Plantains?

[avo]

Are these okay to eat? I have a super-ripe (mostly black, starting to mold) plantain waiting for me, should I try it raw? Is it a Wai-friendly food, or is it too starchy (even when black)?

[Cairidh]

I didnt know it was possible to eat them raw until recently.
I used to love them cooked - I'd boil rock hard plantains then mash them and mix them with roasted peppers, chives and other things I can't remember.

[RRM]

To me they taste awful.
Plantains contain quite a lot of 'anti-nutrients', such as

- glycosides (eg aucubin, which readily binds to nutrients and toxins)
- apigenin (flavonoid; its radicals and anti-promotion activity is beneficial regarding cancer cells but interferes with normal metabolisms as well)
- baicalein (flavonoid; inhibits proliferation and mitogenesis of cells)
- benzoic acid (regarded as a safe, natural 'preservative with germicidal properties, but needs to be detoxified by the liver)
- chlorogenic acid (polyphenol; antioxidant with low toxic properties; inhibits glucose-6-phosphate metabolism, interfering with energy management)
- ferulic acid (also an antioxidant that interferes with energy metabolism, and cholesterol metabolism)
- salicylic acid (low toxic plant hormone with analgesic and anti-microbial properties that is used as preservative).

[fred]

Plantain banana seems to have interesting advantages compared to regular banana (see below). When over-riped (black and soft), one can eat it raw (or better juiced).
Has anyone already tried them?


http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/plantains.html :
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.

[RRM]

They taste awful to me.
The reason why plantains are usually cooked, is because of the higher contents of resistant starches,
which makes them relatively hard to digest. (cooking breaks these starches down)
Plantains contain 16.9% starches, pectin and cellulose, compared to only 3.5% in banana.

Plantain banana seems to have interesting advantages compared to regular banana

I dont think so.

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.

Constipation is not caused by a lack of fiber.
Watermelons contain only 0.2% fiber, but no way you will get constipated from eating watermelons.
Sugar and oil contain no fiber whatsoever, and are not constipating at all.
Meat (no fiber) is not constipating either, unless cooked.
Also, more fiber, is more gas.

Fresh plátanos have more vitamin C than bananas.

Vitamin C is the most (and very much) abundant vitamin on this diet.

Plantains have more vitamin A than bananas.

No lack of vitamin A on this diet either.
Fruits contain beta-carotene, which may be converted to vitamin A.

Also, plantain contains only 56 mcg vitamin A (per 100 gram)
egg yolks contain 881 mcg.
tuna 450 mcg

As in bananas, they too are rich sources of B-complex vitamins, particularly high in vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine).

Plantains contain 0.30 mg B6 (compared to 0.36 in banana)

They also provide adequate levels of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous.

They contain only 0.6 mg iron (compared to 7.2 in egg yolk and 0.6 in banana)
They contain 37 mg magnesium (compared to 36 in banana)
They contain 34 mg phosphorus (compared to 590 in egg yolk and 28 in banana)

Fresh plantains have more potassium than bananas.

499 mg vs 393 mg.
Potassium is in every food in this diet.
1 avocado contains 870 mg potassium.
1 L of OJ contains 1570 mg.
1 average honeydew contains 2981 mg.
A non issue.

[fred]

I have juiced 3 plantains this morning and they tastes absolutely great! something like a mousse with apricot jam.
The plantain needs to be fully ripe, black and totally soft in order for the starch to be converted in glucose. It may takes several weeks or months as plantains contain less water than banana so the ripening process is much slower compared to bananas.
I find them more nutritious than bananas and you can't overeat them!

[RRM]

Less water should mean more nutrient dense.
Im curious what the results will be (regarding your bowels and the extra polysaccharides) after a week or 2 of eating plantains daily.

[fred]

I have to seriously limit my fiber intake, so I won't eat them everyday. And I don't have some fully ripe available everyday.
However the juicer does a good job removing fibers/seeds.
Do you know if resistant starch are converted to glucose when fully ripe? They taste much sweeter than banana.

[RRM]

Do you know if resistant starch are converted to glucose when fully ripe?

When fully ripe, they still contain resistant starches etc, but this will go down more as they get more brown / black (as they decompose).
Fully ripe banana will contain much less, though.

They taste much sweeter than banana.

As they contain more sugars (15.0%) than banana (12.2%) when fully ripe, they will taste a bit sweeter.

[fred]

Plantain are fruits so they should contain less anti-nutrients than grain or tuber, right ?

[RRM]

In theory, yes, fruits contain less anti-nutrients than grains and tubers,
though there are also some fruits that contain very high level, or specific anti-nutrients, or even toxins.