Cooking banana | |
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Cooking bananas for sale
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Genus | Musa |
Species | Musa × paradisiaca |
Hybrid parentage | M. acuminata × M. balbisiana |
Cultivar group | Cultivars from a number of groups, including the AAA Group, the AAB Group and the ABB Group |
Origin | Primary: Southeast Asia, South Asia; secondary: West Africa |
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
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Energy | 510 kJ (120 kcal) |
31.89 g
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Sugars | 15 g |
Dietary fiber | 2.3 g |
0.37 g
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1.3 g
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Vitamins | |
Vitamin A equiv. |
(7%)
56 μg
(4%)
457 μg |
Thiamine (B1) |
(5%)
0.052 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) |
(5%)
0.054 mg |
Niacin (B3) |
(5%)
0.686 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) |
(5%)
0.26 mg |
Vitamin B6 |
(23%)
0.299 mg |
Folate (B9) |
(6%)
22 μg |
Choline |
(3%)
13.5 mg |
Vitamin C |
(22%)
18.4 mg |
Vitamin E |
(1%)
0.14 mg |
Vitamin K |
(1%)
0.7 μg |
Minerals | |
Calcium |
(0%)
3 mg |
Iron |
(5%)
0.6 mg |
Magnesium |
(10%)
37 mg |
Phosphorus |
(5%)
34 mg |
Potassium |
(11%)
499 mg |
Sodium |
(0%)
4 mg |
Zinc |
(1%)
0.14 mg |
Other constituents | |
Water | 65.3 g |
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Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
Cooking bananas are banana cultivars in the genus Musa whose fruits are generally used in cooking. They may be eaten while ripe or unripe and are generally starchy. Some cooking bananas are also referred to as green bananas or plantains (/ˈplæntᵻn/US /plænˈteɪn/,UK /ˈplɑːntᵻn/).
The term "plantain" is loosely applied to any banana cultivar that is eaten when cooked. However, there is no formal botanical distinction between bananas and plantains. Cooking is also a matter of custom, rather than necessity. Ripe plantains can be eaten raw, since the starches are converted to sugars as they ripen. In some countries, there may be a clear distinction between plantains and bananas, but in other countries, where many more cultivars are consumed, the distinction is not made in the common names used. In more formal usage, the term "plantain" is used only for "true" plantains, while other starchy cultivars also used for cooking are called "cooking bananas".