You’ve Been Lied To: Bananas ≠ Plantains?! 🍌😱
Bananas and plantains are not the same thing — and yes, I found out the hard way.
The other night I hit up this Venezuelan street food spot with some friends from Latin America, and nearly embarrassed myself asking why the “bananas” tasted...weirdly like potatoes. 😅
Spoiler: they were plantains, not bananas.
So here’s the breakdown — because if you still think they're interchangeable, you're not alone (I didn’t either until last week):
🍌 Plantains:
Bigger, longer, tougher skin
Usually green or yellow when ripe
Gotta cook them — think frying, baking, mashing
Not sweet, more like a starchy cousin of the banana (texture = potato vibes)
Used in savory dishes all across Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean
🍌 Bananas:
Shorter, softer peel, yellow when ripe (sometimes red or green!)
Naturally sweet, soft, and eaten raw
Used in desserts, smoothies, or just on their own
The kind you find in every American lunchbox or smoothie bar
Real talk, Have you ever confused the two?
Which do you prefer — sweet bananas or crispy fried plantains (like tostones or maduros)?
Or tag someone who thinks plantains are “just bigger bananas” 😂
#Bananas #plantains #Food
