Health benefits of plantains
Plantain has more calories weight for
weight than in the fruit bananas. 100
g plantain consists of 122 calories,
while dessert banana has 89 calories.
Indeed, they are very reliable sources
of starch and energy ensuring food
security for millions of households
worldwide.
It contains 2.3 g of dietary fiber per
100 g (6% of DRA per 100 g).
Adequate amount of Dietary-fiber in
the food helps normal bowel
movements, thereby reducing
constipation problems.
Fresh plátanos have more vitamin C
than bananas. 100 g provide 18.4 mg
or 31% of daily required levels of this
vitamin. Consumption of foods rich in
vitamin-C helps the body develop
resistance against infectious agents
and scavenge harmful oxygen-free
radicals.
Plantains have more vitamin A than
bananas. 100 g fresh ripe plantains
contain 1127 IU or 37.5% of daily
required levels of this vitamin. In
addition to being a powerful
antioxidant, vitamin A plays a vital role
in the visual cycle, maintaining healthy
mucus membranes, and enhancing
skin complexion.
As in bananas, they too are rich
sources of B-complex vitamins,
particularly high in vitamin-B6
(pyridoxine). Pyridoxine is an
important B-complex vitamin that has
a beneficial role in the treatment of
neuritis, anemia, and to decrease
homocystine (one of the causative
factors for coronary artery disease
(CHD) and stroke episodes) levels in
the body. In addition, the fruit
contains moderate levels of folates,
niacin, riboflavin and thiamin.
They also provide adequate levels of
minerals such as iron, magnesium, and
phosphorous. Magnesium is essential
for bone strengthening and has a
cardiac-protective role as well.
Fresh plantains have more potassium
than bananas. 100 g fruit provides 499
mg of potassium (358 mg per 100 g
for bananas ). Potassium is an
important component of cell and body
fluids that helps control heart rate and
blood pressure, countering negative
effects of sodium.
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