Eggplants, fiber and vitamins

Eggplant contains a large amount of water, undoubtedly its majority component. It provides few calories, fiber, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and folates, but we cannot praise it above other vegetables because it has a composition similar to the rest. What we can highlight is its important content of antioxidant compounds to which interesting properties for health have been attributed. These are components such as phenols, including anthocyanins that give color to your skin and chlorogenic acid, both components that the plant naturally generates.

Eggplant varieties

They are classified according to their size, shape and coloration so that the following varieties are usually distinguished:

• Elongated: they are the most commonly consumed, they weigh around 180 g, they are elongated as their name indicates, and the color of their skin is bright dark purple and their pulp is greenish.
• Globosas: similar to the previous ones in terms of coloration although larger and spherical in shape.
• Spherical: we are the previous ones in terms of color and shape, although a little smaller and with voids in the pulp.
• Marbled: they can be round or oval, around 200 g and their main characteristic is the difference in color, their pulp is almost white and the skin has shades of two or three colors between white, green and purple.

How to take it

Eggplant is a widely used vegetable in Mediterranean cuisine and works well in many types of cooking: baked, grilled, in stir-fries and stews, sautéed, etc. It goes well with other vegetables, pasta, rice, cheese, meat, fish ... it is very versatile. It is not very advisable to fry it due to the amount of oil it absorbs due to its spongy texture. The populations of the Mediterranean basin use it in their habitual cuisine, such as the famous Greek "musaka", the Sicilian "caponata", the "parmigiana di melanzana" from southern Italy, the Catalan "sanfaina", the "mutabal "Or" baba ghanoush "Arabic, the" Imam Bayildi "Turkish, etc.

A UNIQUE EGGPLANT Almagro aubergine is a canned variety that has a Protected Geographical Indication. It is an autochthonous variety of "Solanum melongena" grown exclusively in municipal terms of Campo de Calatrava in the province of Ciudad Real. With the seasoning procedure to which these aubergines are subjected, it is possible to preserve them for long periods of time. Some studies show that the chlorogenic acid content of Almagro aubergines is much higher than fresh aubergines.

Who is it good for and who is not?

It is recommended for:

• Digestive disorders: it is considered to have cholagogue properties, that is, to stimulate the gallbladder. This favors the digestion of fats and can decrease the incidence of gallstones.
• Glucose control: benefits are attributed with respect to blood glucose control due to its chlorogenic acid content.
• High LDL cholesterol: eggplant contains flavonoid compounds which are considered to contribute to better cholesterol control and improve LDL cholesterol levels, affecting its metabolism and increasing its excretion.
• Low-calorie diets: although fried have a very important caloric content, if they are eaten, baked, sautéed, steamed, etc., they can be part of any weight control diet.
• Avoid cell oxidation: aubergine contains different types of compounds with antioxidant properties, chlorogenic acid, phenols, etc. These products have the ability to inhibit cellular oxidation, which is beneficial in multiple aspects, including the prevention of degenerative diseases and cancer.

It is not suitable in case of:

• Limitation of potassium: in kidney pathologies in which potassium intake must be controlled, we must take into account the content of this mineral that lettuce offers us and limit or avoid its consumption.
• Headaches caused by the consumption of amines: aubergines contain amines such as serotonin and tyramine that can sometimes cause allergic reactions and headaches in sensitive people. As there are conclusive studies in this regard, it is necessary to correlate food consumption with these alterations, since otherwise we could carry out excessively restrictive diets unnecessarily.

Buying and conservation advice

We must choose firm and uniform specimens of texture and color, without soft areas and a bright purple hue without the beginning of brownish-brown spots. We will choose the ones with the greatest weight in relation to their volume. To know that the eggplant is ready to be consumed, we can press it with our fingers: if there is a slight trace left, it is ripe, if it sinks too much it begins to be soggy.

It is a very perishable product and therefore it must be handled with care not to hit or damage it. To extend its useful life, we will keep it refrigerated, where it can last for about 10 days, depending on the degree of maturity when acquired. It is sensitive to the ethylene that other vegetables expel so it is preferable to keep it separately if we want to slow down its maturation.

ALWAYS COOKED Raw aubergines contain a toxic compound called solanine. The areas with the highest concentration of solanine are the greenest of the pulp, especially in immature specimens. Anyway, this compound is heat sensitive so we should not fear if we cook the aubergines well. In case of ingesting solanine we could develop gastrointestinal discomfort and.

The recipe with aubergine

ROASTED PEPPERS SALAD Ingredients

• 2 aubergines
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 onions
• 1 head of
• 2-3 tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil and salt

Preparation

• We preheat the oven to about 170ºC, and while we wash all the vegetables and place them on a suitable source for the oven, all except the tomatoes that we will add later.
• We make some cut to the skin of the vegetables to facilitate subsequent peeling.
• We roast the products for about an hour, except for the tomatoes that are well done in half an hour or less.
• Afterwards, we let cool, peel and cut the vegetables into strips except for the garlic and tomatoes.
• Finally we serve seasoning to taste with oil and salt.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Season: they are sensitive to cold and their best time is from August to December, although due to their greenhouse cultivation they are present in the market all year round.
• Benefits: antioxidant properties are attributed to it and it is considered very interesting in controlling cholesterol and blood glucose.
• Ideal for: alterations in blood glucose and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, digestive difficulties, etc.

Mercè Gonzalo

Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Bachelor of Food Science and Technology