Plantain is one staple crop mostly eaten in Ghana due to its role in the preparation of fufu. It can also be eaten separately whiles cooked, with kontommire stew or any sauce of your choosing. Today I am going to show you 7 reasons why you must eat more plantain. Have you ever struggled trying to explain to your spouse why he/she should let you consume fufu or plantain ampesie more often? Your worry is over. Keep two or three of these tips below in your head to make your arguments stronger.
1. Plantain relatively has more calories weight for weight. 100 g plantain holds about 122 calories. Indeed, they are very reliable sources of starch and energy; ensuring food security for millions of inhabitants worldwide.
2. 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.
3. Fresh plantain have vitamin C. 100g 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. However, boiling and cooking destroys much of this vitamin in plantains.
4. Plantains carry more vitamin A than bananas. 100g fresh ripe plantains contain 1127 IU or 37.5% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Besides being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A plays a vital role in the visual cycle, maintaining healthy mucus membranes, and enhancing skin complexion.
5. They 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, anaemia, 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 thiamine.
6. 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.
7. Fresh plantains have more potassium than bananas. 100g fruit provides 499mg 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.