Plantains are a versatile and staple food in the United States and other countries. You can primarily find this food growing in Africa, India, and tropical America.
The food has numerous nutrients, making it an essential food component in any diet. With the countless nutritional benefits, the common question among most individuals is, are plantains keto-friendly?
The Keto diet is an essential eating plan with low carbohydrates and high fat to help change how your body utilizes energy and breaks down fats. Nonetheless, controlling portions might be the best way to include any high-carb meal.
Plantains Nutritional Facts
Plantains are an excellent addition to your meals due to their versatile nature and high nutrient value. The food is common in most Caribbean, African, and Latin American kitchens. You can enjoy this food by cooking it as a side dish, baking, boiling, or frying.
You can try the food in your different meal plans to enjoy the numerous nutrients the food adds to your diet. Below are the nutritional facts about this versatile food:
- Plantains are rich in fiber and carbohydrates
- They’re nutritious with high levels of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin C
- Plantains are good sources of magnesium and potassium in your diet
For instance, a 100g plantains service contains 152 calories, 36g of carbohydrates, 0.07g of fat, 2g of fiber, and 1.2g of protein.
However, the food has a slightly high glycemic index of about 62. This glycemic index is responsible for the small spike in the sugar levels in your blood after eating.
Are Plantains Suitable for a Ketogenic Diet?
When preparing a ketogenic meal, you’ll have to include food with high fat and low carbohydrate content. In this case, plantains are not keto-friendly as they’ve got high carbohydrates content.
A standard and appropriate keto diet restrict or limit carbohydrate content to approximately 50 grams each day.
Including plantains in the meal plan may disrupt or increase the carbohydrate content. Experts reveal that plantains contain 36 grams of carbohydrates, bringing the daily ketogenic diet carbohydrate limit very close.
Nonetheless, if you have to eat them during this duration, take small quantities and adjust the remaining carb intake for the meal plan.
Health Benefits of Plantains
Plantains are essential and staple foods you can include in your diet. These natural foods come with numerous health benefits, such as
Nutritious
Plantations are an excellent source of various nutrients, like vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals. Besides the numerous nutrients, many individuals love the food due to its easily digestible nature.
Improves your digestive health
This food is a good source of fiber in your meal plan. Fiber is essential in promoting bowel regularity, softening your stool, and preventing digestive issues like constipation. Furthermore, it increases your fullness, manages cholesterol, and slows digestion to reduce the risk of developing diverticular and hemorrhoids.
Weight management
Plantains contain starch and fiber, which makes them complex carbs. These cabs are essential for your weight management journey as they keep you more satisfied and fuller a long time after your meals. It’s necessary to maintain your body weight, as they reduce your snacking rate or eating unhealthy foods.
It contains high antioxidant levels
These foods are a good source of antioxidants. They’ve got a higher amount of Vitamin C. Vitamins are vital antioxidants that help boost your body’s immunity and keep your body free from radical damage from heart diseases, aging, or various types of cancer.
Enhances your heart health
Potassium in plantains is essential for the proper functioning of your heart and circulatory system. The minerals help maintain body and cell fluid, maintaining healthy blood pressure and heart rate. Furthermore, the food contains fiber, which keeps your heart fully functioning by lowering cholesterol.
Final Thoughts
Plantains are essential and staple food among most individuals in Africa, Latin America, and India due to their high nutrient content.
However, the food may not be suitable when preparing your ketogenic diet because it contains many carbohydrates.
Keto diets are essential foods containing high-fat amounts and low carbohydrate levels to change how the body utilizes energy.
Instead of plantains, you can consider butter-fried broccoli, yogurts, cheese chips, and other low-carb foods as alternatives or reduce the portion amount to avoid exceeding carbohydrate intake.
