Plantain Flour: healthy substitute for other flours

Plantain Flour: a healthy substitute for other flours

If you want a healthy alternative to flour, plantain flour is a splendid choice.

What if there was superfood flour that could help you lose weight, strengthen your immune system, and do other things?

Fortunately, there is! It’s created from plantains and is known as plantain flour.

It is grown throughout Africa and other parts of the world and is traditionally used in African cuisine. Do you want to learn more about the advantages of plantain flour?

Continue reading to get all of the answers you’re looking for, and find out if it’s something you’d like to try.

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Plantains

Plantains (Musa x paradisiaca) are related to bananas but larger. Plantain is also a common name for unrelated plants of the Plantago genus (family Plantaginaceae).

Green bananas are another name for them. They are a major food crop in Africa, and they are also consumed in Latin America.

Plantains have strong flesh and thick peels on the interior. Because the peel is more difficult to remove than that of a banana, you may need to use a knife to do it.

Plantains are high in fiber, carbs, vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as potassium.

The Origin of Plantains

Plantains are native to Southeast Asia. However, they are widely grown in Central America, the Caribbean islands, South America, and Africa.

Plantain Varieties

The peels of plantains can be green, yellow, or blackened. Green plantains have the same firmness as potatoes.

They are higher in starch than yellow plantains. Yellow plantains are softer, sweeter, and a touch starchier than green plantains. The flesh of ripe plantains is a strong yellowish color.

Plantains can also be dried for later use in cooking or ground into a meal, which can then be refined into flour.

How is plantain flour produced? Plantain flour production

The sliced plantain is dried. The dried plantain slices are milled in a hammer mill. To achieve the desired particle size, the flour is sieved.

The flour is ready for sale after being packaged in moisture-proof packaging material.

Flour from Plantains

Plantain flour is made from dried and powdered plantain pieces. Plantains are a staple cuisine in the world’s tropical regions.

It contains a lot of iron, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), carotene, and other vitamins. Plantain flour contains fewer calories than normal all-purpose flour.

A healthier alternative to wheat flour and also all flour because it lacks gluten, the major protein present in wheat and barley that has harmful effects on the body.

Many people are unable to digest gluten, which is found in wheat.

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving) contains 22g total carbs, 20g net carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein, and 123 calories.

• 20 g.
• 2 g.
• 22 g.
• 4 g.
• 2 g.

 Calories

123 calories

Plantain Flour (1 serving) contains 22g total carbs, 20g net carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein, and 123 calories.

Uses of Plantain Flour

Here’s a list of recipes that use plantain flour

• Pancakes & Waffles
• Tortillas & Flatbreads
• Donuts, Cookies, Brownies, and Cakes
• Bread and Rolls
• Pie Crusts and Pizza Dough
• Baby Food
• Pasta
• Swallow
• Porridge
• Cream soup thickening
• Stew and sauce thickening

Benefits of Plantain Flour

You now understand what plantain flour is and how many different applications it can serve.

But it doesn’t stop there, because there are so many other health advantages to stocking your cabinet with plantain flour.

Here are some of the most important things that plantain flour may aid with.

• Get Over Your Depression and Anxiety

When it comes to vitamin B6, did you realize that a lack of it might exacerbate depression symptoms? The same is true for magnesium, thus increasing your intake of both can boost your mood. Plantain flour, of course, contains both of them.

• Healthy Eating

Do you have stomach issues? If you become constipated and feel clogged up from time to time, you may need to eat more fiber. Fortunately, green plantain flour has 2 grams of fiber per 100 grams (approximately 1/2 cup).

• Plantain Can Help You Lose Weight

According to a recent study, plantains aid in the regulation of hormones linked to obesity. If losing weight is a struggle, plantain flour may be of great assistance.

Furthermore, because obesity is frequently associated with diabetes, there is still another reason to eat a healthy and nutritious diet.

• Control Your Blood Sugar

Do plantains cause blood sugar spikes? Fortunately, the answer is no.

They have less sugar than conventional bananas and can be used to help control blood sugar levels.

Plantains don’t mess with blood sugar levels because they’re high in starch, and the fiber can even assist keep them stable.

• Plantain flour and diabetes: Diabetics will benefit from it. Products from unripe plantain aid in cholesterol reduction and blood sugar control.

Unripe plantain is a natural source of resistant starch, which aids in the reduction of blood glucose levels, making it an excellent ingredient for food fortification.

• Reduce Blood Pressure

Potassium is one of the most critical minerals your body needs. It aids in the healthy functioning of your muscles, heart, and other organs.

A potassium-rich diet, which includes plantains, can help decrease blood pressure.

• Assists in preventing anemia

It’s not enjoyable to be anemic.

It is debilitating, with symptoms such as weariness, disorientation, difficulties controlling body temperature, reduced immunity, and difficulty concentrating. Eating an iron-rich diet is one strategy to combat iron deficiency anemia.

Iron can be found in plantain flour. It also has vitamin C, which aids in iron absorption. This combination may help in the fight against iron-deficient anemia.

• Gluten-Free

What do you think? Plantain flour is gluten-free, which is great if you suffer from celiac disease.

If you’re sick of using the same gluten-free flours in your grocery store regularly, try something new like plantain flour or cassava flour.

• The Paleo Diet

Many people have chosen to return (far back) to their roots and adhere to the Paleo Diet.

This is an eating plan that emphasizes lean meats, fruits, and vegetables while eliminating entire grains and processed foods. Plantain flour is a perfect fit for the Paleo Diet because it is made from fruit.

What Is the Process of Making Plantain Flour? How to make plantain flour in Nigeria

With so many individuals avoiding grains and gluten due to gluten intolerance (wheat protein) others, such as the paleo crew, are looking for new flours that do not contain regular flour.

You may be wondering how plantain is transformed from banana fruit to flour. The procedure is quite straightforward.

They are dehydrated, oven-dried, or dried before being crushed into flour that is ready to use in the same way as conventional flour is.

Flour from plantain swallow is simple to make at home, and the variations between store-bought and handmade varieties are insignificant.

It has fewer calories than flour and is abundant in fiber, so it keeps you satiated longer than other types of flour.

By the way, did you know that now is the time to create it without using your oven or a costly dehydrator? (Can’t afford any more gadgets?)

Don’t worry, the sun does all of the work for you.

That’s pretty cool, huh?

• For consistent results, slice the plantains thinly with a slicer/mandolin. You can also get terrific results by using a sharp knife.
• Arrange sliced plantains in a single layer on a large baking sheet, sheet pan, or flat surface.
• Allow it to dry for 3-5 days, turning it over after about a day to shorten the drying period.
• When the plantains have acquired the necessary level of dryness
• Remove the dried plantains and set them in a food processor or coffee blender in batches until all of them are blended.
• If the flour isn’t fine enough, strain it through a sieve to remove the gritty bits. You do not need to go through this process if you use a coffee grinder.

Start cooking after storing it in an airtight container.

How to Prepare Plantain Flour Fufu

To make powdered plantain flour swallow, Firstly, peel the plantain and chop it into a smaller bit, put it in a blender, add some water and blend it till it forms a smooth paste.

Alternatively, add the flour and water to a bowl. Combine well

Secondly, pour the blend into a medium-sized pot and on medium heat, turn the plantain puree in the pot with a wooden spoon.

After that, continue turning for about 3- 5 minutes till it thickens and your plantain swallow is ready.

Yeah! It’s that simple