Plantains and bananas are strikingly similar in their appearance and if you ever go to a supermarket and see a batch of thick-skinned bananas, then make no mistake because those aren't the bananas you want or are familiar with. Despite being almost identical in terms of how they look, they aren't the same in many other aspects. Both have different nutritional compositions, tastes, and shelf lives that make them a lot different than you think. So, in this article, we will look at plantains and bananas and learn how they are different from each other.
The question, 'What are bananas?' may appear strange. We've all seen the popular yellow fruit in our homes, schools, stores, and other public places. Bananas are just as popular as apples and oranges. But let's not limit ourselves to the fact that they're sweet, yellow-peeled fruits. Let's go a little deeper. Bananas are members of the Musaceae family. Musa acuminata, Musa balbisiana, and Musa paradisiaca are popular types. When ripe, they're sweet and delicate, and most types have a distinctive yellow peel.
Plantains are starchy tropical fruits that are related to bananas. Plantains are larger than bananas, have thicker skin, and contain more starch. Plantains can be eaten ripe (yellow or brown skin) or unripe (green skin) and are used in both sweet and savoury dishes. In Caribbean, Latin American, and African cuisines, plantains are typically prepared as vegetables.
Differences Between Bananas And Plantains
Appearance
When it comes to appearance, both bananas and plantains have a similar shape. Thin, curved, and elongated are the best words to describe bananas and plantains.
The main difference between the two could be that plantains are bigger than bananas and there could be occasions where plantains are almost twice the size of bananas. The last major difference in terms of appearance is that plantains also have thicker peels when compared to banana peels.
Shelf Life
Plantains have a longer shelf life when compared to bananas. Ripe bananas spoil really quickly (2-4 days) if they are not consumed. On the other hand, plantains take a longer time to spoil once they are ripe, unlike bananas. It does go bad after a while but they stay fresh for longer than bananas.
Price
Bananas are usually less expensive than plantains and they are more widely available as compared to plantains despite not having a long shelf life. Plantains, on the other hand, are more expensive than bananas and could even cost almost twice as much as bananas.
Flavour
When it comes to taste, one noticeable difference is that bananas are quite sweeter than plantains. Plantains don't have a dominant sweet flavour and when put next to bananas, their flavour is simply unnoticeable.
Nutrition
Plantains contain more calories and carbs than bananas, along with potassium and starch, whereas bananas have a higher sugar content. Apart from this, both of them are decent sources of fibre.