Hardly would you come across anyone who does not like fried plantain. It is one food that is enjoyed in every part of the country. It is known as dodo in Western Nigeria.
Fried plantain is simply plantain that has been sliced and then fried in hot oil until it is golden brown. Although there are many ways plantain can be enjoyed, frying is one method that never goes out of style.
One thing that makes fried plantain great is that it can be paired with almost anything. This is why it is almost impossible to get tired of it. But, asides from its sweet taste, fried plantain is also very nutritious, and eating it comes with a lot of health benefits, some of which we will be looking at in this article.
Here are the nutritional value and health benefits of fried plantains.
Nutritional Value Of Fried Plantain
A serving of fried plantains is 1 cup, which has 365 calories.
Fried olantain is higher in sugar than unripe or raw plantain. One cup of fried plantains contains 58 grams of carbohydrates, 48 grams of starch, 4.3 grams of sugars, and 4.1 grams of fibre.
One cup of fried plantains contains 14 grams of total fats, 4.4 grams are saturated fats, while 5.1 grams of monounsaturated fats, and 3.2 grams of polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good for your health.
Fried plantains also contain a significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as magnesium and potassium.
Health Benefits Of Fried Plantain
Below are some of the health benefits of fried plantains based on its nutritional profile.
1. Helps with weight management
If you are trying to control your weight, one of the things you would have to do is to eat foods that would make you feel less hungry, like plantain.
Plantain is packed with dietary fibre that would make you feel content for a long time. This means you would get to eat less, keeping your body from exceeding a certain weight.
2. Promotes healthy digestion
Eating fried plantain makes it easier for you to digest food, again due to its fibre content.
Healthy digestion means you would not experience constipation and other signs of irregular bowel activities. It also makes it easier to pass stool as it softens it and adds bulk to it.
3. Helps lower blood pressure levels
Plantain, like bananas, is very rich in potassium, a mineral that plays a very important role in helping to lower high blood pressure levels.
It helps to reduce the effect of sodium in the body and ease tension in the blood vessels, effectively lowering one’s blood pressure levels.
4. Rich in antioxidants
Another reason why eating fried plantain is good is that it is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are helpful for getting rid of free radicals from the body. These free radicals could damage cells, leading to diseases and conditions like cancer.
Vitamin C, an antioxidant found in plantain, is very helpful in boosting the immune system, making the body more resistant to diseases.
5. Rich in carbohydrates
Fried plantain is rich in carbohydrates, which is a source of energy. Although these days, people tend to think that carbohydrates are bad and should be avoided, that is not true.
What you can do is take it in healthy amounts, and eating a serving or two of fried plantains would give your body the carbohydrates it needs.
Furthermore, fried plantains are high in sugar as there are about 22 grams of sugar in 100 grams of ripe fried plantains.
Conclusion
Fried plantain is one good that is as healthy as it is tasty. Now you have more reasons to eat fried plantains as you like. Just remember that oil, which you would use to fry the plantain, is fat, and too much of it can be bad, especially if you are trying to cut down on your weight. Instead, you can enjoy plantain in other ways, like boiling or roasting it.
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Collins Nwokolo is a human physiologist, writer and health enthusiast. He loves writing helpful articles on health and fitness, which he enjoys sharing with everyone.
