Banana vs Plantain – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing bananas to plantains, we picked the plantains.

Why?

It’s a particularly interesting one today!

First, let it be noted that we’re comparing bananas (raw) to plantains (cooked), because that is how they are usually each eaten. And by “cooked”, we’re saying boiled or steamed, not fried, as frying would add fats that aren’t in the fruit. So the question becomes: does cooking reduce the nutritional quality of the plantain such that the humble banana offers more?

As usual, we’ll be comparing values per 100g, so it makes no difference that the plantain is bigger, by the way.

With all that in mind…

Looking at macros, bananas have slightly more fiber (remember, this is because we cooked the plantains, which broke down some fiber—otherwise plantains would win on this) while plantains have slightly more carbs. Nevertheless, because of the carbohydrate breakdown, plantains have the lower glycemic index. We’ll call this category a tie.

In the category of vitamins, plantains have more of vitamins A, B1, B3, B9, C, E, K, and choline. Meanwhile, bananas boast more of vitamins B2, B5, and B6. An easy win for plantains, especially considering they have 14x more vitamin A, whereas bananas’ advantageous B5 and B6 levels are not too impressive, as not only are they small margins, but also they are vitamins found in almost everything.

When it comes to minerals, plantains again win with more iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium, while bananas boast more calcium, copper, and zinc. So, a 5:3 victory for plantains.

Adding up the sections makes for a clear win for the plantains, but by all means enjoy either or both, as diversity is good!

Want to learn more?

You might like to read:

• Which Sugars Are Healthier, And Which Are Just The Same?
• Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)

Take care!