What’s So Great About Eggplant

I could just say “Parmigiana” and we could all get out of here early but, really, anything tastes yummy covered in cheese. There has to be more value to a food for it to make the cut for WSGA so here’s why you should consider adding eggplant to the roster. I mean, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Its obvious fruits and vegetables were not assigned names in an effort to make them appealing to children: ugli fruit? Blood Orange? And now eggplant. Um, you’ve got plant right there in the name. Rookie mistake. So, first off, let’s call them by their French name, “aubergine” and be a little fancy, shall we? You can tell the kids its French for purple, and what child doesn’t want to eat purple things?

1. Its “brain food.” “Research on eggplant has focused on a phytonutrient found in the skin called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage”.

2. It kills germs and other unsavoury types. “Researchers at the US Agricultural Service in Beltsville, Maryland, have found that eggplants are rich sources of phenolic compounds…formed by plants to protect themselves against oxidative stress from exposure to the elements, as well as from infection by bacteria and fungi.

The good news concerning eggplant is that the predominant phenolic compound found in all varieties tested is chlorogenic acid, which is one of the most potent free radical scavengers found in plant tissues. Benefits attributed to chlorogenic acid include antimutagenic (anti-cancer), antimicrobial, anti-LDL (bad cholesterol) and antiviral activities”. (Source)

3. It’s high in important minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium to protect against arthritis and heart disease. And it’s a good source of dietary fibre.

One caveat with eggplant: it is among the nightshade vegetables and therefore considered a poor fit for some with special health concerns. Although there is no hard scientific data about nightshades (which also include peppers, potatoes and tomatoes), anecdotal evidence suggests that a substance called alkaloids may be problematic for some. Alkaloids, in high amounts “can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function”. (Source) While the actual nightshade food contains much lower amounts of alkaloids than the plant, nightshades seem not to pose any problems for most, people with chronic pain, arthritis and other joint issues are often advised to go easy or avoid them entirely.