"We are dedicated to cruelty-free living through a vegetarian - vegan lifestyle. Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!"
(Plantain)
The plantain, scientifically named Musa paradisiaca, is a very starchy banana that is usually used in
cooking. However, they can also be eaten raw when they are very ripe with
the skin turning almost completely black. (See
Ripe Plantain.) It is usually not
considered an eating banana like the ones we are used to peeling
and eating, though we have eaten them that way after peeling them with a knife.
We first became acquainted with the plantain in the late 1960's when we visited
Jamaica. Until about 1990, we rarely saw them being sold in supermarkets,
but today they are common in the tropical fruit and vegetable section.
They are usually sold green, but occasionally we find ripe ones. If the
plantains are green, let them ripen on the kitchen counter until they turn
yellow, as in the picture above. Plantains do not peel like eating
bananas. We have found that the easiest way to peel a plantain is to cut
off the two ends with a knife, slit the skin lengthwise, and
then peel it. (If you do not need the plantain whole, cutting it in half also
makes it easier to peel.) The above left insert photo is of a whole peeled
plantain. Try our plantain recipes for baked plantain,
baked plantain with tofu and brown rice, and
others. See nutritional information below.
NDB No: 09278
Nutrient | Units | Value per 100 grams of edible portion |
Sample Count |
Std. Error |
---|---|---|---|---|
Proximates | ||||
Water |
g
|
67.30
|
6
|
1.106
|
Energy |
kcal
|
116
|
0
|
|
Energy |
kj
|
485
|
0
|
|
Protein |
g
|
0.79
|
3
|
0.042
|
Total lipid (fat) |
g
|
0.18
|
3
|
0.029
|
Carbohydrate, by difference |
g
|
31.15
|
0
|
|
Fiber, total dietary |
g
|
2.3
|
0
|
|
Ash |
g
|
0.58
|
3
|
0.035
|
Minerals | ||||
Calcium, Ca |
mg
|
2
|
3
|
0.289
|
Iron, Fe |
mg
|
0.58
|
3
|
0.029
|
Magnesium, Mg |
mg
|
32
|
3
|
2.921
|
Phosphorus, P |
mg
|
28
|
3
|
1.397
|
Potassium, K |
mg
|
465
|
3
|
24.884
|
Sodium, Na |
mg
|
5
|
3
|
0.312
|
Zinc, Zn |
mg
|
0.13
|
3
|
0.007
|
Copper, Cu |
mg
|
0.066
|
3
|
0.003
|
Selenium, Se |
mcg
|
1.4
|
0
|
|
Vitamins | ||||
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid |
mg
|
10.9
|
3
|
1.611
|
Thiamin |
mg
|
0.046
|
3
|
0.002
|
Riboflavin |
mg
|
0.052
|
3
|
0.009
|
Niacin |
mg
|
0.756
|
3
|
0.039
|
Pantothenic acid |
mg
|
0.233
|
3
|
0.004
|
Vitamin B-6 |
mg
|
0.240
|
3
|
0.013
|
Folate, total |
mcg
|
26
|
6
|
0.817
|
Folic acid |
mcg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Folate, food |
mcg
|
26
|
6
|
0.817
|
Folate, DFE |
mcg_DFE
|
26
|
0
|
|
Vitamin B-12 |
mcg
|
0.00
|
0
|
|
Vitamin A, IU |
IU
|
909
|
3
|
116.625
|
Vitamin A, RE |
mcg_RE
|
91
|
3
|
11.663
|
Vitamin E |
mg_ATE
|
0.140
|
0
|
|
Lipids | ||||
Fatty acids, total saturated |
g
|
0.069
|
0
|
|
4:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
6:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
8:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
10:0 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
12:0 |
g
|
0.001
|
0
|
|
14:0 |
g
|
0.001
|
0
|
|
16:0 |
g
|
0.047
|
0
|
|
18:0 |
g
|
0.002
|
0
|
|
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated |
g
|
0.015
|
0
|
|
16:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.005
|
0
|
|
18:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.010
|
0
|
|
20:1 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
22:1 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated |
g
|
0.033
|
0
|
|
18:2 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.021
|
0
|
|
18:3 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.012
|
0
|
|
18:4 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
20:4 undifferentiated |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
20:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
22:5 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
22:6 n-3 |
g
|
0.000
|
0
|
|
Cholesterol |
mg
|
0
|
0
|
|
Amino acids | ||||
Tryptophan |
g
|
0.009
|
0
|
|
Threonine |
g
|
0.021
|
0
|
|
Isoleucine |
g
|
0.022
|
0
|
|
Leucine |
g
|
0.036
|
0
|
|
Lysine |
g
|
0.037
|
0
|
|
Methionine |
g
|
0.010
|
0
|
|
Cystine |
g
|
0.012
|
0
|
|
Phenylalanine |
g
|
0.027
|
0
|
|
Tyrosine |
g
|
0.020
|
0
|
|
Valine |
g
|
0.028
|
0
|
|
Arginine |
g
|
0.066
|
0
|
|
Histidine |
g
|
0.039
|
0
|
|
Alanine |
g
|
0.031
|
0
|
|
Aspartic acid |
g
|
0.065
|
0
|
|
Glutamic acid |
g
|
0.070
|
0
|
|
Glycine |
g
|
0.027
|
0
|
|
Proline |
g
|
0.030
|
0
|
|
Serine |
g
|
0.025
|
0
|
|
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (July 2001)
Return to: Ingredients Description and Photos
The
above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31):
'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every
tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the
earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that
has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all
that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!