Matoke is a traditional East African dish consisting of slow-cooked green bananas simmered in a savory, aromatic sauce. It is a staple comfort food often served during lunch or dinner alongside various vegetable sides.
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Nutrient score: Excellent
Goodness for its calories, 25 to 100.
How is this worked out?
The nutrient score shows how much goodness a recipe gives for its calories, from 25 to 100. Every recipe gets at least 25. It is the same for everyone.
It adds up how much of 11 nutrients people need the recipe gives for its calories: protein, fibre, vitamins A, C and E, calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, folate and zinc. Each counts up to a full day’s worth for the calories. It then takes points off for saturated fat, added sugar and sodium above a fair share for the calories.
75 and over: Excellent. 60 to 74: Very good. 45 to 59: Good. 35 to 44: Fair. 25 to 34: Low.
The formula (from the recipe’s values per 100 g):
- Share of the day: the recipe’s kcal per 100 g ÷ 2,000 (under 40 kcal per 100 g, such as a herb or tea, counts as 40 kcal).
- 11 nutrients to encourage: protein (50 g), fibre (28 g), vitamin A (900 mcg), vitamin C (90 mg), vitamin E (15 mg), calcium (1,300 mg), iron (18 mg), potassium (4,700 mg), magnesium (420 mg), folate (400 mcg) and zinc (11 mg). For each: amount ÷ (Daily Value × share), at most 1. Add them up.
- 3 nutrients to limit: saturated fat (20 g), added sugar (50 g) and sodium (2,300 mg). For each: amount ÷ (limit × share) − 1, only when above 0 and at most 3. Add them up.
- Result = 100 × (step 2 − 2 × step 3) ÷ 11, kept between 0 and 100.
- Score = 25 + 0.75 × result, rounded. The scale runs from 25 to 100 instead of 0 to 100: every edible recipe gets at least 25, and the order doesn’t change.
It follows the Nutrient Rich Foods index (NRF 9.3) with the U.S. FDA Daily Values for a 2,000 kcal day. Different from the published index: folate and zinc are added (11 nutrients instead of 9), the nutrients to limit count double and each at most three times its share, the 40 kcal floor, and the 25 to 100 scale. When some of the values it needs are unknown, the score is shown as “about”.
A recipe’s values are worked out from its ingredients, whose values are estimates.
Sources: Drewnowski A. Defining nutrient density: development and validation of the Nutrient Rich Foods index. J Am Coll Nutr. 2009;28(4):421S-426S; U.S. FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
A low score doesn’t make a recipe bad: treats and festive dishes have their place. Use the score to compare similar recipes. In the GapPlate app you also see how much of the gaps in your day a serving fills.
Units:
Ingredients
- 8 pieces Green banana (1.2 kg)
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (27 g)
- 1 medium Onion (150 g)
- 3 cloves Garlic (15 g)
- 3 medium Tomato (450 g)
- 1 tsp Curry powder (2.5 g)
- 2 cups Water (473 g)
- Salt, to taste
- 1 handful Fresh Coriander (28 g)
- Ingredients in total: 2.35 kg
- Weight lost in cooking: 1.15 kg (mostly water boiling off)
- Net weight (cooked): 1.2 kg · 4 servings of about 300 g
Method
- Peel the green bananas by slicing off the ends and cutting through the skin lengthwise, then remove the skin and cut the bananas into chunks.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- Add the finely chopped onion to the pot and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and chopped tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes break down into a soft paste.
- Mix in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the banana chunks to the pot and stir to coat them thoroughly in the tomato mixture.
- Pour in the water until the bananas are just covered, then bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bananas are soft and have absorbed most of the liquid.
- Season with salt to taste and gently stir to ensure the sauce coats the bananas evenly.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 372 kcal | 124 kcal |
| Protein | 5.19 g | 1.73 g |
| Water | 205 mL | 68.5 mL |
| Sodium | 14.3 mg | 4.77 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 78.1 g | 26 g |
| Total Fat | 8.1 g | 2.7 g |
| Sugar | 41.2 g | 13.7 g |
62 more nutrients
Carbohydrates
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Added Sugar | 0 g | 0 g |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 1.76 mg | 0.59 mg |
| Calcium | 49.6 mg | 16.5 mg |
| Magnesium | 101 mg | 33.8 mg |
| Potassium | 1,454 mg | 485 mg |
| Iodine | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 115 mg | 38.2 mg |
| Zinc | 0.81 mg | 0.27 mg |
| Chloride | 36.8 mg | 12.3 mg |
| Selenium | 4.05 mcg | 1.35 mcg |
| Copper | 0.36 mg | 0.12 mg |
| Fluoride | 0.023 mg | 0.008 mg |
| Manganese | 1.18 mg | 0.39 mg |
| Molybdenum | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Chromium | 0.064 mcg | 0.021 mcg |
Fats
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Fat | 0 g | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1.3 g | 0.43 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2.66 g | 0.89 g |
| Omega-3 Fatty Acids | 0.18 g | 0.059 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.98 g | 1.33 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 3.8 g | 1.27 g |
| DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) | 0.24 g | 0.081 g |
| Arachidonic Acid | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 0 g | 0 g |
| Omega-9 Fatty Acids | 2.02 g | 0.67 g |
Fibre
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber | 10.3 g | 3.42 g |
| Soluble Fiber | 2.94 g | 0.98 g |
| Insoluble Fiber | 8.13 g | 2.71 g |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 48.6 mg | 16.2 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 88.7 mcg | 29.6 mcg |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.64 mg | 0.88 mg |
| Vitamin A | 81.2 mcg RAE | 27.1 mcg RAE |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.16 mg | 0.054 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.1 mg | 0.37 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.26 mg | 0.086 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.12 mg | 0.37 mg |
| Vitamin E | 2.22 mg | 0.74 mg |
| Vitamin K | 34.5 mcg | 11.5 mcg |
| Biotin (B7) | 5.43 mcg | 1.81 mcg |
| Beta-Carotene | 878 mcg | 293 mcg |
Others
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Choline | 41.2 mg | 13.7 mg |
| Leucine | 359 mg | 120 mg |
| Lysine | 262 mg | 87.4 mg |
| Polyphenols | 919 mg | 306 mg |
| Methionine | 65 mg | 21.7 mg |
| Oxalates | 28.3 mg | 9.42 mg |
| Threonine | 181 mg | 60.4 mg |
| Tryptophan | 49.4 mg | 16.5 mg |
| Valine | 245 mg | 81.5 mg |
| Flavonoids | 128 mg | 42.5 mg |
| Histidine | 337 mg | 112 mg |
| Lutein / Zeaxanthin | 0.82 mg | 0.27 mg |
| Lycopene | 2.89 mg | 0.96 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 265 mg | 88.2 mg |
| Purines | 53.6 mg | 17.9 mg |
Proteins
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Isoleucine | 201 mg | 66.9 mg |
Additives
| Nutrient | Per serving (300 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) | 277 mg | 92.3 mg |
Worked out from the ingredients with the GapPlate food library, per 100 g of the cooked dish. Estimates, not medical advice.
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