Pacific Plantains and African Plantains are two clearly defined AAB subgroups. This may not be very exciting when you are hungry and just want something to eat.
Simply put, it is all about personal choice for flavour and taste.
Even though bananas originally came from the Asia-Pacific region, the diversity of Plantain "cultivars" is highest in Africa, especially West and Central Africa. [A cultivar is the basic grouping, or taxon (= culton), for cultivated varieties of a species which in this case refers specifically to bananas].
Pacific plantains are sometimes used informally to refer to the subgroups of banana that were domesticated in the Pacific region.
The Pacific Plantain is a nutrient packed banana fruit that provides many vitamins and minerals, and it can be a great flavoursome enhancement or substitute for rice or potatoes.
Magnesium + B6
Nutritionally, plantains contain more vitamins A and C than traditional bananas, plus they are rich sources of vitamin B6, potassium and fibre.
* Vitamin B6 is very important for people who have nerve damage and potassium is very important in assisting to maintain heart health, especially when combined with magnesium.
Pacific Plantains can be boiled, roasted, baked, grilled, spiced up or even added to curries just like their African cousins.
Nutrition Values
Before cooking, one cup of Pacific Plantains contains approx.
181 calories
47 grams carbohydrates
1.9 grams protein
0.5 grams fat
3.4 grams fibre
27.2 milligrams vitamin C (45% RDI DV)
1,668 IU vitamin A (33% RDI)
0.4 milligram vitamin B6 (22% RDI)
739 milligrams potassium (21% RDI)
55 milligrams magnesium (14% RDI)
0.9 milligrams iron (5% RDI)
Did you know that after cooking these numbers change?
By cooking Pacific Plantains this cooking changes the fruit's nutritional value.
So one cup of cooked, Pacific Plantains now has:
232 calories
62.3 grams carbohydrates
1.6 grams protein
0.4 gram fat
4.6 grams fibre
1,818 IU vitamin A (36% RDI)
21.8 milligrams vitamin C (36% RDI)
930 milligrams potassium (27% RDI)
0.5 milligram vitamin B6 (24% RDI)
64 milligrams magnesium (16% RDI)
1.2 milligrams iron (6% RDI)
Health Benefits of Pacific Plantains
Pacific Plantains are a solid source of fibre, carbohydrates with a low fat content, but they also provide a number of other health benefits as well.
Help regulate the digestive system
Great source of potassium
Reduce the number of harmful free radicals
Plantain Recipes
To see some plantain recipes, please click the YouTube button.
Plantain Overview
Remember that when Plantains are black, that is when they are the sweetest and can be used for deserts.
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