Potato vs. Plantain — Which One Is Healthier?
Summary
Potatoes are high in potassium, copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, choline, and vitamins B3, B5, and K. In contrast, plantains contain more magnesium, selenium, and vitamins E, C, and A. Potatoes are high in proteins and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while plantains have more saturated fats, net carbs, and dietary fiber. Moreover, plantain has less sodium, whereas potato has fewer calories.
Table of contents
Introduction
Baked potatoes and cooked plantains are the types used in this article. We will compare their nutritional content and health benefits.
Plantains are tropical plants native to Asia, South America, and the Caribbean islands. Potatoes are native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes. Potatoes are vegetables, whereas plantains, like bananas, are fruits.
Classification
Plantain (Musa balbisiana) belongs to the Musa genus and the family Musaceae.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) belongs to the Solanum genus and the family Solanaceae.
Appearance
At first look, plantains look like bananas. Plantains are larger and have thicker skin compared to bananas. Potatoes are often round and oval. Their skin is pale brown to deep red or even purple.
The skin of plantains may be green, yellow, and dark brown. Plantains have elongated, seemingly sharp ends, and the length is about 12 inches (30 cm). The length of potatoes is about 1.5-2.5 inches.
Taste
The unique flavor of plantains varies according to their level of maturity. Overall, plantains provide a distinct combination of starch and sweetness. Plantains taste bland and starchy when underripe, much like potatoes. They are not sweet and firm. Plantains get softer and tastier as they ripen. The flavor and texture of ripe plantains are similar to those of bananas.
Potatoes have a mild, earthy, and somewhat sweet flavor. Different potato varieties may have subtle variations in texture and taste. The flavor of potatoes may also be changed while cooking. While roasted potatoes are golden and crispy on the outside and have a sweeter, nuttier flavor, boiled or steamed potatoes are more delicate and light in flavor.
Uses
You can use potatoes in many recipes, like appetizers, main meals, and sometimes desserts. You may cook potatoes in different ways: boiled, baked, roasted, steamed, mashed, or fried. You also can make popular snacks such as french fries and potato chips.
Plantains also can be used in several ways: boiled, fried, baked, or grilled. You can cut and cook ripe plantains to produce plantain chips. Plantain chips are a healthier alternative to traditional potato chips.
You can use potatoes and plantains to make flour. Both are gluten-free and can be alternatives to wheat flour.
Nutrition
Here, you can find nutritional information for 100g servings of potatoes and plantains.
Macronutrients and Calories
Plantain is a little denser. Plantain has 67% water, whereas potatoes have 75%. Potatoes are high in protein. In contrast, plantain provides more carbs, fats, and calories.
Macronutrient Comparison
Calories
Compared to plantain, potatoes have fewer calories. A hundred grams of potatoes contain 93 calories, whereas the same amount of plantain contains 116 calories.
Protein
Compared to plantain, potatoes have more protein per hundred grams. A hundred grams of potatoes provide 2.5g of protein, whereas plantain has 0.79g. Both of these foods contain all essential amino acids.
Fats
In a 100g serving, potatoes and plantain contain less than 0.5g of fat. Potatoes provide 0.13g of fats, whereas plantain provides 0.18g. Moreover, potatoes contain more polyunsaturated fats, whereas plantain has over five times more monounsaturated and two times more saturated fats.
Fat Type Comparison
Carbohydrates
Compared to potatoes, plantain has more carbs per hundred grams. Plantain has 31.15g of total carbs, whereas potatoes have 21.15g. In a 100g serving, potatoes and plantain contain 18.95g and 28.85g of net carbs, respectively. The dietary fiber content for potatoes and plantains is 2.2g and 2.3g, respectively.
Plantain and potato are starchy foods. A potato's starch content can differ. Fresh potatoes typically contain less than 20% dry matter (DM), of which 60–80% is starch. Resistant starch (RS) is the main component of the fiber composition of potatoes. The other non-starch polysaccharides include cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin of raw potato mass (1).
Plantain fruit has about 70–80% starch (dry basis), whereas peel has 50% starch. Plantain's starch transforms into sugars as it ripens, with green plantain having a higher starch content and ripe plantain and banana having a higher sugar content (2).
Plantains and potatoes are cholesterol-free.
Vitamins
Potatoes contain slightly more vitamins B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, and K, whereas plantain has more vitamins E and B2. Both contain high levels of vitamin C, although plantain is higher. In a 100g serving, potatoes and plantain contain 9.6mg and 10.9mg of vitamin C, respectively. Moreover, plantain has over 90 times more vitamin A. A hundred grams of potatoes provide 10IU of vitamin A, whereas plantain contains 909 IU.
Vitamin Comparison
Minerals
Potatoes contain over 7.5 times more calcium, 2.5 times more phosphorus, and 2.7 times more zinc.
They also have slightly more potassium, copper, iron, manganese, and choline, whereas plantain has more magnesium. Unlike potatoes, plantain has over 3.5 times more selenium and two times less sodium.
Mineral Comparison
Glycemic Index
Potato has a glycemic index of 86, whereas the glycemic index of plantain is 37.
As we can see, potatoes tend to have a higher glycemic index than plantains. The glycemic indices of potatoes fall in the high category, whereas plantain is a low-GI food.
You may view our comprehensive glycemic index chart, which includes information on over 600 foods.
Insulin Index
The insulin index of potatoes is 121. There are no specific insulin index values for plantain.
Acidity
The pH level of potatoes is 5.4-5.9 (3). Unlike them, plantains have a pH level of 4.82 (4).
Another way of evaluating the acidity of food is the potential renal acid load or PRAL. The PRAL value of potatoes is -8.3, whereas plantains have a PRAL value of -9.2. They are both alkaline-forming.
Weight Loss & Diets
Vegan: Potatoes and plantains are vegan because they are made entirely of plants and don't contain any animal ingredients.
Vegetarian: Vegetarians avoid all animal flesh products. Potatoes and plantains are vegetarian foods.
Paleo: Eating natural, unprocessed foods and staying away from processed foods are the main goals of the paleo diet. Potatoes are not paleo-friendly, whereas plantains are paleo-friendly.
Keto: The keto diet includes low-carb, high-fat, and high-protein foods. Both are not keto-friendly because of their high carb content.
Studies using observational data to look at potato consumption and obesity predictors such as weight, body mass index, and waist circumference (WC) have shown inconsistent results. Eating more boiled, baked, or mashed potatoes is linked to a small weight gain over four years. But eating more French fries every day is linked to higher weight gain. While some have discovered no correlation between total potato intake and waist circumference (WC), others have noticed one between higher WC in women and total potato intake (1).
The fiber in plantain causes people to eat fewer calories and feel fuller quicker. These diets can help people control their weight gain (5).
Health Impact
Antidiabetic Properties
Eating a lot of potatoes, like baked, boiled, mashed, or french fries, is linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes (6).
Plantains are high in carbs yet are frowned upon by most diabetic treatment specialists. They are, nevertheless, a popular dietary item for those with diabetes. People with T2DM who consume more plantain diets had a lower risk of glycemia. Plantain's nutritional qualities cause it to be sluggish in releasing glucose into the blood, negatively affecting blood sugar levels after ingestion. Compared to potatoes, plantains have a lower GI, so they help to keep insulin levels from rapidly increasing (7)(5).
Anticancer Properties
According to the study, plantain may suppress the growth of lung cancer cells and hepatocellular and human colon carcinomas(8).
Potato aspartate protease inhibitors have anticancer qualities as radical scavengers against superoxide anions, hydroxyl free radicals, and DPPH free radicals. Using the MTT test, potato protease inhibitors (PPIs) and potato crude protein may prevent B16 melanocytes from proliferating in vitro. PPIs have an apoptotic effect on cancer cells and effectively inhibit the migratory rate of cells, suggesting that they can prevent cancer cells from metastasizing(9).
Antimicrobial Properties
Plantain and potatoes have antimicrobial and antifungal activity.
The study recorded the antimicrobial activities of plantain peel and fruit extracts against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella dysentriae, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Bacillus subtilis (8).
Potato protease inhibitors may inhibit the growth of Phytophthora infestans, Rhizoctonia solani, Botrytis cinerea, and Fusarium fungus. The proteins also may stop the growth of harmful germs like Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans (10).
Eye Health
Because our bodies cannot produce vitamin A, we must obtain it from animal products or plant sources. Plantains have 90 times more vitamin A and could be a good option for your eye health.
Acute vitamin A deficiency may inhibit photoreceptor function and produce night blindness (poor vision in low-light circumstances). Chronic deficiency leads to retinal dystrophies and photoreceptor cell death (11).
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267054/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/
- https://www.clemson.edu/extension/food/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8630314/#CR18
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26681722/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31622319/
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s42269-021-00549-3
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31144014/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33774009/
Infographic
Comparison summary table
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| Lower in Sugar |
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| Lower in Saturated Fat |
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| Rich in minerals |
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| Lower in Sodium |
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| Lower in Glycemic Index |
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| Lower in price |
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| Lower in Cholesterol | Equal | ||
| Rich in vitamins | Equal | ||
All nutrients comparison - raw data values
| Nutrient | |
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Opinion |
| Net carbs | 18.95g | 28.85g |
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| Protein | 2.5g | 0.79g |
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| Fats | 0.13g | 0.18g |
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| Carbs | 21.15g | 31.15g |
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| Calories | 93kcal | 116kcal |
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| Starch | 17.27g |
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| Fructose | 0.34g |
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| Sugar | 1.18g | 14g |
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| Fiber | 2.2g | 2.3g |
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| Calcium | 15mg | 2mg |
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| Iron | 1.08mg | 0.58mg |
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| Magnesium | 28mg | 32mg |
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| Phosphorus | 70mg | 28mg |
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| Potassium | 535mg | 465mg |
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| Sodium | 10mg | 5mg |
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| Zinc | 0.36mg | 0.13mg |
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| Copper | 0.118mg | 0.066mg |
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| Manganese | 0.219mg |
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| Selenium | 0.4µg | 1.4µg |
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| Vitamin A | 10IU | 909IU |
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| Vitamin A RAE | 1µg | 45µg |
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| Vitamin E | 0.04mg | 0.13mg |
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| Vitamin C | 9.6mg | 10.9mg |
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| Vitamin B1 | 0.064mg | 0.046mg |
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| Vitamin B2 | 0.048mg | 0.052mg |
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| Vitamin B3 | 1.41mg | 0.756mg |
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| Vitamin B5 | 0.376mg | 0.233mg |
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| Vitamin B6 | 0.311mg | 0.24mg |
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| Folate | 28µg | 26µg |
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| Vitamin K | 2µg | 0.7µg |
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| Tryptophan | 0.025mg | 0.009mg |
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| Threonine | 0.081mg | 0.021mg |
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| Isoleucine | 0.08mg | 0.022mg |
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| Leucine | 0.119mg | 0.036mg |
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| Lysine | 0.13mg | 0.037mg |
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| Methionine | 0.038mg | 0.01mg |
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| Phenylalanine | 0.099mg | 0.027mg |
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| Valine | 0.125mg | 0.028mg |
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| Histidine | 0.042mg | 0.039mg |
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| Saturated Fat | 0.034g | 0.069g |
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| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.003g | 0.015g |
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| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.057g | 0.033g |
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Which food is preferable for your diet?
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| Low Fats diet |
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| Low Carbs diet |
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| Low Calories diet |
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| Low Glycemic Index diet |
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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
Comparison summary
References
All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.
- Potato - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170093/nutrients
- Plantain - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169131/nutrients
All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.