Eggplant is a delicious and healthy vegetable that should be in the diet of every person. Its varietal variety goes beyond the shapes and colors we are accustomed to, and its use in cooking is truly limitless.
Did you know that eggplant is not a vegetable at all, but a berry, the color of which ranges from white to black-purple. Fruits of this shade are considered the most delicious, so they are presented in abundance on supermarket shelves. In Russia, eggplant is also called bubrijan, badrijan and blue.
Origin
The homeland of eggplant is India. Ancient Sanskrit manuscripts have been found in this country, which are approximately 2000 years old. The manuscripts tell you how to properly cultivate this crop and eat it.
Eggplants came to Europe with the ships of Arab merchants in the 15th century, in Russia gourmets tasted the “vegetable” only in the 19th century.
Varietal variety
In different parts of the world, the appearance of an eggplant may differ. This is due to the work of breeders and gastronomic preferences. The shape can be from oval and elongated to round. The rich color palette ranges from white, pink, burgundy to purple and almost black. The fruits of the “Golden Egg” variety are yellow and round in shape. They are incredibly popular in Southeast Asia and are considered a delicacy.
Structure
Eggplant contains vitamins of group B, C, PP, D, potassium, calcium, zinc, iron, chromium, fluorine, sulfur, magnesium, phosphorus, carotene, fiber and a whole complex of trace elements.
Beneficial features
Eggplant is recommended for dietary nutrition. 100 grams of baked or stewed product contains only 24 calories, so you don't have to worry about your figure. But when fried, the calorie content crosses the 100 mark. Fiber is involved in the digestion process and helps to effectively break down fat.
These vegetables are rich in potassium, which has a beneficial effect on heart function. Eggplant dishes are a delicious prevention of heart attacks, strokes and other heart diseases. Potassium also helps remove excess fluid from the body and prevents swelling.
Regular consumption of eggplant lowers cholesterol levels, cleanses blood vessels, prevents atherosclerosis, and normalizes acid-base balance.
The phytochemical components of this vegetable are involved in the function of hematopoiesis. Eggplant is essential for people with anemia.
It is also recommended for diabetics, for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, impaired metabolism.
Eggplant in cooking
This vegetable is baked, fried, stewed, stuffed and canned. Young eggplants can be eaten immediately, but ripe specimens are pre-soaked in salted water. During frying or stewing, the pulp of the fruit intensively absorbs vegetable oil, which then gives up as it cooks.
Raw or overripe eggplants should not be eaten. They contain a large amount of a substance called corned beef, which can cause poisoning.
How to choose an eggplant
You should buy young copies. They contain practically no harmful corned beef and have a particularly pleasant taste. You can determine the age of an eggplant by the smooth, shiny skin and light stalk. If the vegetable is wrinkled, the stalk is brown, then it is far from the standard.
Storage
The shelf life of a vegetable depends on the variety, temperature and humidity. Eggplant thrives for up to 3 weeks in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.
