Health Benefits of Eating Eggplant

Eggplant, aubergine or brinjal is a plant species in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Solanum melongena is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. Most commonly purple, the spongy, absorbent fruit is used in several cuisines. Typically used as a vegetable in cooking, it is a berry by botanical definition. 

The eggplant, or aubergine, provides fiber and a range of nutrients. This low-calorie vegetable features in the Mediterranean diet.

Many of us are most familiar with eggplants that are large and dark purple, but the shape, size, and color can vary from small and oblong to long and thin and from shades of purple to white or green.

This article will focus on the nutritional benefits of the traditional purple eggplant.

Eggplants are rich in fiber and antioxidants.

A serving of eggplant can provide at least 5% of a person’s daily requirement of fiber, copper, manganese, B-6, and thiamine. It also contains other vitamins and minerals.

In addition, eggplants are a source of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants.

Antioxidants are molecules that help the body eliminate free radicals — unstable molecules that can damage cells if they accumulate in large amounts. Foods that contain antioxidants may help prevent a range of diseases. Among the antioxidants in eggplants are anthocyanins, including nasunin, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Heart health

The fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, and antioxidants in eggplants all support heart health.

A review published in 2019 suggested that eating foods containing certain flavonoids, including anthocyanins, helps reduce inflammatory markers that increase the risk of heart disease.

A 2013 study found that middle-aged women who consumed more than 3 servings a week of blueberries and strawberries — good sources of anthocyanins — had a 32% lower associated risk of heart disease than those who consumed fewer of these fruits.

In another investigation, researchers concluded that women with a high intake of anthocyanins appeared to have significantly lower blood pressure and less stiffening of the arteries than those who ate fewer of these compounds.

Blood cholesterol

Eggplant contains fiber, and this may benefit cholesterol levels. A cup of cooked eggplant cubes, weighing 96 grams (g), contains around 2.4 g of fiber.

Results of a 2014 study in rodents indicated that chlorogenic acid, a primary antioxidant in eggplants, may decrease levels of low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol and reduce the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Cancer

The polyphenols in eggplant may help protect the body from cancer. Anthocyanins and chlorogenic acid protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. In the long term, this may help prevent tumor growth and the spread of cancer cells.

Anthocyanins may help achieve this by preventing new blood vessels from forming in the tumor, reducing inflammation, and blocking the enzymes that help cancer cells spread.

Cognitive function

Findings of animal studies suggest that nasunin, an anthocyanin in eggplant skin, may help protect brain cell membranes from damage caused by free radicals. Nasunin also helps transport nutrients into cells and move waste out.

Anthocyanins also help prevent neuroinflammation and facilitate blood flow to the brain. This could help prevent memory loss and other aspects of age-related mental decline.

Weight management

Dietary fiber can help people manage their weight. A person who follows a high-fiber diet is less likely to overeat, as fiber can help a person feel fuller for longer.

Eggplants contain fiber and are low in calories — they can contribute to a healthful, low-calorie diet. However, eggplant can absorb a lot of oil during frying. Anyone looking to lose weight should prepare it a different way, such as by grilling or air-frying it.

Eye health

Eggplant also contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

Lutein appears to play a role in eye health, and it may help prevent age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss in older people.

Nutrition

The following table shows the nutrients in 1 cup, or about 96 g, of cooked eggplant cubes. It also shows how much of each nutrient a person needs each day. 

Preparation

Eggplants should be firm and somewhat heavy for their size, with smooth, glossy skin and an intense purple hue. Avoid any that appear withered, bruised, or discolored.

Store them in the refrigerator until they are ready for use. Leaving the skin intact will keep them fresher for longer.

When cutting an eggplant, use a stainless steel, not a carbon steel, knife to prevent a phytochemical reaction that can cause the eggplant to turn black.

Eggplant can have a slightly bitter taste. “Sweating” an eggplant with salt will draw out moisture and some compounds that contribute to the bitterness, ultimately making the flesh more tender. To do this:

-cut the eggplant into slices, cubes, strips, or halves and place them on a board

-sprinkle them with salt

-After about 30 minutes, rinse off the salt and pat the pieces dry

-fry, grill, bake, roast, or steam them

-Sweating an eggplant will also reduce oil absorption during cooking.

More ways to eat eggplant

Find some more ideas below.

Eggplant pizza crust: Replace pizza crust with sliced eggplant and add tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings for a gluten free, low calorie treat.

Eggplant side dish: Sauté or stir-fry chunks of eggplant in olive oil and serve it as a side.

Burger garnish: Cut an eggplant lengthwise into thick slices and grill them. Serve them alone or in a burger.

Oven-baked eggplant fries: Slice an eggplant into strips or wedges and bake them.

Eggplant pasta topping: Cut an eggplant into thick slices, then bread and bake them or sauté them and add the strips to a pasta dish. Top the slices with Parmesan cheese to make eggplant Parmesan.

Ratatouille: Sauté eggplant, onion, garlic, zucchini, peppers, and tomato in a little olive oil to make ratatouille, a stewed vegetable dish.

Vegetable lasagna: Use the ratatouille above to replace the meat layer in lasagna.

Baba ghanoush: This is a popular Middle Eastern dip of grilled eggplant, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and spices. Some people add yogurt.

Maghluba: This is an “upside down” rice dish with chicken and eggplant.

Eggplant can be a healthful addition to a varied diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Its polyphenols can give eggplant a bitter flavor that some people do not like. Sweating eggplant and varying seasonings and cooking methods can help.