You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy a good fried plantain. It’s the one dish that can claim popularity across the country. Dodo is what people in western Nigeria call it.
Simply slicing a plantain and frying it in hot oil until it turns golden brown is what we call “fried plantain.” There are various ways to prepare plantain, but one that will never go out of style is frying.
The versatility of fried plantain is one of its many appealing qualities. Because of this, it’s exceptionally hard to grow tired of it. But fried plantain is not only delicious; it is also highly nutritious, and its consumption has many positive effects on one’s health, some of which we shall discuss below.
What you need to know about the health advantages and nutritional content of fried plantains is listed below.
Nutritional contents
There are 365 calories in one serving size of fried plantains, which is one cup.
Sugar content is higher in fried plantain than it is in unripe or raw plantain. There are 58 grams of carbohydrates, 48 grams of starch, 4.3 grams of sugars, and 4.1 grams of fiber in one cup of fried plantains.
There are 14 grams of total fat in one cup of fried plantains, of which 4.4 grams are saturated fats, 5.1 grams are monounsaturated fats, and 3.2 grams are polyunsaturated fats. The consumption of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats is beneficial to one’s health.
A large amount of vitamins A, C, and B6 as well as magnesium and potassium may be found in fried plantains.
Fried Plantain Health Benefits
Based on its nutritional content, fried plantains have a number of positive health effects, some of which are listed below.
1. Promotes Vitamin B6 consumption
Vitamin B6 is another another vitamin that can be found in fried plantains. Function of the neurological system, production of hormones, production of nucleic acid, and production of red blood cells are all dependent on enough vitamin B6 intake. There is 0.312 milligrams of vitamin B6 in a serving size of fried plantains that is equal to one cup.
Vitamin B6 should be consumed at a daily dose of 1.3 milligrams for adults, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
2. Rich in Vitamin A
Vitamin A is abundant in fried plantains, which are an excellent food choice. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A is a type of vitamin that dissolves in fat and is essential for maintaining healthy vision, immune system function, the generation of red blood cells, and the regulation of gene expression.
Vitamin A content in fried plantains comes in at 1,407 international units for a serving size of one cup. According to the recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the daily vitamin A intake for men should be 3,000 International units, while the daily vitamin A intake for women should be 2,333 International units.
3. Rich in antioxidants
One more reason why consuming fried plantain is beneficial is due to the fact that it contains a lot of antioxidants. Antioxidants play an important role in the process of eliminating free radicals from the body. These free radicals have the potential to cause damage to cells, which can then lead to diseases and conditions such as cancer.
Plantains are a good source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that is particularly beneficial in increasing the body’s resistance to sickness and making the immune system stronger overall.
4. Reduces heart disease
Any fried form of plantains has a significant amount of fat. Fried plantains contain 14 grams of total fat, including 4.4 grams of saturated fat, 5.1 grams of monounsaturated fat, and 3.2 grams of polyunsaturated fat per one cup meal. According to the American Heart Association, mono and polyunsaturated fats are examples of “healthy” fats that may help lower the risk of developing heart disease.
5. Rich in Carbohydrates
Plantains are an excellent source of carbs, which are the primary fuel that your body uses for energy. There are 58 grams of total carbohydrates, 48 grams of starch, 4.3 grams of sugars, and 4.1 grams of fiber in a serving of fried plantains that is 1 cup in size.
According to the National Academies Institute of Medicine, adults should eat 25 grams to 38 grams of fiber daily and consume between 40 and 60 percent of their daily calorie intake from carbohydrates. This recommendation was made.
6. Reduces the levels of blood pressure
Plantain, much like bananas, has a large quantity of the mineral potassium, which is known to play a significant part in the process of bringing down elevated blood pressure levels.
It helps to lessen the impact that sodium has on the body and relaxes the tension that has built up in the blood vessels, which leads to an overall reduction in the levels of blood pressure.
Conclusion
Fried plantains are one dish that is both delicious and nutritious. You now have more justifications for indulging in fried plantains whenever you like. Keep in mind that oil, which you would use to fry the plantain, is a form of fat, and that consuming an excessive amount of fat can be harmful, particularly if you are attempting to reduce your body weight. You can also prepare plantain in different ways, such as by boiling it or roasting it in the oven.
