The Benefits of the Purple Fruit/Vegetable "Eggplant"

Health Tip - The Eggplant

The Eggplant is a purple, glossy fruit that is cooked as a vegetable.

When buying an Eggplant choose with a bright glossy purple color, firm, heavy for size, free of scars.

Avoid Eggplants with brown or blue streaks or flabby at the touch. 

Smaller Eggplants tend to be more tender and have less seeds.  

                  


The Benefits of The Eggplant:

• Lowers cholesterol
• High in calcium
• Rich in Fiber
• Low carbohydrates
• Controls glucose absorption in the body
• Reduces hypertension
• Reduces excessive iron in the body through nasunin found in the Eggplant

         

The Downside of eating The Eggplant is, it is high in uric acid and oxalates and should be avoided by those who suffer from gout, arthritis, kidney, or gall bladder problems.

Eat Eggplants half-cooked with garlic olive oil, fresh grated garlic and cumin spice.

The Benefits outweigh the disadvantages:

• A good source of essential minerals:
• Magnesium
• Copper
• Maganese
• Phosphorus
• Folic acid
• Niacin
• Potassium
• Vitamin B complex (B1, B6 and B12)
• Vitamin A and C
• Thiamine
• Riboflavin
• Iron
• No fat
• Carbohydrates
• Protein

                          

Eggplants can be baked, steamed, or even roasted in the oven.

The Health Benefits (continuation):

• The skin of the Eggplant helps protect the lipids (fats) in the brain cell
• Antioxidant that helps prevent cancer
• High fiber helps prevent constipation, hemorrhoids and colitis
• Low in calories and has no fat
• Helps with stomach ulcers
• Helps various nervous conditions
• Contains large amount of water
• Helps reduce glucose levels ( Type II Diabetes)

          

 Try this wonderful fruit/vegetable and have fun creating healthy dishes.

For more information on the benefits of the Eggplant go to www.webMD.com, http://www.lifestyle.iloveindia.com/ or www.hubpages.com


Live well
Doc V