The benefits and harms of eggplant for human health

Humanity has been cultivating vegetables for centuries. They enrich the diet with vitamins, make the daily menu varied. The abundance of vegetables allows you to choose for food those that are to your taste. Eggplants are popular among the housewives. From them you can cook a delicious dinner, mouth-watering snacks, perhaps familiar to everyone. In addition, they perfectly diversify the winter diet, since they are good in salted and pickled form, combined with other vegetables and are used as summer cottages. We will talk about the benefits and dangers of eggplant for human health in this article.

More about eggplant

These vegetables are native to Southeast Asia... In the tropics of India, they are found in the wild. The Indians of South America used eggplant for food long before the discovery of the continent by Europeans.

In Europe, they began to exist only in the Middle Ages.... Before that, strange properties were attributed to the plant, for example, causing madness, and was not eaten.

In the history of Russia, the first mentions of this vegetable date back to the 18th century. At the beginning of the twentieth century. they were successfully grown in the southern regions of the country.

Large oblong fruits, depending on the variety, can reach a length of 70 cm.In addition to the usual purple color, plants are bred with different shades of fruit: white, burgundy, almost black.

Eggplant is a berry rich in vitamins and minerals that belongs to the nightshade family. Due to its low calorie content (24 kcal per 100 g), it is often used in various diets for those who want to lose weight.

Composition and useful properties for the human body

The blue ones, this is how they affectionately call him in the southern regions of Russia, are very rich:

• various minerals (iron, calcium, potassium, iodine, molybdenum, manganese, magnesium and others);
• organic acids, they have a high content of niacin, which helps to conduct nerve impulses, folic and ascorbic acids;
• vitamins of group B, A, P;
• sugars and tannins;
• pectins and fiber.

High in potassium and zinc causes a diuretic effect and popularity in the diet of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. Relieves swelling, strengthens the heart muscles, removes cholesterol.

Low calorie content helps to actively use the vegetable when correcting weight. Folic acid is responsible for the normalization of hematopoiesis processes.

The antioxidants included in the composition protect against the development of cancer. Due to the fiber included in the fruit, the work of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and gallbladder improves.

The program “Live Healthy!” Will tell you about the benefits of eggplants:

Potential harm to health and contraindications

For all the usefulness do not use "blue":

• with exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers;
• in case of problems with the pancreas;
• with arthrosis or a gout attack;
• the presence of allergic reactions;
• serious kidney disease.

There are few contraindications... As part of steamed vegetable stews, eggplant will benefit almost everyone.

The benefits of a vegetable

For women

High manganese content makes a vegetable indispensable for women during menopause and with premenstrual syndrome. Relieves irritability, tearfulness, relieves mood swings.

Useful for pregnant women Due to the high content of folic acid, consumption helps to cope with the swelling that often accompanies pregnancy.

Normalizes the work of the digestive tract during lactation. Helps to diversify the diet, allows you to quickly lose weight.

For men

Since it is men who are most susceptible to cardiovascular diseases, they need to consume eggplants, which enrich the body with the necessary zinc and potassium.

In addition, with high physical exertion, "Blue" show a tonic effect.

Low calorie content meals allows you to control weight, this is true for both men and women.

For children

Until a year and a half, it is better not to include eggplants in the children's menu. With a lack of iron and low hemoglobin purple berries will help fill the deficit.

They will relieve the baby of constipation and normalize the digestive tract. The peculiar taste of dishes with this vegetable will surely please the kid.

Important: eggplants are not eaten raw... Cooking in large quantities of oil will do nothing but harm to the body.

How to choose and store

Choose under-ripe, smooth and shiny specimens. Wrinkled overripe berries are of no value.

Fruits with a thin skin are tastier. The darker the fruit, the better the taste.... Store well frozen or dried.

Blot chopped blanched vegetables with a napkin, fold into a container and place in the refrigerator. So they are stored for up to six months. You do not need to defrost it before cooking.

Open air dryby ensuring air circulation and protecting from direct sunlight. You can chop fresh eggplants and dry in the oven or fruit dryer.

When used in a diet, it is more useful to cut the peel from the vegetable.

They are used to make vegetable stews.... Stew over low heat, adding carrots, bell peppers, onions, herbs and potatoes. For cooking, use 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Remember: when frying, "blue" ones absorb a lot of oil. Better to bake or simmer. They can be pickled, salted, popular caviar, stewed or fried.

They go well with meat or vegetables.... Eggplant stuffed with meat or vegetables, a delicious and nutritious dish.

Eggplant with nuts and eggplant with garlic and herbs, video recipe:

Eggplants have long settled on our table. Benefit and bright, unique taste, made them popular on holidays and weekdays. They found admirers in different countries.

Cheap and tastyWhen cooked properly, these vegetables can provide significant benefits to the body.