Eggplant can clear heat, prevent cancer, and fight aging.

Introduction: Eggplant is considered cold-natured and harmful to the body, and eating too much can cause poisoning... It is these claims that lead some people to be afraid of eating eggplant. In fact, eating about 250 grams of eggplant in a single meal is perfectly fine, and it can even help you clear summer heat, prevent cancer, and fight disease! Below, let's explore the three amazing benefits of eggplant and some life hacks for cooking it deliciously.

Eggplant, also known as lu suo or qie gua, belongs to the Solanaceae family and is an annual vegetable. Eggplant is native to India and is widely cultivated in China, making it one of the main summer vegetables.

In the "Dietary Guidelines" compiled by Jia Ming of the Yuan Dynasty, eggplant was described as "the only vegetable with no benefit." However, in the 2011 Global Healthy Food Rankings, eggplant ranked fifth among vegetables. Modern medicine considers eggplant to be rich in nutrients, containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and various minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, with a particularly high content of vitamin P. Vitamin P helps maintain the elasticity and physiological function of blood vessel walls, protecting the cardiovascular system and preventing scurvy. Therefore, eggplant is not as useless as described in ancient books; on the contrary, it can be said to have extremely high nutritional value.

I. Modern medicine has discovered three major benefits of eggplant

1. Clearing summer heat

Traditional Chinese medicine considers eggplant to be a cold-natured food, so eating it in the summer is very helpful for relieving summer heat.

2. Anti-aging

Eggplant is rich in vitamin E, which has antioxidant effects and can effectively combat aging.

3. Cancer prevention and anti-cancer

Eggplant contains solanine, which can inhibit the proliferation of tumors in the digestive system and is effective in preventing and treating stomach cancer.

Braised Eggplant with Spicy Sauce

II. Consumption methods and precautions

Eggplant can be prepared in both vegetarian and meat-based dishes. It can be stir-fried, braised, steamed, boiled, deep-fried, served as a cold salad, or used in soups. It's best not to peel eggplant when eating it, as the skin contains vitamin B. Vitamin B and vitamin C are a great pair; the metabolism of vitamin C requires the support of vitamin B, so eating eggplant with its skin helps promote the absorption of vitamin C.

So, what's the story behind the claim that eating eggplant can cause poisoning? It turns out that eggplant contains a substance called solanine, which has antioxidant and anti-cancer effects and is one of the sources of eggplant's health benefits. However, it is a strong irritant to the gastrointestinal tract and has an anesthetic effect on the respiratory center. When the human body ingests too much, poisoning can occur. The best way to prevent solanine poisoning is to control the intake. However, under normal circumstances, eating about 250 grams of eggplant in a single meal will not cause any discomfort, so there's no need to panic.

Recommended pairings:

1. With bitter gourd: Bitter gourd helps relieve fatigue, clear the mind and brighten the eyes, replenish qi and strengthen yang, and delay aging. Eggplant has the effects of relieving pain and activating blood circulation, clearing heat and reducing swelling, relieving pain and promoting urination, preventing blood vessel rupture, stabilizing blood pressure, and stopping coughing up blood. The combination of the two is an ideal dish for people with cardiovascular issues.

2. With pork: This combination can reduce cholesterol absorption, stabilize blood pressure, and prevent purpura.

Foods to avoid with eggplant:

1. With crab meat: Both eggplant and crab are cold-natured foods. Eating them together often causes gastrointestinal discomfort, and in severe cases, can lead to diarrhea. People with a weak spleen and stomach should especially avoid this combination.

2. Eggplant is cold-natured, so pregnant women should avoid eating it, especially autumn eggplant, which is more harmful to the body. Li Shizhen recorded in "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Eating too much eggplant will inevitably cause abdominal pain and diarrhea, and it can harm the uterus in women."

House-style Braised Eggplant

III. Life hacks

1. A secret for stir-frying eggplant with less oil

When stir-frying eggplant, sprinkle salt on the cut pieces and mix well. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out the dark red liquid. Stir-fry without adding any water until completely soft. Then, add seasonings according to your taste. This method saves oil and tastes delicious.

2. Preventing eggplant from turning black

After cutting, you can soak the eggplant in water. Take it out just before cooking to prevent it from turning black.

3. Preventing loss of vitamin P

Deep-fried eggplant is a common dish on the table. Because eggplant is cold-natured, deep-frying it does not cause "internal heat" (上火). However, deep-frying eggplant causes a significant loss of vitamin P. To reduce this loss, you can coat the eggplant with a batter before frying.

Braised Eggplant in Soy Sauce