A banana carries about 70% more calories than an apple and more than three times the potassium. Per 100 g that is 89 calories against 52, and 358 mg of potassium against 107 mg. Fibre is close (2.6 g against 2.4 g) and so is sugar as a share of the fruit, at 12.2 g against 10.4 g.
The calorie gap is mostly carbohydrate: 22.8 g in a banana against 13.8 g in an apple. Bananas are simply a denser fruit, which is exactly why they are the one people reach for before or after exercise.
| Nutrient | Apple | Banana |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 52 kcal | 89 kcal |
| Protein | 0.26 g | 1.09 g ✓ |
| Total Carbohydrate | 13.81 g | 22.84 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.4 g | 2.6 g ✓ |
| Total Sugars | 10.39 g ✓ | 12.23 g |
| Total Fat | 0.17 g | 0.33 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.03 g ✓ | 0.11 g |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 1 mg |
Notable compounds in each
When to choose each
Reach for an apple when you want the lighter option — fewer calories for a similar amount of fibre, and a fruit that is mostly water. Reach for a banana for carbohydrate you can use quickly and for its potassium, which is high enough that a single banana makes a real contribution to a day’s intake. Neither is a food anyone needs to be cautious about.
Apple vs banana nutrition per 100g
A medium apple is about 180 g and a medium banana about 120 g peeled, so in practice the two are closer than per 100 g suggests: roughly 95 calories for the apple and 105 for the banana.
Most of an apple’s fibre is in the skin, so peeling one removes a meaningful share of the 2.4 g shown. The sugar in both is intrinsic to the fruit and comes packaged with fibre and water, which is what separates it from added sugar.
Common questions
Which is healthier, an apple or a banana? Neither, particularly. An apple is lighter and a banana is more potassium-dense and more energy-dense. Both are whole fruit with similar fibre, and the useful answer is to eat whichever you will actually eat.
Are bananas high in sugar? They have 12.2 g per 100 g against an apple’s 10.4 g — more, but not by much, and it comes with fibre and water rather than on its own. Whole fruit is not treated the same as added sugar in dietary guidance.
How many calories are in an apple vs a banana? 52 per 100 g for an apple and 89 for a banana. For typical fruit sizes that works out at roughly 95 calories for a medium apple and 105 for a medium banana.
Which fruit is better before a workout? A banana, generally — more carbohydrate per gram, plus potassium, and it is easy to digest. That is why it turns up at finish lines rather than for any special property.