International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, 2011
Some studies above score foods against white bread, not glucose, as 100, so their numbers are not on the same scale as the ones at the top of this page. Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study, D lab or animal work, E an expert position. How we grade evidence.
Keep exploring
Sources
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 2021;114(5):1625-1632, Supplemental Table 1 and Supplemental Table 2, PMID 34258626, doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqab233 (accessed 2026-10-12)
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Bananas, ripe and slightly ripe, raw, FDC ID 1105314
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Strawberries, raw, FDC ID 167762
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), FDC ID 171688
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Oranges, raw, navels, FDC ID 746771
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (2018): Watermelon, raw, FDC ID 167765
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Sources checked 2026-10-12. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.