According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), most adults were not getting enough magnesium between 2013 and 2016. Back then, the average man consumed 344 milligrams of magnesium daily, while the average woman consumed less at 270 milligrams. These figures fell short of the recommended daily values of 400 to 420 milligrams for adult males and 310 to 320 milligrams for adult females. This deficiency indicated that some individuals might be at risk of experiencing fatigue, cramping, heart rhythm anomalies, and seizures. (Here are some of the biggest warning signs of a magnesium deficiency.)
Recently, TikTok has been abuzz with discussions about magnesium’s health benefits. (Sleepy Girl Mocktail, anyone?) As a result, more people seem to be aware of the advantages of incorporating more magnesium into their diets, given that it is an essential mineral the body cannot produce on its own. If you prefer consuming magnesium-rich foods over taking a magnesium supplement, consider adding plantains to your diet. Plantains are starchy fruits that resemble yellow “dessert” bananas (they are part of the banana family), but they are not very sweet. As such, they are typically cooked (e.g., baked, boiled, or fried) rather than eaten raw.
Plantains are a potent potassium source
Plantains are rich in magnesium: a one-cup serving of plantain slices provides 53 milligrams of magnesium. If you’re struggling to meet your recommended magnesium daily intake, you can easily achieve this by adding a serving of mashed or roasted plantains to your diet as a snack or side dish.
Besides magnesium, plantains contain two other nutrients that can enhance your cardiovascular health. These include potassium (721 milligrams per cup of plantains) and fiber (2.52 grams per cup), both of which can help lower blood pressure levels.
Potassium is known for expelling excess sodium from the body. Having too much sodium can increase the likelihood of high blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of heart disease. Therefore, consuming sufficient potassium daily can aid in regulating blood pressure levels. (There are other easy food hacks to lower your blood pressure that might complement increasing your consumption of plantains, such as using more spices.)
Plantains also provide dietary fiber
Similar to potassium, the fiber in plantains can help in managing elevated blood pressure. A 2023 review in Cureus examined the impact of fiber intake on blood pressure across 11 studies and discovered that as dietary fiber consumption increased, blood pressure readings decreased. Meanwhile, a 2024 review in Hypertension observed that for every 5-gram increase in fiber intake beyond recommended values, individuals could anticipate a modest yet measurable drop in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers.
However, plantains are not without their drawbacks. Their most significant downside may be their carbohydrate content. For each cup of plantains you consume, you’ll intake 47.2 grams of carbs. Therefore, if you’re casually limiting your carbohydrate intake or strictly following a low-carb diet, you may need to moderate your plantain consumption. Some low-carb diet plans restrict carbs to a maximum of 50 grams per day, so plantains might need to be an occasional treat if you’re adhering to such a lifestyle.
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