Bananas are one of the most familiar fruits. But, have you heard about plantain, it is just as looks like a banana, but it is larger in size and thick-skinned. Of course, you can eat raw bananas, but can you eat plantains raw? We will answer this question in this article and explain it clearly.
Contents
What Are Plantains?
Plantains are nothing but a type of banana, but it is bigger than a banana and has thick skin. It is in the colors green, yellow and black. You can eat plantain raw, but it is not popular around to eat them raw because it has poor taste and has high starch. Starch will be converted into sugar when plantain is ripe. It has more vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium.
It is a type of banana that isn’t enjoyable when eaten raw. If you find it tasty, you can eat it or else you can cook it into many dishes. Plantains contain potassium which acts as an antioxidant.
Ways To Eat Plantains Raw
We can eat plantains, either cooked or raw. That’s totally up to your own choice because some people don’t like a fruit which has poor taste. If we cook plantains, they will taste much more delicious, and there are many recipes to cook plantains.
One of the methods to cook plantains is to cut them into chip-like shape and fry it or make them boil for 30 minutes. It tastes better with rice. Some people like raw plantain taste so you don’t have to cook for them.
We can also bake raw plantain into flour, and with flour, we can make cakes, cookies, and bread. You can make different types of dishes with plantains if you don’t like to eat them raw.
Benefits Of Eating Plantains
Plantains contain fiber, so it helps in regulating movements. Plantains have more antioxidants, which reduce the aging effect in the human body. It also supports the human immune system in various ways. These days plantains are one of the best ways to gain natural immunity power.
One of the important things it provides is potassium which can lower blood pressure. Low blood pressure is good for the heart, and it reduces heart-related illnesses. It is useful for people who have high blood pressure.
Plantains are good for weight loss. Because it has complex carbohydrates, it takes time to digest, so in between, we can’t be able to eat any other foods. These carbohydrates help to burn fat and maintain
optimal metabolism.
Effects Of Eating Raw Plantains
It doesn’t have any significant side effects. But some people report that when having plantains causes diarrhea and low blood pressure. If you have an allergy to plantains, you shouldn’t eat them raw.
It can raise the sugar level in the blood, so people who have diabetes must take plantain with proper medical guidance. Some people have allergic reactions to plantains that can trigger breathing difficulties, itching, and swelling of the mouth.
It has vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and antioxidants, so it is advisable to eat them both raw and cooked. When the plantains are ripe, starch is converted into sugar. The way you eat them will be your choice. Plantains are nothing more different than a banana, and it is available in the market too.
FAQs
1. Can we eat plantains raw?
Yes, we can eat plantains raw and cooked too. It tastes better when it’s cooked.
2. How to distinguish between banana and plantain?
Bananas have soft skin, and it’s in smaller shape compared to plantains. You can eat raw bananas, and it tastes good. Plantains are comparatively had thick skin and are larger. We can eat raw plantains also, but it doesn’t taste good.
3. Do plantains help reduce weight?
Yes, it helps lose weight. The reason is it has complex carbohydrates that get digested very slowly, so we will feel full and won’t have an appetite for a brief time. Also, these complex carbohydrates burn fat.
4. Do plantains cause side effects?
Normally, they don’t cause any side effects, but some people say they experience diarrhea, and some have allergies to plantains.
