Are Plantains Keto Friendly?

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With plantains being more savory, some may wonder: are plantains keto-friendly during the keto diet?

People are usually confused between plantain and bananas. Plantains are a type of banana that contains starch instead of sugar. Therefore, no, plantains are not keto-friendly.

The medium size 179g serving of plantain includes 57g of carbohydrates. Plantains should not be consumed in the keto diet because of the high carbohydrate content. 

Close up of a senior woman hands while peeling a ripe plantain

What is Plantain? 

Plantain is the type of banana. It is a less sweet cousin of the banana family.

But are plantains keto-friendly? As mentioned above, no plantains should be eaten as a part of the keto because of its carbs.

There is also considerable confusion in another area: are plantains fruit or vegetable?

People are usually confused because some countries use plantains as a vegetable. But actually, plantain is a fruit. 

Can I Eat Plantains During the Keto Diet? 

Plantains are primarily grown in India, Africa, Egypt, and Tropical America. However, it is an exotic food for some areas. The taste of plantain is not sweet like a banana, but it’s similar to the potato. 

The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) says bananas and potatoes are high in carbs and are not ideal for the keto diet. But plantains are suitable for athletes. 

As you have restricted to 25g to 40g cars per day during the keto diet, the 57g is equal to your two-day quota by one medium-size banana.

The carbs in bananas come from sugar, but carbs have come from starch in the plantains. 

How Many Carbs Are In Plantains? 

The carbs contained by plantains are 48grams if you eat a single serving.

Since most people on a keto diet are restricted to 20 to 40grams per day of carbs, having plantains while on this diet is not a good idea. 

By the time plantains mature they become sweeter. Then, the level of sugar in the plantain will increase, and the starch level will be lower.

However, the amount of carbs will remain the same as before the maturing period of plantain. This is because starches and sugars are both forms of carbohydrates.

The ripened plantains are usually used in desserts, and the green plantains are generally considered vegetables. 

Nutritional Facts of Plantains:

Most people thought about the other forms of plantains, like are sweet plantains keto-friendly? Are fried plantains keto-friendly? Are yellow plantains keto-friendly?

They all are not keto-friendly because of the high carbs, which are not ideal for consuming the keto diet. 

Here are some of the nutrition facts, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Plantains Serving size of 100grams
Calories 155
Carbs 41.37g
Fats 0.16g
Protein 1.52g
Magnesium 41mg
Potassium 477mg
Colombian caribbean central american food. patacon or toston, fried and flattened whole green plantain banana on white plate. black background, top view

Summing Up: 

Are plantains keto-friendly? Plantains are like bananas but are also nutritionally similar to potatoes.

They are not keto-friendly, which is why it is not an excellent choice to have them on the keto diet.

However, green plantains, either raw or cooked and then cooled, give a good amount of starch that acts as a fiber. 

It means you might have raw and cooked plantain in your diet, but it is good to consider your nutritionist if you are on a keto diet.

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