The eggplants are delicious typical summer vegetables that are used in many recipes around the world. In this article we will discover the properties, all the benefits and how to cook them in the best way.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is part of the family of the Solanaceae which also belong potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. It is a vegetable rich in water and mineral salts and therefore has interesting properties despite the fact that the presence of solanine must be taken into account, a toxic substance that is largely removed by cooking.
Eggplant properties
Eggplants are vegetables with a diuretic power given the large amount of water from which they are made. In them we can also find minerals such as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as vitamins, especially A, and groups of B and C. Therefore, aubergines are also a natural means to ensure the presence of substances in our body.
Thanks to its richness in fiber , aubergines are a useful vegetable to keep cholesterol at bay and, above all, to regulate intestinal functions. Fiber also stimulates the production of gastric juices that aid digestion.
Eggplants are therefore a low-calorie food and, if cooked lightly, they are also recommended for those who are on a diet. They also help the liver to function by stimulating the production of bile and have an antioxidant power . Finally, popular medicine considers that they have anti-inflammatory properties.
In summary, the eggplants are:
- Diuretics.
- Rich in vitamins and mineral salts.
- Rich in fibers.
- Antioxidants
- Good for the intestine.
- Good for stimulating bile production.
Eggplant benefits
The benefits of this vegetable can be used in case of:
- Mineral deficiencies.
- Water retention.
- Low calorie diet.
- Constipation.
- High cholesterol.
- Inflammation of the urinary tract
- To promote digestion.
Its nutritional values
Eggplants contain large amounts of water and a lower percentage of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. These are their nutritional values of having been cooked in a pan without adding fat and salt:
- Water (g): 74.2
- Protein (g): 3.8
- Lipids (g): 1.4
- Cholesterol (mg): 0
- Available carbohydrates (g): 3.4
- Starch (g): 0
- Soluble sugars (g): 3.4
- Total fibers (g): 3.5
- Fibra soluble (g): 1.19
- Fibra insoluble (g): 2.31
- Potasio 184 mg
- Iron 0.30 mg
- Phosphorus 33 mg
- Calcium 14 mg
- Vitamins:
- C 11 mg
- B1 0.05 m
- B2 0.05 mg
- B3 0.6 mg
Eggplants are vegetables that have a low calorie content , we are talking about 41 calories for every 100 grams of cooked product without added salt and fat.
Eggplant varieties
There are different varieties of aubergines of different shapes, colors and sizes. They can be elongated, round or oval, while the colors vary from white to violet, from dark purple to black, but there are also yellow or pink eggplants.
Among the varieties with a round shape we find:
- Sabelle: purple aubergine.
- Black beauty : dark purple eggplant.
- Common round of Florence: also called pale violet eggplant that is characterized by its light purple skin.
- Black round : large with dark purple skin.
- Round aubergine bianca: it has a white skin .
- Round bianca faded with pink: large eggplant with a smooth skin characterized by pink tones.
- Palermo : has a deep purple skin.
Among the oval-shaped eggplants we recall instead:
- White : small with a smooth and shiny skin
- Galine : dark purple
- Giotto: deep purple color
- Monstrous from New York or White Giant from New York: of American origin, it has a skin that can be completely white or with violet hues
- Copa Durona negra : piel negra
- Maya: shiny black skin
- Long purple silk : deep purple skin
The elongated aubergines are:
- Naples Violet: with dark purple skin
- Violeta Palermo : with dark purple skin
- Long black : very dark purple skin
- Morella: with a dark violet skin
How can they cook
Given the high presence of solanine, it is good not to eat raw eggplants. In fact, with cooking, this substance is largely removed and the unpleasant taste of this vegetable takes on a completely different taste.
Eggplants can be cooked in many ways: grilled, fried, sautéed in the pan, or you can choose to use them to make preserves (excellent aubergines in oil) or tasty creams or sauces to season pasta and risotto but also to spread on bread as an appetizer.
Another tasty way to cook eggplants is to cut them in half, empty them, and fill them with cereals and other vegetables before putting them in the oven.
Obviously, aubergines, depending on how they are cooked and the seasoning used to make the dishes tastier, can be more or less healthy and easily digestible. Those who want to keep things at bay and consume them lightly can choose to cook them in the oven or in the wok with a little oil, avoiding all recipes that include fried eggplants.
As for the pairings with aromatic herbs, the aubergines combine well with the parsley but, to be more original and enjoy new combinations, you can add coriander. Even fresh chopped basil is a good match with the flavor of eggplants.
Remember this about eggplants:
- Never eat them raw.
- Proceed to salt them, rinse and dry them (if the recipe calls for it).
- Cook them in the oven or wok for a lighter meal.
- Combine them with parsley, cilantro or basil.