The eggplant is considered to originate from India where it grew wild, and was first cultivated in China. It was introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages by the Moors where it soon became popular. By the 18th century, both the French and the Italians cultivated eggplant, which they called aubergine. Other names for eggplant are melongene or brinjal. Thomas Jefferson, who happened to be an experimental botanist, introduced eggplant to the United States in 1806.
Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber. It’s a very good source of vitamins B1, B6 and potassium. It’s a good source of copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, niacin, and folic acid. Nasunin, an anthocyanin from eggplant peels, is a potent antioxidant and free-radical scavenger, and has protective activity against lipid peroxidation.
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NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
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| Eggplant, raw | Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
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| Energy | 102 kJ (24 kcal) | |
| * Carbohydrates | 5.7 g | |
| Dietary fiber | 3.4 g | |
| * Fat | 0.19 g | |
| * Protein | 1.01 g | |
| Thiamine (Vit. B1) | 0.039 mg | |
| Riboflavin (Vit. B2) | 0.037 mg | |
| Niacin (Vit. B3) | 0.649 mg | |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.281 mg | |
| * Vitamin B6 | 0.084 mg | |
| * Folate (Vit. B9) | 22 ?g | |
| * Vitamin C | 2.2 mg | |
| * Calcium | 9 mg | |
| * Iron | 0.24 mg | |
| * Magnesium | 14 mg | |
| Phosphorus | 25 mg | |
| Potassium | 230 mg | |
| Zinc | 0.16 mg | |
| Manganese | 0.25 mg | |
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A comprehensive breakdown of nutrients can be found in the Nutrition Database where this food can also be added to a meal planner.
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Eggplant for Type 2 Diabetes
Study results indicate that phenolic-enriched extracts of eggplant inhibit enzymes that provide a strong biochemical basis for management of type 2 diabetes by controlling glucose absorption and reducing associated high blood pressure (hypertension).
Eggplant for Cholesterol Reduction
Eggplant for Cancer Prevention
Glycemic Index of Eggplant
Adverse Reactions from Eggplant
Eggplant should be avoided by individuals suffering from gout.
References:
1. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno.
2. Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology.
3. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
4. Noda Y, Kneyuki T, Igarashi K, Mori A, Packer L. Antioxidant activity of nasunin, an anthocyanin in eggplant peels. Toxicology. 2000 Aug 7;148(2-3):119-23. PMID: 10962130.
5. Matsubara K, Kaneyuki T, Miyake T, Mori M. Antiangiogenic activity of nasunin, an antioxidant anthocyanin, in eggplant peels. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Aug 10;53(16):6272-5. PMID: 16076105.
6. Azevedo L, Alves de Lima PL, Gomes JC, Stringheta PC, Ribeiro DA, Salvadori DM. Differential response related to genotoxicity between eggplant (Solanum melanogena) skin aqueous extract and its main purified anthocyanin (delphinidin) in vivo. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 May;45(5):852-8. PMID: 17194516.
7. Kwon YI, Apostolidis E, Shetty K. In vitro studies of eggplant (Solanum melongena) phenolics as inhibitors of key enzymes relevant for type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Bioresour Technol. 2008 May;99(8):2981-8. PMID: 17706416.
8. Botelho FV, et al. Effects of eggplant (Solanum melongena) on the atherogenesis and oxidative stress in LDL receptor knock out mice (LDLR(-/-)). Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Aug;42(8):1259-67. PMID: 15207376.
9. Carol Ann Rinzler, The New Complete Book of Food. A Nutritional, Medical, and Culinary Guide
what other properties of eggplant can be studied aside from those mentioned above?
Its anti aging properties in the skin.
well , it might be the answer to my problem hope so! i swallowed 4 tablets a day hoping to control this hypertention and type 2 diabetes. anyway thank’s so much for the information it is a bigg help for me and for everyone wow what a quack doctor i have
Why remove the seeds? those are the best part . . .