Plantains are a close relative of the banana and tend to be mistaken for them. Nearly 120 countries grow much of the world’s supply of plantains — like Uganda, Colombia and Cameroon. Plantains are starchier, contain less sugar than bananas and are much more versatile as a cooking ingredient. Also, unlike bananas, plantains are typically cooked before eating.
Despite their popularity in other countries, plantains are not as common in the U.S., but they are available in most large grocery stores. The plantain is nutrient-filled fruit that provides many vitamins and minerals, and it can be a great substitute for rice or potatoes. Here are three main reasons why knowing and eating plantains over bananas can have a profound effect on your every day life:
1. It can boost your brain power
Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, generates several important neurotransmitters that carry information from one cell to another. A serving of plantains can provide nearly 25 percent of your daily amount needed of vitamin B6.
Vitamin B6 benefits healthy brain function and, according to research published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, helps make hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine, which keep moods stable, and melatonin, which regulates the body’s clock.
A cup of plantains also contains 5 to 10 percent of the iron you need daily. Iron helps carry oxygen through your bloodstream, allowing for improved brain function, improves quick thinking on your feet and further benefits your muscles.
So you want to feel in a better mood? Try some plantains!
2. It is one of the biggest boosters of your Immune System.
Fiber has a profound effect on the digestive system and plays a significant role in keeping it regular. One cup of plantains provides almost a fifth of the fiber recommended daily, which is roughly 25–30 grams. As a high-fiber food, plantains add bulk to food intake, which aids digestion.
Plaintains help relieve constipation provide relief from hemorrhoids and digestive conditions like diverticulitis, and can also help stabilize blood sugar, preventing diabetes.
A serving of plantains can provide over 35 percent of the vitamin C needed per day, making it one of the best vitamin C foods around. (7) The body can’t store vitamin C (excess is released in urine) or produce it independently, so getting the daily recommended amount is very important.
Fiber also make you feel full, which can help with weight control. Thus, increasing intake of dietary fiber can also help enhance weight loss in obese individuals. Soluble fiber is also known to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, which prevents heart disease.
3. It is one of the largest amounts of Potassium
You might think bananas had potassium, but take a look at plantains! There are 913 milligrams of potassium in one cup of cooked, mashed plantains. That accounts for about 20 percent of your recommended daily amount of potassium, making plantains one of the most potassium-rich foods on the planet. Potassium is the third-most abundant mineral in the body, but when depleted, low potassium can affect the function of a number of organs and processes.
Potassium is an electrolyte and is affected greatly by the amount of sodium in the body. Potassium plays a major role in regulating blood pressure because it combats the effects of sodium. Many Western diets include too much sodium, which means we could all use more sources of potassium. Snacking on plantains or adding them as a side dish are delicious ways to reach your daily potassium goals and help naturally remedy high blood pressure.
Potassium levels also affect skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, which allows for regular digestive and muscular function. It also helps regulate heart rhythm, and studies show that people who consume diets with high potassium levels tend to be at a lower risk of stroke, osteoporosis and renal disease.
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