What class of food is plantain?
Plantain is really similar to bananas, but, it is bigger, longer and not as sweet as bananas. It can be boiled, fried, roasted and grilled unlike bananas. Plantain is eaten by millions of people from different countries across the world. What class of food is plantain? Find answers below.
Class of food
People use several ways to describe the classes of food. The main classification includes vegetables and fruits, protein, grains, and dairy. These are the 5 groups we all know and used to identify the foods we eat.
Besides, these five groups can get another classification. According to it, there are 7 food classes. They are minerals, vitamins, proteins, fiber, fats, carbohydrates, and water.
Now, once we have clarified this term, let us answer the question ‘What class of food does plantain belong to?’ Is plantain protein or carbohydrate? Is plantain a fruit or another type of food?
Plantain: class of food
Similar to bananas, plantains are a member of the Musaceae family of plants. They love the humid areas with tropical rains. While growing, the plant develops a flower that finally turns into several ‘hands’ with up to 10 ‘fingers’ (or fruits) per hand. At first, its colour is green but it turns to yellow and then black as it ripens.
It has seeds. They are small and of black color, and can be found at the fruit’s core. It is possible to eat these seeds. Besides, just like other fruits, plantain is suitable for food when it is raw and when it is ripe. People cook raw green fruits, which are rich in starch. Ripened fruits become sweeter and get an interesting flavor because the starch turns into sugars.
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Plantains are a major source of carbohydrates. They are used as carbohydrates in many African, Asian countries, and in Central America. This plant is a significant part of the everyday meals.
Plantains are even termed ‘bananas’ in some countries where local citizens don’t distinguish between bananas and plantains because they consume various starchy cultivars. In other places, the word ‘plantains’ mean specifically the ‘real plantains’ and not just any starchy cultivars that are identified as ‘banana for cooking.’
Now you know that plantains belong to the starchy fruit classification. These raw fruits cannot boast any special flavor, but they have soft texture and sweet taste when ripe. Besides, ripe plantain can be eaten raw. Since plantains are available at any time of the year, they are a widespread and essential staple food for all seasons.
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Source: Legit.ng
