Is Eating Turon Healthy? A Balanced Look at the Filipino Snack

November 3, 2025 •

5 min read

A single piece of traditional deep-fried turon can contain hundreds of calories and significant added sugar. While the core ingredient—the saba banana—is quite nutritious, is eating turon healthy when considering the frying oil and caramelization? This article breaks down the facts to give you a clearer picture.

Quick Summary

The healthiness of turon depends on its preparation. While bananas offer nutrients like potassium and fiber, deep-frying and high sugar content increase calories and fat. Healthier alternatives like baking can significantly reduce these drawbacks.

Key Points

Traditional Turon is High in Calories and Fat: The deep-frying process and added sugar significantly increase the caloric and fat content, especially if cooked in unhealthy oils.
Saba Bananas are Nutritious: The core ingredient, saba bananas, provide potassium, fiber, and vitamins, offering health benefits not found in processed snacks.
Healthier Cooking Methods Exist: Baking and air-frying are excellent alternatives to deep-frying, producing a crispy turon with significantly less oil and calories.
Watch the Sugar Content: The caramelized sugar coating dramatically increases the sugar in traditional turon. Reduce this or skip it entirely for a healthier version.
Moderation is Key: As with most treats, the health impact of turon depends on frequency and portion size. It can be enjoyed occasionally as part of a balanced diet.
Consider Healthier Fillings: While jackfruit adds fiber, adding ingredients like chocolate chips or cheese can increase the fat and sugar content.
Drain Properly: For any version, draining the turon on a wire rack can help shed excess oil or prevent the caramel from sticking.

A Balanced Look at Turon's Ingredients

At its heart, turon is a simple snack, traditionally made from just a few key ingredients: saba bananas, brown sugar, a spring roll wrapper, and cooking oil for deep-frying. The nutrition of the snack starts with its core component, the banana.

The Nutritional Benefits of Saba Banana

Saba bananas are the star of the show and offer a host of health benefits. These bananas are a good source of:

Potassium: Crucial for heart health and regulating blood pressure.
Fiber: Supports digestive health and helps you feel full.
Vitamins: Rich in vitamin B6 and vitamin C.
Antioxidants: Helps protect the body from oxidative damage.

The Role of Jackfruit (Langka)

Many turon recipes also include a strip of jackfruit (langka), which adds another layer of flavor and texture. Jackfruit is a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and when used in small quantities, it adds nutritional value without significantly increasing the calorie count.

The Drawbacks: Frying and Sugar

The healthiness of turon takes a turn when you consider how it’s prepared. Traditional turon is deep-fried in oil and often has extra sugar caramelized around the wrapper, which adds considerable calories and unhealthy fats.

Health Implications of Traditional Turon

Consuming deep-fried foods regularly has been linked to several negative health effects.

High Calories and Fat: Deep-frying causes food to absorb oil, dramatically increasing its calorie and fat content. The type of oil used also matters; reusing oil or using unstable oils can create trans fats, which are linked to heart disease.
Increased Risk of Chronic Diseases: Frequent consumption of deep-fried foods is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Harmful Compounds: Frying at high temperatures can create compounds like acrylamide, which have been linked to an increased cancer risk in animal studies.
High Sugar Content: In addition to the natural sugars in the banana, the added brown sugar and caramelized coating contribute to a high overall sugar content. Excessive sugar intake is linked to weight gain, inflammation, and an increased risk of chronic disease.

Traditional vs. Healthier Turon

To illustrate the difference, here is a comparison of traditional deep-fried turon versus a healthier, baked or air-fried version.


Feature	Traditional Deep-Fried Turon	Healthier Baked/Air-Fried Turon
Cooking Method	Submerged in hot oil	Cooked with minimal oil using hot air
Fat Content	High, from absorbed frying oil	Low, from minimal oil used for brushing
Calorie Count	Higher (often over 300 kcal per piece)	Significantly lower (often under 100 kcal per piece)
Wrapper Texture	Crispy and slightly greasy	Crispy and flaky
Added Sugar	Often coated in caramelized sugar	Can be used minimally or substituted
Health Impact	Associated with risks of heart disease and weight gain	Better for heart health and weight management

How to Make Turon Healthier

If you love turon but want to make it a healthier treat, here are some alternatives:

Baking or Air-Frying: Instead of deep-frying, arrange the turon on a baking sheet and bake at a high temperature until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, use an air fryer for a similar crispy result with much less oil.
Reduce the Sugar: While some brown sugar is used to coat the banana, you can significantly reduce the amount or omit the extra caramelization step entirely.
Use Healthy Oils: If pan-frying is necessary, use a healthier oil like avocado or coconut oil, which are more stable at higher temperatures.
Control Portion Sizes: Enjoying one small turon can be a treat rather than a habit. Pair it with a high-protein snack to help manage satiety and blood sugar levels.

Conclusion: Is Eating Turon Healthy?

Ultimately, is eating turon healthy? The answer is that it depends heavily on how it is prepared and consumed. A traditional turon is more of an occasional indulgence due to its high calorie, fat, and sugar content from deep-frying and caramelization. However, at its core, the dish contains a nutritious banana filling, and by opting for alternative cooking methods like baking or air-frying, you can create a much healthier version that retains the delicious flavor and crunch without the excessive fat and calories. Enjoyed in moderation and with mindful preparation, turon can be a delightful and less guilty snack. For more information on the health risks of fried foods in general, you can consult this article from the Cleveland Clinic.

Healthy Turon Alternatives

Air-Fried Turon: Achieve a crispy wrapper with a fraction of the oil by using an air fryer instead of deep-frying.
Baked Turon: Forgo deep-frying and bake your turon in the oven for a crispy, flaky result with less fat.
Reduced-Sugar Turon: Use less brown sugar on the bananas and skip the extra step of caramelizing sugar in the oil to reduce the overall sugar content.
Grilled Turon: For a different flavor, lightly grill the wrapped turon for a smoky finish instead of frying.
Banana-Only Filling: While jackfruit is a healthy addition, a simple banana-only turon can help simplify the snack and reduce preparation time.
Dip, Don't Coat: Skip the messy caramel and simply serve baked turon with a light drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Fruit Salad Instead: If you want to avoid all added sugar and oil, simply enjoy the inherent nutrition of the saba banana and jackfruit in a fresh fruit salad.

A Note on Moderation and Balance

Even with healthier modifications, remember that balance is key. Enjoying a piece of turon as an occasional treat is unlikely to impact your overall health significantly. However, making it a daily habit—especially the traditional deep-fried version—can contribute to long-term health issues. Prioritizing whole, unprocessed foods and using healthier cooking methods for treats will help you maintain a balanced diet.

Conclusion

In summary, while the foundation of turon is a nutritious banana, the traditional deep-frying and heavy caramelization make it a high-calorie, high-sugar snack. Fortunately, by adopting alternative cooking methods like baking or air-frying and controlling the amount of added sugar, you can enjoy this beloved Filipino treat in a much healthier way. It's a testament to how preparation can transform a food's nutritional profile, turning a less-healthy snack into a more balanced indulgence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Turon is commonly enjoyed as both a snack (merienda) and a dessert in the Philippines. It's a popular street food but can also be served at the end of a meal, sometimes with ice cream.

Yes, saba bananas are a nutritious fruit that is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. These nutrients are beneficial for heart health and digestion.

Yes, if you can find gluten-free spring roll or lumpia wrappers, the rest of the recipe (banana, jackfruit, sugar) is naturally gluten-free. Always check the wrapper's ingredients.

To get a crispy texture without deep-frying, bake your turon in a preheated oven or use an air fryer. Brushing the rolls with a small amount of oil or melted butter before baking can enhance the browning and crispiness.

The health difference lies in the core ingredients. Turon's banana filling offers more nutritional benefits (vitamins, fiber) than many other fried snacks, but the high calorie and fat content from frying are comparable to other deep-fried foods.

Yes, baking turon significantly reduces the calorie count by using much less oil compared to deep-frying. For example, a baked version may have less than 100 calories per piece, whereas a deep-fried one can have over 300.

Saba bananas are traditional due to their starchy texture, but you can use ripe plantains or even firmer regular bananas as a substitute. The flavor and texture may vary slightly.