9 Delicious Plantain Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak plantains in salt water? ›

But since the unripe plantains don't taste like much on their own, soaking the slices in salt water will help draw out their subtle flavors. Soaking green plantains can also add moisture to the naturally dry starch and help the tostones to crisp up nicely when they're fried.

Green plantains are a top source of resistant starch, a type of fiber that's not found in many foods. Resistant starch passes through your system largely undigested, so blood sugar levels rise more slowly after you eat it than when you eat other types of carbs. This may help improve type 2 diabetes and control weight.

Plantains are a carb-rich food and a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain antioxidants that fight free radicals. With good levels of vitamin C, they can also support immune function. Likewise, their vitamin B6 content may reduce cardiovascular risk and improve mood.

Cooked plantains are nutritionally very similar to a potato, calorie-wise, but contain more of certain vitamins and minerals. They're a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, C, and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium. This hidden superfood warrants a trip your local grocery. Read on to learn why.

Healthiest Plantain Preparation

Plantains can be eaten raw or cooked but are usually enjoyed cooked in some way. Plantains can be baked, fried, boiled, or grilled. Ripe plantains can be peeled and eaten like a banana, but even ripe plantains are usually best enjoyed cooked.

In a bowl large enough to hold the plantains, combine the salt with ½ cup water and stir until dissolved. Add plantains and set aside to soak for 15 to 20 minutes. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add plantain slices to skillet.

Bananas and plantains have very similar nutrition profiles. Both are good sources of several vitamins, including potassium, magnesium and vitamin C. They're also good sources of fiber. Bananas do have more sugar, though, and plantains have more starch.

Lowers Blood Pressure Plantains are a wonderful source of potassium, an important mineral and electrolyte that reduces hypertension. One medium-sized boiled plantain has 1040 milligrams of potassium. Since most adults need between 2600--3400 milligrams per day, plantains can help you meet your requirements.

Plantains are a great food to eat if you have cirrhosis. They are high in potassium and magnesium, which can help to improve liver function. Plantains are also a good source of antioxidants, which can help to protect the liver from damage.

The starch and fiber in plantains can help support gut health. Research, as explained in a 2018 article published in Nutrients, has found that fiber from fruits is an essential part of supporting digestive health and may be influential in reducing the risk of developing IBS, IBD and diverticular disease.

Is plantain a laxative? ›

The leaves of plantain are primarily used as medicine. The seeds of plantain can also be used medicinally, having mild laxative effects similar to the seeds of psyllium, a close relative of plantain.

Rubbing plantain peel against your skin is one way to eliminate wrinkles due to its abilities to tighten and tone the skin. However, using organic products that contain plantain peel extract offer an easier, more convenient, and perhaps less messy and time-consuming option.

Ripe plantains are sweet like a banana, without the banana flavor. They can be eaten raw but are best when fried. The edges caramelize and become crispy like the edges of pancakes cooked in butter.

Stop trashing them all the time.

Typically, plantain chips are a great source of fibre and other nutrients like potassium and sodium, and provide more vitamins A and C than potato chips. Purely Plantain Chips provide 12 percent of your daily vitamin A recommendation and 16 percent of your suggested vitamin C!

Olayinka explained that while you could salt them after they cook, she prefers to salt them beforehand because the plantains are stickier when they're raw. Thus, the flavor of the salt is much more likely to be infused into the plantains — allowing them to be as tasty as possible.

There are a few reasons for the garlic-lime water soak: It prevents the tostones from oxidizing. In order to prepare tostones most of the way in advance, many cooks will peel, fry, and smash their plantains ahead of time, and then wait until just before serving for the final fry.

The Rice Method: Burying plantains in uncooked rice traps ethylene gas and helps speed up the ripening process. Airtight Container: Storing plantains in an airtight container on the kitchen counter accelerates ripening by trapping ethylene gas.