While some people may not like eggplant due to its slightly sweet flavor, most find it delicious! The skin of an average sized eggplant contains around 300 mg of vitamin A per one half cup (100 grams). This is almost twice the amount needed for daily intake!
Many individuals are aware that eating too much meat can contribute to health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. However, few know that just by chewing more slowly, or even using food plates instead of knives and forks, you can reduce your meat consumption while still enjoying quality foods.
Eggplant is no exception to this rule. Although they do not typically recommend baking or boiling the vegetable, there are ways to prepare it so that none of the edible part of the eggplant gets burnt or charred. Also, if you prefer your vegetables crunchy rather than soft, use lower temperatures when cooking them!
This article will discuss how to eat the most nutritious portion of the eggplant and what effects diet has on your overall wellness.
It has more nutrients
Over the past few years, there’s been a lot of talk about the health benefits of eggplants. Many people praise them for their rich nutrient content, but most of that discussion is focused on the skin. While most nutritionists agree that eating the skin can be unhealthy because of all the oil, it also contains antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals such as zinc and potassium.
Since we’re talking about baking with eggs and tips, let’s see what you can do with your leftover eggshells! If you’d like to add some flavor to your baked goods, you can chop up those shells and mix into your dough or use them in a recipe that doesn’t call for raw eggshells.
If you have any left over shells from making recipes, don’t throw them away! Most cookware stores will take them back for recycling. Not only are they good for the environment, but they can help you achieve your goal of using less plastic when buying new pots and pans.
It has less fat
Many people praise eggplant’s skin for its health benefits, including containing some of the most striking nutritional benefits in the world- especially if you eat it cooked properly. The soft, edible layer of the eggplant can be eaten along with the rest of the vegetable!
The thin layer of gel that comes off when cooking eggplant is called “prickly heat” or “ovary tissue.” This ovary tissue contains nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both important carotenoids that help protect your eyesight.
Some studies have linked eating this prickly heat to improved eye health, but others haven’t found an effect. As with any new food, there isn’t enough research to say whether it makes a difference or not.
It has less cholesterol
Many people are aware of how healthy eggplants are, but have never tried the skin. The outside layer of eggplant is referred to as being taste bud removed or tbh. This olive-colored thick layer does not contain any carbohydrates or fat, but it does pack in some protein.
This protein is an important component of your diet because it helps promote strong bones and muscles. Besides just eating the TBH for health benefits, you can also make recipes with it.
Something simple that most people know about this vegetable is that you cannot eat the stem or root part because it contains too much vitamin C. The top layer however, is rich in nutrient content.
It may sound weird to eat something that doesn’t really have anything aside from proteins and minerals, but there are many ways to consume only parts of food — like slices of tomato or broccoli stems.
Here are 4 reasons why you should add eggplant skin to your list of foods.
It has more antioxidants
The next part of eggplant skin you should eat is the inner layer or pita. This thin, crispy piece can be either eaten in it self or cooked and tossed into recipes.
This layer comes from the plant as a protective barrier to keep other parts of the vegetable safe. These additional layers contain high levels of antioxidant compounds that help protect your body from oxidative stress, which can damage cells and molecules within the body.
Oxidative stress happens when there are too many free radicals floating around your body. Some of these come from external sources like chemicals, fat, sugar, and tobacco use, but also internal sources like poor gut health and inflammation.
Fortunately, eating foods with high amounts of anti-oxidants helps mitigate this effect in the body. Evidence suggests that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may play an important role in preventing cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.
The skin contains more vitamin B
Vitamin B is an essential nutrient that helps keep your body healthy. It acts as a catalyst for many other nutrients in your diet, helping them to work effectively.
Eggplant has enough vitamin B to make it into the short list of foods you should eat every day. However, its skin can be discarded without harming you.
The amount of vitamin B in eggplant skin is almost twice that of the flesh. This means that one serving (about 2 tablespoons) will give you the same nutritional boost as half a pound (226 grams) of cooked eggplant.
You would need to eat at least three servings each week to get this much vitamin B.
The skin contains more fiber
While some people may find eggplant skin to be unpleasant, it is not necessarily unhealthy for you. The skin of an cooked eggplant contains higher levels of dietary fiber than the inner flesh.
Dietary fibers are found in vegetables and fruits that help keep your digestive system healthy. By adding more fiber to your diet, you can improve your overall health and aid in weight loss.
Because this extra bit of fiber comes from the vegetable source, there are no calorie or nutritional value considerations when eating eggplant skin. It is best to rinse off the skin before consuming it to avoid any salty tastes or textures that could make the food unpalatable.
However, just like with other parts of the eggplant, one should never eat the skin while it is still hot as this may cause vomiting or diarrhea.
The skin is more water-holding
Even though eggplants are known for having thin, edible skins, some parts of that skin can actually be eaten! The skin of an unblemished eggplant will taste very similar to fresh basil. It is best to wash the eggplant first to remove any dried onto sauces or leftover bits from cooking, then cut it into slices or shred it.
The thickest part of the eggplant skin is called the parboil layer. This is mostly composed of flavonoids, which contribute to its health benefits. These include antioxidant properties as well as helping prevent blood clotting.
Thicker layers under the parboil zone contain higher levels of lycopene, a carotenoid with potential cancer preventing effects.
The taste is different
When eating eggplant skin, you should try to only eat the very outside layer of the vegetable. The thick brown layer that covers the rest of the eggplant will mostly be made up of fat. This fat is not healthy so it should be limited in amount to enjoy just the thin, white layer of eggplant skin.
This extra bit of fat comes from ingesting all of the cholesterol contained within the eggplant’s internal layers.
Most people are aware of the fact that dark green vegetables like broccoli and spinach contain high amounts of vitamin K. But what about the other nutrients found in these foods? These additional vitamins and minerals include zinc, magnesium, calcium, B12, and A, to name a few!
Eggplant does not have an easily visible stem, making it difficult to determine if it has been harvested at its peak. Therefore, make sure to check for dried-out spots or cracks anywhere on the eggplant to ensure it has no spoiled flesh.
