What’s in a name? Well, in the case of the eggplant, it depends on where in the world you are. In British English as well as in German, Dutch, and French it is known as aubergine, while it is known as brinjal in South Asia and South Africa, and referred to as eggplant in the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.
The most common variety looks like a large, pear-shaped egg, which is where the name “eggplant” comes from. It belongs to the nightshade plant family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. Although eggplants are grouped with vegetables, they are technically fruit.
The eggplant is a perennial plant that can live for three or more growing seasons in a tropical area, elsewhere most die after their first fruit harvest. It is cultivated in temperate climates, which are characterized by relatively moderate mean annual temperatures, typically in the middle latitudes of Earth.
Statistically the world production of eggplant was 56,46 million metric tons in 2020, of which 88% was produced by China (65%) and India (23%) combined.
Should you eat it?
Doesn’t matter what you call it, eggfruits are versatile and healthy, not only bringing a unique texture and mild flavor to recipes, but also several health benefits.
Eggfruit is a nutrient-rich food that is low in calories and carbohydrates, and rich in fiber. Eggfruit is also a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as manganese, folate, potassium, vitamin K, and some vitamin C. They are rich in antioxidants, one of their biggest health benefits. The antioxidant contents in the purple skin of eggplant are the reason why you should eat the skin as well, (the skin of younger fruit is less chewy than the skin of older, bigger fruit) as the skin contains a unique and powerful antioxidant, called nasunin. This anthocyanin, Nasunin, has strong radical scavenging activity and believed to play a role in protecting the fat in cell membranes from harmful free radicals, which are molecules with an unpaired electron. Nasunin is also found in purple radish, red turnip and red cabbage. Besides this powerful antioxidant role of Nasunin, it has also been shown to chelate iron, which could be useful for those with an iron overload.
There are many claimed health benefits for eggplant, such as that it may reduce the risk of heart disease, may promote blood sugar control, may help with weight loss, may have cancer-fighting benefits, but current research is limited to animal and test-tube studies and lacking in human research.
How to eat it:
When selecting eggplant, avoid those with brown or soft spots and pick fresh ones as they become bitter with age, in which case the cut-up flesh can be salted and drained after a while to draw out the bitterness.
As eggplant is extremely versatile, it can be baked, steamed, roasted, grilled or sauteed and used as a low-calorie replacement for many high-calorie ingredients. The spongy, absorbent fruit has a bitter taste when raw, but becomes tender and develops a rich flavor when cooked. As a result of its texture and bulk, it is often used as a meat substitute in vegetarian and vegan dishes. The fruit is capable, or rather inclined to, absorb cooking fats and sauces. This may be problematic in some dishes, so to avoid eggplant soaking up every bit of fat in the skillet, it can be roasted first in the oven before cutting it up to be used in dishes.
A convenient way to roast eggfruit is to rinse the fruit and cut off the stem and calyx (the leafy structure surrounding the top of the fruit) before cutting the body lengthwise in half. Score the flesh side with the tip of a knife without cutting through the skin. Roast it cut side down in a preheated oven on foil brushed with extra virgin olive oil for about 20 minutes, or until you see the skin beginning to wrinkle.
There are many varieties that range in size and colour, such as red, green, white, and black, although eggplants with deep purple skin are most common.
References:
The misunderstood eggplant. Published 1 September 2008. The New York Times. (www.nytimes.com)
Production of eggplant. Published online. Tridge. (Global food and agriculture data.) (www.tridge.com)
7 Surprising health benefits of eggplant. Published online and updated 16 February 2023. Healthline. (www.healthline.com)
Top 5 health benefits of aubergines. Published online and reviewed 6 October 2021. BBC Good Food. (www.bbcgoodfood.com)
Eggplant. Published online. Wikipedia. (www.wikipedia.org)
HEALTH INSIGHT
