Plantain
2 foods contain this ingredient
This is an alphabetical list, not a ranking. Add KL+ to rank foods for your pet in the Food Finder.
About Plantain
Plantain is a starchy, banana-family fruit that shows up in some pet foods and treats as a cooked carbohydrate and fiber source.
Plantain is used in pet foods primarily as a carbohydrate and fiber source—providing resistant starch (especially when green), soluble fiber and micronutrients such as potassium and vitamin C—that can support digestive health and act as a mild prebiotic. It supplies digestible calories useful for dogs (cats being obligate carnivores derive limited benefit), but is relatively high in sugars when ripe and caloric so should be used in moderation, cooked for digestibility, and limited in diabetic or weight‑management diets.
Related ingredients
- Derived from
- plantain fruit (Musa species), typically cooked
- Primary role
- carbohydrate energy and fiber source
Why it's used
Unripe plantain is notably high in resistant starch, a type of starch that passes largely undigested into the large intestine where it can act as a substrate for gut bacteria. Ordinary cooking lowers that resistant-starch fraction, but plantain still contributes potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber that can support normal stool formation when included in modest amounts.
Common concerns
- Digestibility when raw Raw plantain is dense and starchy, and sources aimed at dog owners note it can cause gas, bloating, or stomach upset if not cooked first.
- Sugar content as it ripens As plantains ripen, their resistant starch converts to simple sugars, so riper plantain contributes more natural sugar per serving than unripe plantain.
- Limited value for cats As obligate carnivores, cats have little physiological need for plant-based carbohydrate sources like plantain, so its inclusion mainly serves formulation goals like texture or fiber rather than a specific feline nutrient requirement.
Common Questions
What category is Plantain?
Plantain is categorized as a herb ingredient in the KibbleLab database.
Is Plantain part of an allergen group?
No allergen group is linked to Plantain in the KibbleLab database.
Which foods contain Plantain?
2 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Plantain, including Forza10, Nulo.
Foods with Plantain
Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.
Find the right food for your pet
Sign in free to sort and filter by score, and avoid or require Plantain in the Food Finder. Add KL+ to see these foods ranked for your pet's breed, age, and health focus.
Continue with Google
Continue with Facebook