Plantains Nutrition Facts

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Do you also love tasty, crunchy plantain chips as I do? The following post is for plantain lovers. It contains everything about plantains, including plantains nutrition facts. Read on and enjoy plantains snacks more...

Plantains look like bananas, so many people confuse plantains with bananas. The accompanying picture shows the difference between bananas and plantains. Plantains are starchy and not sweet like bananas. Plantains are used as vegetable while banana is eaten as fruit. Plantains resemble green bananas. When ripe, they turn black. They are quite longer than bananas and they also have thicker skin as compared to bananas.

Plantains

Plantains belong to the genus Musa and they are quite firmer than bananas. They are lower in sugar content than dessert bananas. Banana is often eaten raw but plantains require cooking or other processing. Nutritional benefits of plantains and banana are almost the same. When plantains are green or under-ripe, they are starchy and when they are overripe, they are sweet. They contain about 65% moisture while bananas contain about 83% moisture. They are a staple food and they are consumed in almost the same way as potatoes. They are native to India and Southern Asia but they are very popular in Western Africa and the Caribbean countries and other parts of America. Plantain leaves are larger and stronger than banana leaves. They can be as large as two meters long and can be used to wrap any kind of seasoned meat while cooking to keep the flavor in. These leaves are used like plates while serving and they add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. They also have a religious significance in almost all Hindu rituals. They are simply boiled or fried or added to a soup. Grilled, baked, steamed plantains are also popular. Ripe plantains are used in sweet dishes. Steam-cooked plantains are considered nutritious for both infants and the elderly.

They contain about 65% moisture while bananas contain about 83% moisture. They are a staple food and they are consumed in almost the same way as potatoes. They are native to India and Southern Asia but they are very popular in Western Africa and the Caribbean countries and other parts of America.

Plantain leaves are larger and stronger than banana leaves. They can be as large as two meters long and can be used to wrap any kind of seasoned meat while cooking to keep the flavor in. These leaves are used like plates while serving and they add a subtle but essential aroma to the dish. They also have a religious significance in almost all Hindu rituals.

They are simply boiled or fried or added to a soup. Grilled, baked, steamed plantains are also popular. Ripe plantains are used in sweet dishes. Steam-cooked plantains are considered nutritious for both infants and the elderly.

Plantains Nutrition Facts of 1 Cup (sliced)/approx.148 gm Green Plantains

Calories - 181 kcal Total Fat - 1 gm Saturated Fat - 0 gm Cholesterol - 0 gm Sodium - 6 mg Potassium - 739 mg Magnesium - 54.8 mg Phosphorus - 50.3 mg Zinc - 0.2 mg Copper - 0.1 mg Selenium - 2.2 mcg Water - 96.6 gm

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - 37 mg Omega 6 Fatty Acid - 63.6 mg Dietary Fiber - 3.4 gm Sugars - 22.2 gm Total Carbohydrates - 47.2 gm Vitamin A - 1668 IU Vitamin C - 27.2 mg Vitamin E - 0.2 mg Vitamin K - 1mcg Vitamin B6 - 0.4 mg

Riboflavin - 0.1mg Folate - 32.6 mcg Choline - 20 mg Pantothenic Acid - 0.4mg Protein - 1.9 gm

Nutrition Facts of 3 oz or 3 medium pieces of Fried Plantains

Calories - 170 kcal Total Fat - 2 gm Saturated Fat - 0.5 g Cholesterol - 0 gm Sodium - 0 mg Potassium - 480 mg Dietary Fiber - 9 gm Protein - 1 gm Sugars - 2 gm Total Carbohydrates - 37 gm Vitamin A - 0 Vitamin C - 4 Iron - 2%

Nutritional Facts of 5.2 oz or 5 medium pieces of Sweet Plantains

Calories - 310 kcal Total Fat - 8 gm Saturated Fat - 1.5 gm Sodium - 5 mg Dietary Fiber - 6 gm Sugars - 19 gm Total Carbohydrates - 63 gm

From here, it is clear that plantains are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are good sources of potassium. They are rich in vitamin C. They contain various other vitamins and minerals too. A large portion of plantains calories comes from sugars. Plantains are dried and ground into flour which is used in a number of recipes.

If you are interested in plantain snacks recipes, you can copy them from the internet. Delicious plantain chips are perfect for kids and the elderly. Plantains nutrition facts are useful for foodies who love plantains. I hope you also found the information beneficial.