What Happens To Your Blood Sugar When You Eat Plantains

Plantains are a starchy member of the banana family, and eating them typically causes blood sugar to rise in a stable manner. That said, how ripe they are when you eat them, as well as how they’re cooked, can affect how they raise blood sugar levels.

How Plantains Affect Blood Sugar

Plantains contain resistant starch and fiber, both of which help reduce the speed at which sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream when you eat.

Fiber reduces how quickly something is digested by forming a thick gel that slows the food’s movement through the digestive system, slowing gastric emptying and the absorption of sugar.

The resistant starch in plantains acts similarly to fiber because it moves through the small intestine undigested and ferments in the colon. Because it skips digestion in the small intestine, it doesn’t raise blood glucose levels.

Resistant starch can also feed beneficial gut bacteria and help maintain balance in the gut, which may improve glucose control.

Differences Between Ripe and Unripe Plantains

The levels of fiber and resistant starch in overripe, ripe, and underripe plantains differ, as does carbohydrate content. Because of this, each type affects blood glucose differently.

Underripe plantains are thought to contain the most resistant starch, allowing for better glycemic control than ripe or overripe plantains.

There is also a better sugar-to-fiber ratio in underripe plantains, which supports better glycemic control and a smaller rise in blood glucose. The balance between the two helps ensure that glucose is released into the body more slowly.

Does Cooking Plantains Change the Effect on Blood Sugar?

Plantains are often used in cooking and are commonly called cooking bananas for this reason. The cooking process can reduce the amount of resistant starch and fiber in plantains, altering the balance between carbohydrates and fiber. When there is less fiber and more carbohydrates, the body absorbs glucose faster.

The cooking method also matters, but not significantly. For example, baking is generally considered to elicit the lowest blood sugar spike compared to other cooking methods. Frying can also slow starch digestion due to the higher fat content, promoting better glucose absorption.

Still, the impact on blood sugar depends more on the ripeness of the plantain than on the cooking method.

How to Eat Plantains While Managing Blood Sugar

Plantains are a generally healthy food option that can be prepared in a variety of ways and used in many dishes. If you want to enjoy plantains while managing your blood sugar, it’s usually best to choose underripe varieties, which offer the best balance of fiber and other carbohydrates. That way, you’re likely to experience slower digestion and glucose absorption, helping to keep blood sugar stable.