Plantains are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Two groups of plantains are thought to have a common origin: the horn plantain and the French plantain. Both types grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical America. The French plantains also occur in Indonesia and the islands of the Pacific.
Is plantain Caribbean or African?
Plantains can be found all over the Caribbean and Central America, but they were not always native to these areas. Plantains are indigenous to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. They made their way along trade routes to Africa and then were brought to the Caribbean by the Spanish and African slave traders.
How did plantain get to Africa?
Like all the people around our table, plantain is not indigenous to the Americas or the Caribbean. The African staple sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in the same slave ships. The crop was easy to grow, high in starch and provided energy to those worked by the whip. Bananas are eaten all over the world.
When did plantains come to Africa?
Plantains may have been grown in eastern Africa as early as 3000 BCE, and in Madagascar by 1000 BCE. The plantain had certainly reached the African continent between 500 BCE and 500 CE.
What ethnicity eats plantains?
PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, AND CUBA
In Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, the plantain can also be mashed after it has been fried and be made into a mofongo, or fried and made into tostones, tajadas, or platanutres, or it can be boiled or stuffed.
Where is plantain originally from?
Southeast Asia
Plantains are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Two groups of plantains are thought to have a common origin: the horn plantain and the French plantain. Both types grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical America. The French plantains also occur in Indonesia and the islands of the Pacific.
Who brought plantains to Africa?
It is said that In the 15th century plantains were found by Portuguese explorers in Western Africa and taken back to there home for planting. Portuguese explorers found bananas in western Africa and planted some back home.
Are bananas native to Africa?
Indeed, banana cultivation was the economic backbone of some African kingdoms that thrived before European colonization. Until recently, most African scholars assumed that the banana, which is native to New Guinea, was not introduced into Africa earlier than about 2000 years ago.
What country did bananas originate from?
Bananas originated in the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia. Today they are grown in tropical regions across the globe, from South and Central America to India, China and Africa. Bananas grow in hot, tropical climates. Banana plants look like trees but are actually giant herbs related to lilies and orchids.
Are there bananas in Africa?
Banana are grown in nearly 130 countries. Uganda is the largest producer of banana and plantain in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), followed by Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon. Banana and plantain are cultivated in a wide variety of environments.
What country eats the most plantains?
The countries with the highest volumes of plantain consumption in 2018 were Democratic Republic of the Congo (5.5M tonnes), Cameroon (4.8M tonnes) and Ghana (4.1M tonnes), together comprising 59% of total consumption.
Who brought plantain to Jamaica?
The Gros Michel is said to have been introduced to Jamaica by Jean Francois Pouyat, a French botanist and chemist who settled here in 1820. He brought the fruit back from Martinique to his coffee estate in an attempt perhaps to diversify his produce.
How did plantains get to America?
Through trade, slavery, and colonization, the plantains found new homes in the Western Hemisphere. History tells us that plantains are indigenous to equator-bordering lands in Southeast Asia. Spanish and African slave traders brought the fruit with them to the Caribbean on slave ships.
What do Puerto Ricans call plantain?
Plantain mofongo is thought to originate in Puerto Rico, and is a dish made from fried green (unripe) plantains mashed together with garlic and crackling pork rinds, also known as chicharrón.
Ingredients.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 57g | Carbs |
| 28g | Protein |
Is there plantain in South Africa?
“We try our best to ensure uninterrupted supply of fresh plantain in South Africa, especially during festive seasons when order quantities increase,” says Joëlle.
What’s healthier plantains or bananas?
Both plantains and bananas are a good source of several vital nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidant compounds ( 2 , 3 , 4 ).
They’re both very nutritious.
| Bananas | Plantains | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 89 | 122 |
| Carbs | 23 grams | 32 grams |
| Fiber | 3 grams | 2 grams |
| Potassium | 358 mg | 487 mg |
Can a diabetic eat plantain?
Health Benefits of Plantains
Diabetes: In Nigeria, people use plantains as a natural way to manage diabetes. Some studies show they may have a hypoglycemic effect, or help control blood sugar levels, especially unripe plantains. The fiber in plantains could help your blood sugar levels stay steady longer.
Are plantains native to the Caribbean?
Plantains are native to India and the Caribbean where they are treated as more vegetable than fruit. Although there is no formal botanical distinction between bananas and plantains, “dessert” bananas are generally eaten raw, while plantains are cooked because of their high starch/low sugar.
Do plantains grow in the United States?
Plantain, known as Plantago major, grows all over North America and around the world. It is commonly found in yards and gardens where pesticides aren’t used. Chances are, if you’re a Climate Victory Gardener, you’ve come across this plant.
What were bananas originally called?
Linnaeus originally placed bananas into two species based only on their uses as food: Musa sapientum for dessert bananas and Musa paradisiaca for plantains.
What is banana called in Africa?
The medium-sized green fruits, which are of a specific group of banana, the East African Highland bananas (Musa AAA-EA), are known in the Bantu languages of Uganda as matoke.
Matoke.
| East African Highland bananas | |
|---|---|
| A bunch of East African Highland bananas | |
| Species | Musa acuminata |
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.