Agricultural story #7

Hello my amazing friends, welcome to my blog. I am going to write about a tropical fruit called plantain.

Plantains are large herbs that can grow up to 15 meters long and have a pseudo-stem formed by tightly pressed leaves. They have a fleshy root system with leaves that can reach a length of 2.7 meters and a width of 60 centimeters. Plantain produces both male and female flowers, while the female flowers develop into seedless fruits. These fruits grow in clusters, usually containing 10 to 20 plantain and they do not require fertilization to develop.

The fruit has a similar look to bananas, but they are bigger than bananas. It is usually green when unripe but turns yellow and then black as it ripens. Plantain is cooked and eaten as a side dish or in stews and also, unripe ones can be made into flour. Unripe plantain has more starch and is less sweet than ripened plantain, which is sweeter and softer with less starch.

Health benefits of plantain

• Plantain promotes digestive health by containing resistant starch that serves as a pre-biotic, promoting the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon; the fiber content in it helps to improve intestinal function.

• Plantain also helps in controlling diabetes, ensuring that the blood sugar level doesn't drop too low or too high, especially for those people who are suffering from type 2 diabetes.

• Plantains are rich in potassium which helps in maintaining healthy blood pressure.

• It provides vitamin B6, which is important for brain functioning and immune system support.

• Unripe plantain helps the stomach lining produce thicker mucus, which helps protect against stomach ulcers.

Plantains are nutritious food but some certain cooking methods can reduce their health benefits. Fried plantain increases calories and fat because it easily absorbs oil while frying. Some plantain desserts can be high in sugar, and plantain chips, which are also deep-fried, are usually high in salt. To get the most health benefits from plantain, it's advisable to use recipes that limit salt, oil, and added sugar.

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