How to Sweeten Food With Bananas Instead of Sugar

Craving sweet food is natural, but consuming lots of added sugar isn’t. Too much of it in your diet can lead to poor digestion and moodiness and negatively impact your overall health. So if you’re cutting down on added sugar, learning how to use bananas as a sweetener can go a long way.

Ripe bananas contain over 14 grams of sugar, making them one of the sweetest fruits we eat, but they also come packed with fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar.

Plus, thanks to their creamy texture, and how well they hold up to freezing and baking, bananas are an incredibly versatile and inexpensive way to sweeten food without refined sugar.

Using bananas as a sweetener in treats is just one way to eat more dessert and make them fit into a healthy eating plan.

Below are some easy ways to substitute bananas for sugar in desserts.

1. Ice Cream

Thanks to their rich and creamy texture, bananas are an excellent base for a frozen treat.

• Chocolate banana protein ice cream isn’t just a delicious dessert — it’s filling, too.
• “Nice cream” is a treat that only requires frozen bananas.
• The PB addition in chocolate peanut butter protein ice cream adds comforting peanut butter flavor to the chocolate protein ice cream recipe above.

2. Breads and Muffins

Though traditionally used as a fat replacer, bananas are sweet enough to swap out for sugar in quick breads and muffins.

• Chocolate chip banana bread employs both vanilla and cinnamon for well-rounded flavor.
• These banana muffins are technically oatmeal — but you’d never know.

Puddings and Shakes

Blended bananas work their magic way beyond smoothies!

• Chocolate banana pudding has protein-rich Greek yogurt and can help you recover from workouts, too.
• Peanut butter shakes are meant for breakfast, but are tasty enough to do double-duty as dessert.
• Banana cream pie chia pudding will give your day the decadence it needs.

… And Beyond

If you have a dessert idea, chances are bananas fit well with it.

You can make a sauce for bread pudding by mixing mashed banana with coconut milk, a topping for pancakes by mashing a banana with a smidge of maple syrup, or sweeten your overnight oats with thinly sliced layers of them.

Whichever way you cut — or mash— them, bananas are a healthy substitute for sugar.