How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Plantains have a festive yellow color and as you might guess, they are members of the banana family. While any Caribbean island dweller relishes a sweet banana for dessert or snacks, plantains are the preferred savory option for a meal.

Plantains are starchier and have a lower sugar content than dessert bananas. This means that, while they are technically a fruit, they tend to be treated more like a vegetable. Like potatoes but lighter, plantains are a satisfying, gluten free option. Blended, they make a great pancake. Under ripe, they are more starchy and green in colour, overripe they are more sweet and tend to turn yellow and black.

Plantains are an exciting carbohydrate option for gluten free clients, helping celiac individuals diversify beyond potatoes. They are a source of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, while being easy to digest. Notably, they are fibre-rich and contain Vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.

Plantains are thought to have originated in Southeast Asia. You'll find them easily in India, Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Pacific Islands and tropical America. Plantains are a food staple in much of the tropical world. In fact, plantains make up about 85% of all banana cultivation worldwide! In Latin America, they are frequently plated alongside black beans, and garnished with red pepper flakes and cilantro. Or, smashed into tostones (Cuba), pureed as in mute (Columbia). In India, plantains are fried into a savory donut (Gulgulas).

Footnote: The information for this article was in part gathered from a 2021 study and survey of 26 students of Ayurveda who experimented with plantain. During the study, students ate plantain for 3 days and journaled the pharmacological effects. This study was sponsored by the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda, and specifically the Mastering Ayurvedic Digestion & Nutrition certification course.

Cooling Anti-Inflammatory for the Skin

Plantain's strong astringency constricts peripheral capillaries in the skin, reducing blood flood in the skin. This has a cooling and drying effect. Plantains reduce sweat. One student writes, "My skin felt colder. I got a chill within just a few mins of eating green plantains." Another reports, "I kept a heater near me."

The constriction of blood vessels reduces heat conditions and inflammation in the skin. It reduces skin redness, swelling, hives, and weeping rashes.

The vasoconstriction can actually make the skin pale. One student wrote, "My tongue is usually full of life - a dark pink. Later I was terrified as I saw my tongue turn white & pale as a ghost. And it trembled inside my mouth! The life was also taken from my lips as those too went from red & moist to dry & pale."
The anti-inflammatory effect isn't limited to the skin. One student reports, "My GI tract has felt a bit inflamed recently, and the plantain might have counteracted that a little bit."

These astringent cooling effects are ideal for Pitta, while aggravating Vata and Kapha. Generally, plantain is supportive to Pitta dosha because of their cooling, grounding nature. Pitta-dominant individuals usually have strong digestion which can benefit from something a little more difficult to digest, like plantains. Plantain made these cold Vata and Kapha students feel heavy and unmotivated, "I could actually say sad, tired and a feeling of 'why bother.' Plantain can be too drying and too difficult to process for the Vata digestion. Kapha-dominant individuals may find them to be too heavy for their system and, so, could benefit from some warm spicing if they're going to take this ingredient.

Plantain & Weight Loss

Botanically, plantains are no different than sweet "dessert" bananas. But they are firmer and lower in sugar content than dessert bananas. Their cold astringency makes plantains a useful appetite suppressant for those trying to lose weight. In Nigeria, plantains are used for diabetes for its appetite suppressing qualities and low glycemic index. One student noted, "My digestion seemed slower I didn't feel like I needed to eat especially in the evenings around dinner." Another says, " I did not want to eat the whole portion because I felt full."

Cooking Green Plantain

Plantains are very astringent and cannot be eaten raw. Newbie plantain chefs often undercook them, rendering them inedible. When a plantain is well-cooked, it softens. Plantains are usually steamed, boiled, or fried. When I saute them, I cut them thin and salt them before cooking. I cook them for 5 minutes on each side, in coconut oil, until slightly browned. For tostones, cut them into inch thick slices and fry in plenty of oil. Once cooked, remove from heat and let cool. Then, smash with the bottom of your favorite mug, and fry again. Or, smash an entire plantain, fried whole, into a flat pancake.

For less oil, use an air fryer. Alternatively, steam or boil plantain up to an hour to soften them, depending on how they are cut.

Plantains are often served with tangy sauces and spices to help their digestibility and flavor. Examples include chutneys with sour taste, a dollop of sour cream, or an avocado dip. Oil, salt, spices, and tangy sauces moisturize and counteract plantain's astringency. One student remarked, "No matter how much ghee I used it always seemed to be absorbed by the plantain." Garnish the plantain with cilantro, red pepper flakes, chopped red onion, and lime juice. Serve over a bed of arugula. Plantains are frequently plated with shrimp, or alongside pork in Cuba.
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