How Much Sugar Is in Banana Bread?
A slice of banana bread has about 18 g of added sugar — despite the fruit in its name, most of that sugar comes from the batter, not the banana.
in 1 slice (60 g) · about 4.3 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 18 g
- Per 100 g
- 30 g
- Type
- Mostly natural
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 4.3 tsp
A big chunk of a day's sugar in one serving.
A slice of banana bread carries about 18 g of sugar — more than the whole banana mashed into the batter. The name suggests a fruit-forward snack, but a standard recipe adds a full cup or more of sugar on top of the banana's own natural sugar, plus butter and flour that make it closer to cake than fruit.
This is a classic 'health halo' food — the banana in the name makes it feel like a fruit snack, but a slice carries as much sugar as a chocolate chip cookie. A homemade version that leans on extra ripe banana for sweetness and cuts the added sugar can close much of that gap.
How banana bread compares
Out of 205 everyday foods and drinks we track, banana bread ranks #63 for sugar per serving — more than 70% of them.
- Yogurt Parfait19g
- Cherries18g
- Banana bread (this page)18g
- Honey17g
- Pear17g
Bars show sugar per serving. Tap any food to see its full breakdown.
Lower-sugar swaps
- A slice of homemade banana bread with half the added sugar, using extra ripe banana for sweetness
- A plain banana with a spoon of peanut butter when you want the banana flavour without the added sugar
Frequently asked questions
- Is banana bread a healthy snack?
- Not especially — despite the fruit in the name, a standard recipe adds far more sugar than the banana itself contributes.
- Does banana bread have more sugar than a banana?
- Yes, usually well more — the added sugar and butter in the batter outweigh the natural sugar from the banana used to make it.
More foods
Learn more
Sugar values from Typical nutrition label; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-08-09.