What You Need to Learn About Eggplant Recipes and Your Body that Only a Few Docs Know
Remarkably versatile, the eggplant — or aubergine — is native to India, but eggplant recipes have been making their way into dishes around the world for many years. Its beneficial qualities weren’t appreciated until later, however — for a long period of history, it was thought to be poisonous!
No worries; it can be an intimidating vegetable (actually, it’s technically a fruit — a berry, by botanical standards!) for those who aren’t used to cooking with it, but it’s perfectly safe and tasty.
Eggplant can be used for a variety of recipes to suit different tastes. Salted, stewed (as in French Ratatouille), deep-fried, roasted, grilled, stuffed; eggplant is used widely in Indian food as well, of course, being native to the country.
What isn’t widely advertised about this odd-looking purple fruit, however, is its health benefits — eggplant recipes are as nutritious as they are diverse.
photo by avlxyz
Eggplant is a good source of potassium, fiber, manganese, vitamin C, K, and B6, niacin, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, pantothenic acid and folic acid — just several of eighty different nutrients it contains!
Eating eggplant while on the HCG diet is healthy in moderation.
Some of its health-boosting qualities are thanks to its richly colored, dark, edible skin (no peeling needed), which are a main source of antioxidants and phytonutrients, which help to block the formation of cancer-causing free radicals.
Because of this quality, eggplant may play a role in heart health, too; it has cholesterol-lowering properties, helping the blood flow more healthily through the blood vessels.
Because it contains the antioxidant nasunin, it also plays a role in removing excess iron from the body, which can aid in the prevention of joint disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.
It’s also the nasunin that can particularly aid health-conscious post-menopausal women: after menopause, women’s bodies can accumulate too much iron, which eggplant can “chelate”, which means — again — lessening free radicals. Its folate content also makes it healthy for women.
Eggplant is also low in sugar and saturated fat, making it a good choice for those on the HCG diet, especially in phase 3. Try these easy recipes:
- Homemade Babaganoush: roast eggplant and puree it, then add garlic, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Dip vegetables or pita, or use in sandwiches.
- Baked Eggplant Salad: bake eggplant, cut into cubes, and toss with grilled sweet bell peppers, onions, lentils, and balsamic vinaigrette.
- Grilled Eggplant: grill eggplant on the BBQ with peppers, zucchini and olive oil and add red wine vinegar, fresh oregano, and crumbled feta cheese.
Enjoy eggplant recipes that pack a nutritional punch!
