Do you like eggplants the way they deserve? Do you know everything about their properties? But, experts in healthy nutrition, the benefits and harm of eggplant are well known. What their opinion on the account of a vegetable so popular in many countries, we will try to understand.
A bit of history
In the wild this plant grew in India, South Asia and the Middle East, and from there it confidently went to conquer the whole world. Aboriginal huts were drowned in thickets of eggplants even more than 15 centuries ago. But Europeans first met the dark purple fruit quite hostile because of their unusual taste, which happened only in the XV century. A well-deserved recognition as a useful food product, came to the aubergines in Europe much later - just a century and a half ago.
Today, aubergines are successfully grown in areas with a subtropical and temperate climate, being a valuable culture for food. Rounded, glossy fruits are a part of thousands of different dishes, perfectly combined with other vegetables, herbs, meats, pasta and cheese.
Useful properties of your favorite blue
What is useful for aubergines? The answer is obvious when considering their chemical composition. Of course, they contain many vitamins, among which the following predominate:
- thiamin( B1), without which skeletal muscles are atrophied and organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and liver can not function properly;
- riboflavin( B2), necessary for the formation of red blood cells in the blood and normal functioning of the thyroid gland;
- pyridoxine( B6), which takes an important part in the metabolism;
- folic acid( B9), whose presence requires the process of copying DNA when a new life is born;
- ascorbic acid ©, its deficiency causes fragility of vessels, weakening of muscle tone, slowing of tissue regeneration and many other negative consequences;
- nicotinamide( PP), involved in cellular respiration, has anti-allergic effect.
In what cases doctors recommend to include in food of purple beauties, let's talk about it further.
In case of problems with the intestine
Eggplants contain a large amount of plant fiber, that is, indigestible fibers. These substances pass through the entire digestive tract almost unchanged. At the same time, they improve peristalsis and, like a swallow, cleanse the intestines, absorb fats and dangerous toxins, and then gently remove them from the body. Eggplant admirers quickly normalize the stool, so that there are no stagnant phenomena in the abdomen.
With atherosclerosis of
vessels Eggplants have the property to reduce the concentration of cholesterol in the blood, thereby contributing to the dissolution of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels. This is due to the high content of pectins in the fruits of the famous plant that bind cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract, not letting it get into the blood.
In hypertensive disease, ischemia of the heart and arrhythmia
In the eggplants of the mineral elements, potassium prevails, which has a beneficial effect on the heart. In addition, potassium salts have a pronounced diuretic effect, they excrete sodium from the body, which retains the liquid. At the same time there is a decrease in edema and a decrease in blood pressure, thereby improving the overall well-being of a person.
In the elderly,
Anthocyanid cyanidin, a dark pigment contained in the aubergine skin, protects the lipid envelopes of nerve fibers from damage. In simple terms, cyanidine prevents dementia, which is especially important for people of advanced age.
When losing weight
Eggplant have a very low calorie content, being an ideal meal for those who watch their figure. After all, in 100 grams of boiled vegetables, only 24 kilocalories. Also, when weight loss is necessary, the ability of eggplants to remove cholesterol and excess fluid from the body plays a big role. In a word, the purple fruit can rightfully be considered a truly dietary product.
If you want to quit smoking
Surprisingly, eggplants reduce cravings for cigarettes, and the benefits of this property are obvious. The thing is that the fruits contain microdoses of nicotine. A small amount of this substance is not capable of harming the body, but it helps to reduce the amount of smoked. If you want to quit the addiction, it is recommended to eat aubergines daily, which is equivalent to wearing special nicotine patches.
For the prevention of cancer
Some groups of glycosides that make up eggplants protect cells from damage by free radicals, prevent and stop the development of cancer tumors. Of course, aubergines can not be used as a cure for cancer. They only act as an additional means of preventing a serious illness, which is also very good.
Which fruit is the most useful
We eat young eggplants. Ripe, ripened fruits are unsuitable for food, as they accumulate a poisonous substance - solanine, which depresses the human nervous system. But the shape and variety of aubergines do not play a fundamental role. Although, you can say that slightly more useful dark-colored fruit, in contrast to their lighter brethren.
Probably, it is not necessary to mention that the eggplant intended for food should be free from signs of damage and spoilage. They may be glossy or matt, differently colored depending on the variety, but they are always elastic and not sluggish.
Rules for storage and consumption of food
Eggplants for storage should be thoroughly washed and dried. But the peduncle beforehand is not necessary to remove, otherwise the cut will become the entrance gate for various bacteria.
Prepared vegetables are placed in clean and dry plastic containers and stored under the lid on the top shelves of the refrigerator.
Before you cook eggplant, and keep all its useful properties, the vegetable should be soaked in salt water for at least 20 minutes. This is to ensure that the fruit does not absorb the excess fats from other foods and vegetable oil, otherwise its calorie content can increase by 3 times. But to clean the eggplant is not necessary, because the peel contains a lot of useful.
Eggplants can be eaten daily in boiled, stewed, baked and better without salt. But raw they can be somewhat dangerous to health because of the large amount of coarse dietary fiber and the contents of the same solanine.
Tip. To eggplants cooked without the addition of salt, do not seem too tasty to taste, water them before consuming lemon juice or soy sauce.
Contraindications
Like any food product, eggplants have their contraindications, but fortunately there are very few of them. First of all, this is an individual intolerance, because, oddly enough, this plant can cause allergies.
In addition, the use of aubergines should not be used in conditions that carry the risk of dehydration, as well as during an exacerbation of diseases of the urinary system.
And from all of the above, it follows that the eggplant should be on every table and as often as possible to give us delight in delicious taste and natural care for our health.