Plantains begin at a green stage, moving to yellow and then to black as they ripen and gain sweetness. Plantains cannot be eaten raw at any stage. The texture and taste of this versatile fruit depends entirely on its ripeness stage. Green plantains are starchy and have a taste more comparable to a potato. The pulp is ivory in color and firm.
Yellow plantains are between the green and black stage.
The skin may be spotted with brownish-black spots. Yellow fruit may be used in recipes that call for a flavor that is slightly sweet but with a firm texture. Black plantains are the sweetest and are used in recipes requiring a ripe or sweet plantain. The black stage can range from heavy black spotting to a fully black and very soft fruit. Fruit pulp is yellow-orange color and very soft.