Eggplants are sold all year round, but summer and autumn are the peak seasons for their harvest. The health benefits of eggplants have always been highly regarded, so do you know what benefits eggplants have?
Medicinal Benefits of Eggplants
1. Lowering Cholesterol
Eggplants contain a type of flavonoid glycoside active substance called saponin, which can lower cholesterol, protect the liver, act as an antioxidant, and boost immunity.
2. Promoting Vascular Health
The vitamin C and vitamin P in eggplants can enhance the elasticity of blood vessels. Vitamin P, in particular, can improve capillary function and prevent bruising and rupture of blood vessel walls.
3. Beauty Benefits
Eggplants, especially purple ones, contain anthocyanins, as well as vitamins E and B complex, which can act as antioxidants, reduce spots, and promote smooth skin.
4. Treating Canker Sores
The eggplant is a treasure, and its calyx is also a medicinal herb. It is recorded in the "Bencao Jing Shu" that the eggplant calyx can treat canker sores. In addition, it can also treat toothaches and "heatiness" (a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine).
5. Preventing Constipation and Regulating Hemorrhoids
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, eggplants are considered sweet and cold in nature, and they affect the stomach, intestine, and spleen meridians. They have the effects of clearing heat, cooling the blood, and reducing swelling, making them suitable for treating hemorrhoids and constipation caused by "heatiness." The dietary fiber in them can also prevent constipation.
6. Regulating Excessive Leukorrhea
Eggplant flowers, also known as Qie Hua, are a type of Chinese medicinal herb that can relieve pain and promote diuresis. It is recorded in "Food Chinese Medicine and Convenient Prescriptions" that drinking a decoction of eggplant flowers and Poria can treat excessive leukorrhea in women.
Cooking Tips for Eggplants
1. Don't Throw Away the Eggplant Calyx
The eggplant calyx is also a valuable medicinal herb. Eating it in the summer can clear heat, detoxify, cool the blood, and reduce "fire" (a concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine).
2. Eggplants Should Not Be Eaten Raw
Eggplants can be steamed, boiled, deep-fried, stir-fried, or braised, but they should not be eaten raw. They contain solanine, also known as solanine, which has the same toxicity as sprouted potatoes. Eating them raw can easily lead to poisoning.
3. The Eggplant Skin Should Not Be Removed
The surface of an eggplant is smooth and not prone to pests, so there is very little pesticide residue on the skin. Furthermore, the vitamin P content in the eggplant skin is higher than in the flesh.
4. Old Eggplants Are Not Healthier
Eggplants are not better the older they get, because solanine is more likely to be found in mature and overripe eggplants. Consuming large amounts of old eggplants can lead to food poisoning, causing vomiting and coma.
5. How to Prevent Eggplants from Oxidizing
The large amount of nutrients in eggplants can easily oxidize and turn black when exposed to air. Generally, soaking cut eggplants in light salt water can prevent discoloration. When stir-frying, adding a little vinegar can make the dish's color brighter.
6. Lighter Cooking is Healthier for Eggplants
Eggplants tend to absorb oil during cooking, which not only negates their health benefits but also causes a significant loss of nutrients at high temperatures. Therefore, it is best to cook them lightly, such as by steaming, making a cold salad, or baking them.
So, the eggplant is both a vegetable and a medicine—delicious and therapeutic. In daily life, besides eggplants, foods like soybeans, potatoes, and celery are also excellent remedies.