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Bananas just might be the most portable, convenient and healthy fruit. But for those who are looking to fruit to prioritize fiber in their diet – a necessary feature of any snack to ensure you stay full until your next meal – you may wonder how helpful the banana is.Bananas do have a good amount of fiber, but not quite as much as an apple or other higher-fiber options. "One medium banana has about 3 grams of fiber. It's a little lower than some other fruits," says Lisa Valente, a registered dietitian based near Burlington, Vermont. "An apple has 4 grams of fiber, and raspberries have 8 grams in one cup. While they may not be the highest in fiber, it's a good idea to get fiber from a variety of sources to help feed your gut bacteria and make sure you're getting different nutrients in your diet."The types of fiber in bananasIf you are trying to diversify types of fiber in your diet, bananas are a good source of multiple.Bananas have soluble and insoluble fiber, both important types, Valente shares. "Soluble fiber helps your heart and may improve blood sugar. Insoluble fiber helps move things along smoothly in your body. Bananas, especially green bananas, also contain resistant starch." She adds that resistant starch is a prebiotic fiber that is beneficial for gut health because it feeds our gut bacteria and allows them to produce short-chain fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation.How to get the most fiber from eating bananasNot all bananas are the same when it comes to fiber. The color and ripeness matter. "Resistant starch is higher in green bananas than ripe bananas. It starts to convert to sugar as the bananas ripen," Valente says. Of course, eating a green banana might not be as enjoyable as a yellow one, though, as the yellow ones are more sugary. Research shows that green bananas may contain about 6 grams of fiber, while overly ripe bananas have about 2 grams.So, if fiber is on your mind, consider the color, ripeness and sweetness to determine if you are getting the most fiber from your bananas.Other reasons to love bananasWhile bananas are sometimes labeled "too sugary," Valente says that is unreasonable. It does have natural sugar, but unless you are diabetic, that shouldn’t be something to worry about."Bananas will likely never top any list for most nutrient-dense fruit, but that doesn't mean they don't have lots of nutrients," she says. "Bananas are one of the most affordable fruits at the grocery store and a great way to get some nutrition into your diet. They're a versatile fruit that can be eaten plain, used in smoothies or mashed into baked goods."
