A yummy dish is lentils with eggplant, but there fruits that most think is a vegetable is super healthy for us. Eggplants, or aubergines, can range in color from purple to red, green or even black. There texture is very similar to that of red meat and they add a mild flavor to dishes.
In this article, the latent health benefits of eggplants will be debated.
Eggplants are packed with many nutrients
Eggplants are a good source of many vitamins, dietary fiber, minerals and has only a few calories. In fact, one cup of raw eggplant will contain the following:
- Carbs: 5 grams
- Calories: 20
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 1 gram
- Folate: 5% of the RDI
- Manganese: 10% of the RDI
- Potassium: 5% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 3% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 4% of the RDI
Eggplants also have small amounts of other nutrients, including copper, niacin, and magnesium.
Eggplants have many antioxidants
Besides all the minerals and vitamins contained within eggplants, they are also full of antioxidants. These antioxidants can aids to protect your body from damage, which could be caused by harmful substances that are called free radicals. More so, antioxidants can help your protect your body against chronic diseases like cancer and heart diseases.
Plus, eggplants contain anthocyanins. These are a sort of pigment with antioxidant properties that gives eggplants that bright color. But a particular type of anthocyanins called nasunin is effective at protecting your cells from damage from harmful free radicals.
Eggplants could be good for your heart health
All those antioxidants not only help to protect your cell from damage, they also aids to lessen the risk of heart disease. This is as eggplants could help to lower the bad cholesterol levels, but also the levels of triglycerides. These are two blood markers that could increase your risk for heart problems.
Eggplants are good to keep your blood sugar levels healthy
Eggplant is a good source of dietary fiber, which helps to keep your digestive system active. Fiber helps to lower your blood sugar as it slows the rate by which the digestion and absorption of sugar takes place. A slow absorption rate means that your blood sugar levels will be steady and therefore spikes and crashes are avoided.
More so, eggplants contain natural plant compounds called polyphenols that helps to lessen sugar absorption and increase insulin secretion – this helps to lower blood sugar.
Therefore, eggplants should be on the grocery list of every diabetic with other healthy foods, since it could help to control the diabetes.
Eggplant could help with weight management and loss those extra pounds
The fact that eggplant is low in calories and a super dietary fiber (a cup of eggplant has 3 grams of fiber and 20 calories), this means that eggplant could help to you lose some weight. This is as fiber aids the digestive tract and makes you feel full; therefore, you will eat less and will be able to do portion control. Also, eggplants are used as a high-fiber, low-calorie substitute for higher-calorie ingredients in some dishes.
Eggplants could help protect you from cancer
There are some research, although more needs to be done, still the findings indicate a possible use of eggplants to fight cancer cells. That is since eggplants contain solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides that is a compound that could kill cancer cell and lessen the recurrence of some type of cancers, especially skin cancer.
The bottom line
Eggplants are super versatile – you can bake it, sautéed it, grill it; use it instead of pasta as low-calorie replacement in meals. No matter how you enjoy these low calorie and carb free fruit, they will boost your health. A good source of fiber, packed with nutrients that your body needs, and offering possible health benefits from protecting your heart, controlling your blood sugar levels, to fighting cancer cells. Eggplants are also good for weight management.
Add these versatile fruit into your meals. Not only are they yum, but they could help to keep you and your family healthy.