# Healthy banana bread: 8g of protein a slice, made with Greek yogurt, oats and whole-wheat flour

Three spotty bananas, a tub of Greek yogurt and three eggs turn into a moist loaf with about 8 grams of protein a slice. Here’s the recipe, how it stacks up against a classic loaf, and how to bake it as muffins.

Source: https://nourishandstrong.com/healthy-banana-bread
Published: 2026-11-08
Updated: 2026-11-08
By: the Nourish & Strong team
General information, not medical advice.

**The short answer:** this healthy banana bread swaps most of the butter and sugar in a classic loaf for Greek yogurt, eggs, oats and whole-wheat flour. Each of 8 thick slices has about 8 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber and 227 calories, based on USDA data. It takes about 15 minutes to mix and an hour to bake.

The sweetness comes mostly from very ripe bananas, with just ¼ cup of maple syrup for the whole loaf. That works out to about 6 grams of added sugar a slice.

## How do you make healthy banana bread?

**Makes:** 1 loaf (9x5-inch pan), 8 thick slices · **Prep:** 15 minutes · **Cook:** 55 to 65 minutes · **Protein:** 8g per serving

### Ingredients

- 3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups, 340g)
- 1 container (170g, about ¾ cup) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs (150g)
- ¼ cup (83g) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (28g) canola oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup (81g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon (5g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (1.5g) salt
- Optional: ½ cup (58g) chopped walnuts

### Method

1.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment.
2.

Blend the oats in a blender until they look like fine flour, about 30 seconds. Tip them into a bowl and whisk in the whole-wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
3.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas until almost smooth. Whisk in the eggs, yogurt, maple syrup, oil and vanilla.
4.

Add the dry mix to the wet and stir only until no dry flour shows. Fold in the walnuts if you’re using them.
5.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean. If the top browns fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it for the last 15 minutes.
6.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

University of Illinois Extension bakes its whole-wheat banana loaf at 350°F for about an hour and uses the same toothpick test. This batter is wetter, so trust the toothpick. Don’t taste the raw batter: the FDA says never to eat raw flour, dough or batter, because raw flour and raw eggs can carry harmful bacteria.

## Is banana bread healthy?

A classic banana bread is closer to cake than bread, but you can make it a lot more nourishing. Here’s this loaf next to USDA’s entry for banana bread made from a standard recipe:

| Per slice | This loaf (1/8 loaf) | Classic banana bread (60g slice) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Calories | 227 | 196 |
| Protein | 8.3g | 2.6g |
| Fiber | 3.9g | 0.7g |
| Fat | 6.6g | 6.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 35.5g | 32.8g |
| Total sugar | 12.5g (6.3g added) | Not listed by USDA |
| Sodium | 267mg | 181mg |

Our slice is bigger, about twice the weight, so it has a few more calories. Weight for weight, the difference is clearer. Per 100 grams of batter, this loaf has about 184 calories, 6.8g of protein and 3.2g of fiber. USDA’s classic banana bread has 326 calories, 4.3g of protein and 1.1g of fiber per 100 grams once baked. Baking drives off some water, so baked figures run a little higher.

The sodium comes mostly from the baking soda. If you watch salt, you can leave the ¼ teaspoon of salt out.

## How much protein is in a slice?

About 8 grams. Eggs and yogurt do most of the work, and the whole grains add more than you’d expect.

| Ingredient | Protein per loaf | Protein per slice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 large eggs | 18.8g | 2.4g |
| Greek yogurt, 170g | 17.3g | 2.2g |
| Whole-wheat flour, 1 cup | 15.9g | 2.0g |
| Rolled oats, 1 cup | 10.7g | 1.3g |
| 3 bananas | 3.7g | 0.5g |
| **Total** | **66.5g** | **8.3g** |
| *With ½ cup walnuts* | *75.4g* | *9.4g* |

Walnuts lift each slice to about 9g of protein and 275 calories. Want more? Spread a slice with a spoon of Greek yogurt, or pair it with something from our list of [high protein snacks](https://nourishandstrong.com/high-protein-snacks). You can also stir a scoop of protein powder into the dry mix, but labels vary, so add the protein from your tub’s label. For a protein breakfast that’s quicker still, try [cottage cheese pancakes](https://nourishandstrong.com/cottage-cheese-pancakes).

## How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?

Very ripe, with peels that are heavily speckled or mostly brown. America’s Test Kitchen baked loaves with green, yellow and brown bananas and found the riper the banana, the more flavorful the bread. Starch turns to sugar as a banana ripens, and that sugar keeps the crumb moist and tender.

- **Green or all yellow:** hard to mash, with a drier loaf and a flat, starchy taste. Wait a few days.
- **Yellow with a few brown spots:** fine to eat, but the bread will taste only mildly of banana.
- **Heavily speckled to mostly brown:** best for baking. Sweet, soft and easy to mash.
- **Black peel, soft fruit:** still good inside if there’s no mold, leaking or sour smell. Our guide to [overripe bananas](https://nourishandstrong.com/what-to-do-with-overripe-bananas) shows when to toss one.

To hurry bananas along, the test kitchen suggests a paper bag with a ripe banana or other ripe fruit, which can speed ripening by a day or two. If your bananas ripen before you’re ready to bake, [freeze them mashed](https://nourishandstrong.com/how-to-freeze-bananas) in measured bags and thaw them for the next loaf.

## Can you make healthy banana bread muffins?

Yes. The same batter fills a 12-cup muffin tin. Grease or line the cups, fill them about three-quarters full and bake at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Each muffin has about 5.5g of protein, 151 calories, 2.6g of fiber and 4.2g of added sugar.

## Is there a 3 ingredient healthy banana bread?

The closest thing that really works is a 3-ingredient banana oat muffin. Texas A&M AgriLife’s version uses 4 ripe bananas, 3 cups of old-fashioned oats and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mash the bananas, stir in the oats and vanilla, fill 12 muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.

By our USDA calculation, each one has about 113 calories, 3g of protein, 3g of fiber and no added sugar. With no egg or leavening, they’re dense and chewy, more like a soft oat bar than a slice of bread. For protein, the main recipe gives nearly three times as much.

## Can you use Greek yogurt instead of butter in banana bread?

Yes. That’s the main swap in this recipe. The yogurt keeps the loaf moist and adds protein, while 2 tablespoons of oil keeps it tender. Other swaps that work:

- **Butter instead of oil:** same amount, melted. It saves about 5 calories a slice and changes little else.
- **Less sugar:** cut the maple syrup to 2 tablespoons. The loaf will be less sweet, with about 3g of added sugar a slice.
- **Add-ins:** a handful of blueberries, dark chocolate chips or pumpkin seeds.

## Why is my banana bread gummy or dense?

Usually the loaf needs more time in the oven. A dense, wet center means the toothpick came out too soon, so bake it 5 to 10 minutes longer. Very ripe bananas also make a denser, more compact crumb than yellow ones, the test kitchen found, so expect a moist loaf. Two more fixes: stir only until the flour disappears, and let the loaf cool completely before you slice it.

## Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?

A moist loaf like this one keeps better in the fridge. Clemson Cooperative Extension lists moist breads made with banana, pumpkin or zucchini among the baked foods that need refrigeration for quality and safety. Here’s how long it keeps:

| Where | How long | Tip |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Refrigerator, 34 to 40°F | 3 to 7 days | Wrap well or use an airtight box. |
| Freezer, 0°F or below | 2 to 4 months | Wrap in plastic, then foil. |

To freeze, cool the loaf completely first. University of Tennessee Extension wraps quick breads in plastic wrap and then foil, labeled with the date, which helps keep out condensation and freezer burn. Slice before freezing so you can pull out one piece at a time. If you spot mold, Clemson says to throw the bread away and not scrape it off, because mold can root deep into soft food.

## What else can you make with ripe bananas?

Utah State University Extension calls bananas a good source of potassium and fiber. See how they compare in [bananas vs other fruit](https://nourishandstrong.com/banana-vs-other-fruit), or read what happens when you eat [a banana every day](https://nourishandstrong.com/banana-every-day). For more ways to fill your plate with fiber, start with our list of [high fiber foods](https://nourishandstrong.com/high-fiber-foods). Planning a holiday spread? This loaf sits happily next to our [healthy Thanksgiving sides](https://nourishandstrong.com/healthy-thanksgiving-sides).

Nutrition is an estimate from USDA data and varies with brands. If you’d like 60 more simple banana recipes and a 7-day plan, take a look at [The Banana Book](https://nourishandstrong.com/banana-book).

## Quick questions

### Is banana bread healthy?

Classic banana bread is closer to cake, with 196 calories but only 2.6g of protein and 0.7g of fiber in a 60g slice, according to USDA data. A version made with Greek yogurt, eggs, oats and whole-wheat flour gives about 8g of protein and 4g of fiber a slice, with about 6g of added sugar.

### Can you freeze banana bread?

Yes, banana bread freezes well. Clemson Cooperative Extension lists quick breads at 2 to 4 months in a freezer kept at 0 degrees F or below. Cool the loaf completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap and foil. Slicing it first lets you thaw one piece at a time.

### Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?

A moist banana bread keeps better in the fridge. Clemson Cooperative Extension says moist breads with banana, pumpkin or zucchini need refrigeration for quality and safety, and it lists quick breads at 3 to 7 days in a fridge held at 34 to 40 degrees F. Freeze any you won’t eat by then.

### How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?

Use bananas with heavily speckled or mostly brown peels. In America’s Test Kitchen’s side-by-side loaves, the riper the banana, the more flavorful the bread, and brown bananas gave the moistest crumb. Yellow bananas with only a few spots made bread that lacked banana flavor.

### Can you use Greek yogurt instead of butter in banana bread?

Yes. Greek yogurt keeps banana bread moist and adds protein. In this recipe, a 170g container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt adds 17.3g of protein to the loaf, based on USDA data. Keeping 2 tablespoons of oil or butter helps the crumb stay tender.

### Why is my banana bread gummy in the middle?

A gummy middle usually means the loaf is underbaked. Bake until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, which takes about an hour at 350 degrees F for most loaves, and let it cool completely before slicing. Very ripe bananas also make a naturally denser, moister crumb.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA data and will vary with brands and portions. If you have diabetes, a food allergy, celiac disease or a diet set by your doctor, ask what suits you.

## Sources

- [USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy data (nutrients per 100g and portion weights, including Bread, banana, prepared from recipe, made with margarine)](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/)
- [Cook's Country, America's Test Kitchen. Banana Ripeness in Banana Bread](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cookscountry/how_tos/8420-banana-ripeness-in-banana-bread)
- [University of Illinois Extension. Banana Bread](https://extension.illinois.edu/diabetes/recipes/banana-bread)
- [Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Dinner Tonight. Fruity Oat Muffins](https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu/recipe/fruity-oat-muffins/)
- [Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center. Food Storage: Refrigerator & Freezer](https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/food-storage-refrigerator-freezer/)
- [Clemson Cooperative Extension. Moldy Cakes, Pies, & Bread (2022)](https://blogs.clemson.edu/savannahvalley/moldy-cakes-pies-bread/)
- [University of Tennessee Extension. Quick Breads for Quick Treats (November 2023)](https://bedford.tennessee.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/162/2024/01/Seasonal-Eating-Newspaper-Article-November-2023.pdf)
- [Utah State University Extension. Bananas](https://extension.usu.edu/nutrition/research/bananas)
- [U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Handling Flour Safely: What You Need to Know](https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-flour-safely-what-you-need-know)