What is the King of vegetables: The Eggplant (Brinjal)?
Brinjal or eggplant, or aubergine belongs to the Solanaceae family. By botanical definition, it is a berry. It is used as a cooked vegetable in several cuisines. Brinjals are most commonly grown in tropical areas. Due to its attractive purple skin and white inner flesh, brinjal is known as the King of vegetables. Here you will know the benefits of brinjal.
Benefits of eggplant
Keeps Diabetes in control
The intake of fibre is advisable for people with Diabetes. Brinjal is rich in fibrous carbohydrates. So, eating brinjal keeps Diabetes in control.
Good for heart
As brinjal is rich in fibre, it controls the bad cholesterol in your body. As a result, eating brinjal is good for the heart.
Weight loss
Eggplant is high in fibre and low in calories, due to which eating eggplant will satisfy your hunger and helps you in reducing weight.
Good for the brain
Brinjal is rich in phytonutrients, a natural chemical that improves mental health. This chemical stimulates the neural pathways to develop and boost your memory by improving the blood flow into the brain. So, it is healthy for the brain.
Promotes bone health
Vitamin K, copper and manganese are found in eggplant. These nutrients are crucial for bone health. Adding eggplant to your diet will help you to strengthen your bone.
Aids digestion
Since fibre is rich in brinjal, it helps to improve digestion and metabolism. Eating eggplant will satiate your hunger and keeps you away from overeating.
Prevents Anaemia
Iron is the primary nutrient that helps in increasing red blood cells. Eggplant is also rich in iron, so it helps to produce red blood cells in the body and prevents anaemia.
Boosts Immunity
Vitamin C, K and folate are in eggplant. These nutrients play a vital role in boosting immunity in the human body.
Eye health
Lutein and Zeaxanthin are the antioxidants found in eggplant. They help in preventing age-related macular degeneration that leads to vision loss.
Nutrition
Here you will find the nutrients present in eggplant. The nutrients are listed below.
Energy
Energy is required for a human being to perform their daily activities. With the help of energy, the internal organs function properly without any discontinuity. As brinjal has more energy, it will help the internal organs function efficiently.
Carbohydrate
The body requires carbohydrates as a primary source of energy. It helps you feel full, sleep better, improve digestion and maintain weight.
Fibre
Fibre intake will help you to maintain weight and regulates your digestion process. It lowers cholesterol and blood sugar level in your body.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential for strengthening your bones and proper growth. Magnesium stimulates the nerves, muscles and other organs’ function. As eggplant has magnesium, eating it promotes heart health, prevents migraine attacks, etc.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is essential in using and storing energy in your body. It is also needed for strengthening teeth and bones. Eggplant is rich in phosphorus and helps you to have strong teeth and bones.
Potassium
Potassium maintains the fluid levels inside your body cells. It is essential for protein synthesize and carbohydrate metabolism. It regulates proper heartbeat, muscle and nerve functions in the body. Brinjal or eggplant has low potassium, so, it is included in the kidney diet.
Folate
The eggplant is very rich in folate. Folate is crucial for RBC (red blood cells) formation and healthy cell growth and function. So, taking in the eggplant will increase your body’s RBC count and cell growth.
Choline
Choline is rich in eggplant and helps your liver and brain function correctly. Choline deficiency leads to liver damage, muscle damage, non-alcoholic fatty liver damage, etc.
Beta carotene
Beta carotene is necessary for good vision, a robust immune system and healthy skin and mucous membranes. As beta carotene is rich in eggplant, it is advised to add eggplant to your diet for healthy skin and healthy vision.
Risk factor
The risk factors of eggplant are as follows.
Nasunin and iron absorption
Nasunin, phytochemical rich in eggplant, removes iron from the cells. This process is called iron chelation. People with low iron in their bodies are asked not to consume eggplant often.
Solanine poisoning
Solanine is a toxic glycoalkaloid. It is found in some potato plants and the Solanaceae family. Solanine in eggplant may poison human beings and farm animals. Heavy intake of eggplant leads to solanine poisoning. Eating eggplant limited in number is recommended.
Eggplant allergy
Due to eggplant allergy, reddened eyes, skin rashes, itching and swelling in throat, etc are observed. If you experience such things after eating eggplant, you must stop the frequent intake of eggplants.
Oxalates and kidney stones
People prone to absorb more oxalate are asked to get away from eating eggplant.
When you are allergic to eggplant, restrict the often consumption of eggplant.
Recipes
There are various recipes for cooking eggplant around the world. Among them, some are described below.
Crispy baked eggplant
Prepare an egg mixture for coating the slices of eggplant. Bake it with the help of the oven and take it out when both sides are finely baked and turn to a golden-brown colour. When the eggplant is finely baked, it is ready to serve with tomato sauce. Rather than eating fried food, eating a baked one is much healthier.
Japanese miso glazed eggplant burgers
Bake the eggplant slices by brushing vegetable oil on them. Bake until it’s tender enough to eat. On another side, prepare a fermenting sauce and soak cucumber slices in it.
After some time, transfer the cucumber slices to another container and refrigerate for one month at least. Prepare patties while the eggplant is baking.
Combine all the things as you do for a burger. Enjoy the Japanese miso glazed eggplant burger with mayonnaise.
Roasted eggplant with tahini, pine nuts and lentils
The eggplant is roasted until it is tender and caramelised. It is served over the lentils with creamy tahini sauce and crispy pine nuts.
Spiced shrimp and eggplant stir-fry
The eggplant combines well with the shrimp. The smaller the shrimp is, the tastier the dish. It tastes good when the shrimp and eggplant mix with the hot spices and chilli.
Eggplant spirals with Greek yoghurt, tomatoes, and cucumber
Finely baked eggplant combined with fresh yoghurt, tomatoes, and cucumber will give a juicy and crunchy taste at the same time. It is a side dish that offers the taste of Greek food.
Eggplant stew
Eggplant stew is a delicious recipe. It is a combination of cooked eggplant and onion with spices and garlic with it. Stir and cook until the ingredients combine and the eggplant is tender enough to melt in your mouth.
Conclusion
Eating eggplant is good for health, but eating excess will cause some ill effects for some people. Anything within the limit is good for health.
