What nutrients does a ripe plantain have? Plantains contain carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. And this food has been around to human beings for many centuries. One cup of plantain has about 3 grams of fiber, so this is helpful for digestive health. The resistance starch in plantains acts a prebiotic which helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria in your colon.
What Nutrients Does A Ripe Plaintain Have? Photo credit: JulieHewett
Having daily fiber in your diet will help make you more fuller and slow the digestion process as well as help reduce your cholesterol levels. The fiber also helps to promote healthy bowel function.
1 cup of plantain has about 23 grams of Vitamin C which helps you meet your daily recommended amount. And vitamin C helps to heighten your immune system because of its antioxidant effects. Plantains contains about 663 mg of potassium which is good for the heart. Potassium helps to control blood sugar levels, heart rate and blood pressure. And it helps to maintain your cell and bodily fluids.
One of the best ways to make sure you keep it healthy is to not fry the plantains. Frying plantains in unhealthy oil decreases the health aspect of a plantain. It is healthier to bake the plantain as opposed to frying it in unhealthy oil.
One cup of plantain has about 58 grams of carbs which will help boost your energy levels. As carbs is an essential nutrient for increasing your energy levels. Cooked plantains are similar to potatoes nutritionally, but it has a little bit more vitamins and minerals than a potato.
Some of the other vitamins, minerals, and health benefits it has is:
- It has Vitamin A, and it has 63 ug.
- It has Vitamin B6, and it has 0.29 mg
- It has magnesium and it has 57 mg.
- It has 2 grams of protein which is low.
- And it has 0.22 grams of fat which is also low.
Plantains taste better cooked then eating it raw. It is not like a banana where you can just open it up and eat it without cooking it. Plantains can be found in most local supermarkets and grocery stores. It is grown in countries like Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia. Plantains is also cheap to buy, and it is similar to bananas. And it is a nonseasonal crop, so it is available all throughout the year.
“Plantains have a GI index in the 40’s which is good for people that have diabetes.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike
Eating plantains is highly nutritious when it is boiled or cooked but not fried. To boil you need to remove the skin and cut it up in pieces like you would a potato.
The riper a plantain the higher the sugar content will be. So, although extremely ripe plantain probably tastes better it is much higher in sugar.
When it comes to diabetes management control it is always important to eat foods that are low in glycemic index which helps to balance your blood sugar levels. Plantains have a GI index in the 40’s which is good for people that have diabetes. One of the reasons why plantains doesn’t spike the blood sugar because it doesn’t digest in the small intestine.
The Bottom Line is plantains is a readily available food that contains a lot of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy.
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