A favorite in vegan and omnivore cuisine, eggplant can be baked, roasted, grilled, used as a pizza topping or in stir-fry recipes. It has a pleasantly bitter taste and spongy texture that may vary depending on the color/variety of eggplant selected. Dress your cooked eggplant with herbs, sauces, and condiments and you'll be sure to please even the pickiest guest at your dinner table.
Eggplant contains a phytonutrient (plant chemical with nutritional benefits) called nasunin. Nasunin acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage. In addition, eggplant contains a wealth of other antioxidants that support brain and heart health. In research studies, one variety of eggplant - called Black Magic - was found to have three times the antioxidant properties compared to several other types of eggplant. It's also a terrific source of dietary fiber, copper, potassium and B vitamins.
It's best to buy eggplant in-season during the months August through October. It comes in all sorts of shapes (baseball size to a thick crescent) and a cornucopia of colors such as lavender, jade green, and yellow-white. Choose eggplants that are firm, vivid in color, and heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth, shiny and without damage.
To test for ripeness, press your thumb into the eggplant. If the skin doesn't "spring back," it's not ripe. Eggplant is highly perishable so don't cut it before storing. Keep it stored in a food crisper or on the shelf in the fridge for a few days.
To help you get started, check out this delicious recipe for Eggplant Caponata.
Eggplant contains a phytonutrient (plant chemical with nutritional benefits) called nasunin. Nasunin acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage. In addition, eggplant contains a wealth of other antioxidants that support brain and heart health. In research studies, one variety of eggplant - called Black Magic - was found to have three times the antioxidant properties compared to several other types of eggplant. It's also a terrific source of dietary fiber, copper, potassium and B vitamins.
It's best to buy eggplant in-season during the months August through October. It comes in all sorts of shapes (baseball size to a thick crescent) and a cornucopia of colors such as lavender, jade green, and yellow-white. Choose eggplants that are firm, vivid in color, and heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth, shiny and without damage.
To test for ripeness, press your thumb into the eggplant. If the skin doesn't "spring back," it's not ripe. Eggplant is highly perishable so don't cut it before storing. Keep it stored in a food crisper or on the shelf in the fridge for a few days.
To help you get started, check out this delicious recipe for Eggplant Caponata.
References:
Worlds Healthiest Foods. "Eggplant" Accessed on 4 July 2016: http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
Whitaker, B.D., Stommel, J.R. "Distribution of hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates in fruit of commercial eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivars." J Agric Food Chem. (May 2003) 51(11): 3448-54. Accessed on 5 July 2016: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf026250b
Murray, Michael T., Pizzorno, J. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (2005). Atria. Excerpt on eggplant available at: https://doctormurray.com/healing-facts-eggplant/
Das, S. et al., "Cardioprotective properties of raw and cooked eggplant (Solanum melongena L)." Food Funct. (2011) 2, p. 395-399. DOI: 10.1039/C1FO10048C. Accessed 5 July 2016: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/FO/c1fo10048c#!divAbstract
EatingWell.com. "10 Healthy Eggplant Recipes." Accessed 5 July 2016. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_eggplant_recipes
Photo Credit: Dasha Petrenko/bigstockphoto.com
Worlds Healthiest Foods. "Eggplant" Accessed on 4 July 2016: http://whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
Whitaker, B.D., Stommel, J.R. "Distribution of hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates in fruit of commercial eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivars." J Agric Food Chem. (May 2003) 51(11): 3448-54. Accessed on 5 July 2016: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf026250b
Murray, Michael T., Pizzorno, J. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (2005). Atria. Excerpt on eggplant available at: https://doctormurray.com/healing-facts-eggplant/
Das, S. et al., "Cardioprotective properties of raw and cooked eggplant (Solanum melongena L)." Food Funct. (2011) 2, p. 395-399. DOI: 10.1039/C1FO10048C. Accessed 5 July 2016: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/FO/c1fo10048c#!divAbstract
EatingWell.com. "10 Healthy Eggplant Recipes." Accessed 5 July 2016. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_eggplant_recipes
Photo Credit: Dasha Petrenko/bigstockphoto.com
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