Plantains are members of the banana family, but they are starchier and lower in sugar, which means that when they are ripe, they will still be green in color. If you get them when they are overripe, they may have started to turn yellow or black. While a banana makes a great, raw on-the-go-snack, plantains aren’t usually eaten raw because of the high starch content.

Native to India and the Caribbean, plantains serve an important role in many traditional diets. When used in cooking they are treated more like vegetables than fruit. You’re most likely to encounter them at your favorite Latin, African, or Caribean restaurant baked, roasted or fried up in the form of a delicious savory side.

plantains are a close relative of the banana and tend to be mistaken for them. But in one of the 120 countries that grow much of the world’s supply of plantains — like Uganda, Colombia and Cameroon — people know the distinction between the two. That’s because plantains are starchier, contain less sugar than bananas and are much more versatile as a cooking ingredient. Also, unlike bananas, plantains are typically cooked before eating.

Plantain trees grow best in moisture-rich, tropical climates. The tree flowers develop into a bunch, which holds about five to 10 fruits. Plantains don’t have a growing season and are, therefore, available year-round. This makes them a very valuable, reliable food source for developing countries.

Only 15 percent of global production is used in trade; the rest is consumed domestically in the countries where they’re grown — and they’re grown all over the world. In fact, plantains are the 10th most important staple food feeding the world today.

Despite their popularity in other countries, plantains are not as common in the U.S., but they are available in most large grocery stores. The plantain is nutrient-filled fruit that provides many vitamins and minerals, and it can be a great substitute for rice or potatoes.

Great Source of Potassium

Plantains are a solid source of carbohydrates with a low fat content, but they also provide a number of other health benefits as well. Plus, they don’t contain any significant levels of toxins.

Help Regulate the Digestive System

Fiber has a profound effect on the digestive system and plays a significant role in keeping it regular. One cup of plantains provides almost a fifth of the fiber recommended daily, which is roughly 25–30 grams. As a high-fiber food, plantains add bulk to food intake, which aids digestion.

Reduce the Number of Harmful Free Radicals

Free radicals, which are made when your body breaks down food or when you are exposed to other harmful elements like tobacco smoke or radiation, play a part in aging, diseases and cancer. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radical damage.

A serving of plantains can provide over 35 percent of the vitamin C needed per day, making it one of the best vitamin C foods around. The body can’t store vitamin C (excess is released in urine) or produce it independently, so getting the daily recommended amount is very important.

Boost the Immune System

Looking to boost your immune system? Then plantains are the perfect snack. They pack 36 percent of your daily recommended amount of vitamin A. As another powerful antioxidant, vitamin A provides a number of benefits to the body. Along with vitamin C, it helps control your immune response, which keeps illness at bay, and a number of important immune system responses rely on vitamin A to perform correctly.

Promote Healthy Brain Function

Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, generates several important neurotransmitters that carry information from one cell to another. A serving of plantains can provide up to 24 percent of your daily amount needed of vitamin B6.

Vitamin B6 benefits healthy brain function and, according to research published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, helps make hormones like serotonin and norepinephrine, which keep moods stable, and melatonin, which regulates the body’s clock.