Why eating plantain may be injurious to your health

By Chioma Obinagwam

Plantain is fruit of the hotter regions that looks like a banana and is usually cooked before being eaten says Cambridge dictionary.

It is widely cultivated and thrives in tropical and African countries.

Undoubtedly, it is high in minerals and vitamins, potassium, carbohydrates, vitamin C, iron, fiber, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A and B6, among others.

However, consuming it in high amounts as well as the mode of cooking could be injurious to your health.

For instance, it may cause a fall in blood pressure and diarrhea when consumed in high amounts.

More so, fried plantain popularly known as “dodo” in Nigeria could significantly increase the number of calories — and these additional calories come from fat. Just 1 cup of fried plantains has almost 14 grams of fat and 365 calories. Frying plantains also adds to the carbohydrate count, since the plantains lose more than half of their water volume when cooked in this manner. Fried plantains have about 58 grams total carbohydrates.

Again, plantains are a poor source of protein and fat, so they only represent one part of a healthy, balanced diet. Hence, to achieve a balanced diet you need to consume it in moderate amounts and with right combination of food.

Plantain chips often are sold as a snack food in grocery stores. When plantains take this form, they have 18 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of fat in a typical 1-ounce serving, which may be listed on the nutrition label as a 28-gram serving.

Furthermore, when you cook them with a lot of oil, fat, or sugar it becomes injurious to your health as foods high in fat, salt, or sugar can increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.