Eat Me: Good for the brain, aids digestion… seven reasons to love plantain

Plantain is rich in a number of vitamins and minerals, making it important to be included in your diet.

Whether cooked, fried or smoked, here are seven reasons for you to love plantain.

Regulates blood pressure

Plantain is a rich source of potassium which is the third-most abundant mineral in the body. A shortage of potassium can affect the function of a number of organs.

Potassium is an electrolyte and is affected greatly by the amount of sodium in the body. The potassium content in plantain regulates blood pressure by countering the negative effect of sodium.

Aids digestion

Fibre has a profound effect on the digestive system and plays a significant role in keeping it regular. One serving of plantain provides almost a fifth of the fibre recommended daily, which is roughly 25–30 grams. As a high-fibre food, plantain adds bulk to food intake, which aids digestion.

Aids weight control

In addition to aiding digestion, fibre also makes you feel full, which can help with weight control. Thus, increasing intake of dietary fibre can also help enhance weight loss in obese individuals.

Soluble fibre is also known to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, which prevents heart disease. Fibre can also help stabilise blood sugar.

Boosts the immune system

Plantain contains 36 per cent of the daily recommended amount of vitamin A. As another powerful antioxidant, vitamin A provides a number of benefits to the body.

Along with vitamin C, it helps control the immune response, which keeps illness at bay, and a number of important immune system responses rely on vitamin A to perform correctly.

Promotes healthy brain function

Plantain also contains vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine. Pyridoxine generates several important neurotransmitters that carry information from one cell to another.

A serving of plantain can provide up to 24 per cent of the vitamin B6 needed on a daily basis. It (vitamin B6) also boosts hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine, which keep moods stable, and melatonin, which regulates the body’s clock.

Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes

The magnesium content in plantain lowers the risk of getting type 2 diabetes by controlling blood glucose levels via carbohydrate metabolism and insulin regulation.

Magnesium has also long been used to treat migraine headaches, insomnia and depression.

Promotes strong bones, teeth, and nails

Unripe plantain is rich in calcium which is the essential mineral needed for stronger bones, muscles, nails and teeth.