Is Roasted (Smoke) Ripe Plantain (Boli) Healthy

Roasted ripe plantain also known locally as boli is a popular and delicious food in Nigeria. It is eaten alone or with palm oil, groundnut oil and other combinations. It is prepared by removing the skin if ripe plantain, smoking it by placing the plantain on a grill over hot charcoal for a long time. The result is a beautiful round shape plantain ready for consumption.

How Safe Is Boli (Smoke Plantain

Roasted plantain (Boli)

There are concerns about the safety of this food. This is because there have been confirmed reports about the dangers of eating smoked meat. It has been shown that eating smoked meat increases the risk of cancer. For example, hot smoke meat can cause colon cancer.

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Danger Of Smoke Meat

Smoke from charcoal contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) such as bexopyrenes. This can cling to the surface of the meat.

The reason why this is dangerous in meat is because animal fats on coals or flame produce PAH which is carcinogenic. Also, when meat meets a hot surface, heterocyclic amine (HCA) is formed which is also carcinogenic.

One study that compared the level of HCA and PAH between smoke and grilled meat found out that the level in smoke meat was small. This showed that medium consumption of smoked meat is not bad. This cannot be said of grilled meat. However, there is no research yet to determine a safe level.

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From the above, consumption of smoke plantain may not contain those dangerous toxins. If it does, the level may not be as high as those of grilled meat. No research has gone all out to investigate the level of PAH or HAC in smoke plantain. And I have never seen a grilled plantain before. But if anybody does grill their ripe plantain, they should do well to check again. Grilled plantain may be dangerous.

Note: grilling is heating over direct heat in a short time

Benefit Of Roasted Plantain

There is no likely loss of nutrients from smoking ripe plantain. It should retain all the healthy benefits of plantain while improving the taste, flavour and aroma.