Banana vs. Strawberry — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Macronutrients and calories

In comparison to strawberries, bananas contain more protein, more carbohydrates, and more "other" nutrients. Strawberries, on the other hand, contain more water than bananas. The 0.3 g of fat in each of the two fruits is the same.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Banana

4

Protein: 1.09 g

Fats: 0.33 g

Carbs: 22.84 g

Water: 74.91 g

Other: 0.83 g

Strawberry

1

Protein: 0.67 g

Fats: 0.3 g

Carbs: 7.68 g

Water: 90.95 g

Other: 0.4 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+62.7%
Contains more CarbsCarbs	+197.4%
Contains more OtherOther	+107.5%

Contains more WaterWater

+21.4%

~equal in Fats ~0.3g

Fats

Bananas have nearly no saturated fat and just a small amount of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. They are extremely low in fat. While strawberries also have a very low-fat content, they do so with a higher concentration of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and even less saturated fat. In particular, strawberries have roughly twice the amount of polyunsaturated fat and one-third more monounsaturated fat than bananas, yet strawberries have approximately seven times less saturated fat. Because of this, despite the fact that both fruits are low in fat, strawberries have a larger percentage of good fats than bananas.

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Banana

0

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.112 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.032 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.073 g

Strawberry

3

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.015 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.043 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.155 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-86.6%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+34.4%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+112.3%

Carbohydrates

While a 100-gram serving of strawberry has 7.68 grams of carbohydrates, a 100-gram serving of banana has 22.84 grams.  Compared to strawberries' single form of carbs, bananas have five different types. 

Strawberries have no measurable levels of maltose, lactose, or galactose, but bananas have significantly larger amounts of starch, sucrose, glucose, and fructose.  

More specifically, compared to strawberries, bananas have 140 times the starch, 5 times the sucrose, and 2 times the glucose and fructose. 

Carbohydrate type comparison

Carbohydrate type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Banana

5

Starch: 5.38 g

Sucrose: 2.39 g

Glucose: 4.98 g

Fructose: 4.85 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0.01 g

Galactose: 0 g

Strawberry

0

Starch: 0.04 g

Sucrose: 0.47 g

Glucose: 1.99 g

Fructose: 2.44 g

Lactose: 0 g

Maltose: 0 g

Galactose: 0 g

Contains more StarchStarch	+13350%
Contains more SucroseSucrose	+408.5%
Contains more GlucoseGlucose	+150.3%
Contains more FructoseFructose	+98.8%
Contains more MaltoseMaltose	+∞%

~equal in Lactose ~0g

~equal in Galactose ~0g

Vitamins

Strawberries are higher in vitamin K (4 times more), folate, and C (7 times more). Compared to strawberries, bananas are higher in vitamin B6 (8 times more), vitamin B5 (3 times more), vitamin B2 (2 times more), vitamin B3 (2 times more), vitamin B1, and vitamin A (5 times more). Both fruits lack vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Banana

7

Strawberry

4

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+433.3%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+29.2%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+231.8%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+72.3%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+167.2%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+680.9%
Contains more CholineCholine	+71.9%

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+575.9%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+190%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+340%
Contains more FolateFolate	+20%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Fibers and other plant compounds

Both strawberries and bananas are good sources of dietary fiber, with bananas having higher concentrations of resistant starch and pectin. Strawberries contain soluble and insoluble fiber. Strawberries' carbohydrate content is primarily made up of fiber and simple sugars, whereas bananas have a higher proportion of total carbohydrates.

Bananas have dopamine and catechin as their prominent plant chemicals, while strawberries are rich in anthocyanins, ellagic acid, ellagitannins, and procyanidins.

Minerals

Bananas are substantially richer in magnesium, potassium (twice as much), and copper than strawberries, which have a greater calcium and iron concentration.  But phosphorus, sodium, and zinc are equal. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Banana

4

Strawberry

3

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+107.7%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+134%
Contains more CopperCopper	+62.5%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+150%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+220%
Contains more IronIron	+57.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+43%

~equal in Zinc ~0.14mg

~equal in Phosphorus ~24mg

~equal in Sodium ~1mg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of a banana is around 48. Strawberries have a relatively low glycemic index, around 40.

Glycemic Load

100 grams of strawberries have approximately a 3 glycemic load. The glycemic load of a medium-sized banana is approximately 15.

Insulin Index

The insulin index of bananas is 82. Information about the insulin index of strawberries is unknown.

Acidity

Bananas have a slightly higher alkaline effect (-6.9) compared to strawberries (-2.5).

 Cardiovascular Health

 Due to their nutrient contents, strawberries and bananas can both be advantageous for heart health. Potassium, an essential mineral that helps control blood pressure and heart function, is found in bananas insignificantly (1). Strawberries are rich in antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which have been found to lower inflammation and enhance heart health (2). In addition, bananas contain antioxidant flavonoids, which are also associated with a significant decrease in heart disease risk (3). Strawberries may also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis since they drastically reduce total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in the blood (4). 

Bananas, which contain potassium and antioxidant flavonoids, and strawberries, which are abundant in anthocyanins that reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels, both have benefits for heart health.

Blood sugar regulation  

Both strawberries and bananas have potential advantages for controlling blood sugar levels. Bananas include resistant starch, which is not digested by the body, and soluble fiber, which can gel during digestion. These two fibers may normalize blood sugar levels after meals and control hunger by delaying the stomach (5). 

Similarly, strawberries have been shown to lower rises in insulin and glucose levels after a meal high in carbohydrates, suggesting potential advantages for reducing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (6). 

  Digestive Health

Bananas and strawberries contain dietary fiber, which is helpful for digestion by avoiding constipation and allowing regular bowel movements.

In addition to being an excellent source of resistant starch, which is prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in your gut, bananas are a wonderful source of soluble fiber (7).  

Pectin, another kind of fiber included in bananas, may aid in preventing constipation and may even have anti-cancer properties (8). 

In a similar vein, strawberries contain polyphenols, which help support healthy gut flora and have prebiotic effects. They are also a rich source of dietary fiber (9).  Strawberries may even have anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, perhaps aiding in the treatment of digestive diseases, according to certain animal research.

Cancer

Bananas and strawberries contain minerals and substances that have been researched for their potential ability to prevent cancer.

Bananas include lectins, which are active proteins that interact with cancer cells and inhibit their proliferation. This, in turn, slows the spread and metastasis of cancer (10). On the other side, strawberries have been discovered to possess anti-cancer effects possibly. They include ellagitannins and ellagic acid, which have been demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and prevent the development of tumors (11). Studies on human liver cancer cells and oral cancer models in animals have shown these effects.

 Sources.

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21403995/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22211184/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23953879/
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0271531710001296 
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2898027/
6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19930765/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32040399/
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33357885/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24876314/ 
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6272006/ 
11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20626254/ 
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12440950/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19940506/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6198931/