"After the Start of Autumn: Enjoy the Health Benefits of Eggplant"
"After the Start of Autumn: Enjoy the Health Benefits of Eggplant"
After the Start of Autumn, the weather gradually becomes dry, and the lingering heat, often referred to as the 'Indian Summer,' can lead to various symptoms of excessive internal heat in many people. Folk wisdom suggests that "plant eggplants in the beginning of summer and eat them after the Start of Autumn." According to traditional Chinese medicine, eggplants have a cooling nature and a sweet taste. They are believed to possess functions like clearing heat, stopping bleeding, reducing swelling and pain, dispelling wind, promoting circulation, and aiding in digestion. Therefore, consuming eggplants during this season can help reduce internal heat and counter the effects of autumn dryness. Freshly harvested eggplants in autumn are known as "autumn eggplants" and have a unique fragrance and tender texture, making them superior in taste compared to regular eggplants.
Professor Fu Jinru, the honorary director of the Tianjin Nutrition Society, explains that eggplants are not only an affordable and nutritious vegetable but also a valuable therapeutic food. Besides being rich in vitamins and trace elements, eggplants stand out for their significant content of vitamin P. Vitamin P belongs to the flavonoid class of compounds and helps maintain the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, eggplants are beneficial for individuals with conditions like atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and hemorrhagic diseases. Furthermore, research conducted abroad has shown that eggplants are potent in fighting cancer. The alkaloid compounds in eggplants can inhibit the proliferation of tumors in the digestive system and have a certain effect in preventing and treating gastric cancer.
The most common eggplants seen in the market are long eggplants and round eggplants. What are the differences between them? According to Cui Yanling, a researcher at the Vegetable Research Center of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, there is not much nutritional difference between long and round eggplants; the distinction lies mainly in their texture. Long eggplants have higher moisture content in their skin and finer fibers, making them softer in texture. On the other hand, round eggplants have less moisture in their skin and coarser fibers, resulting in a relatively firmer texture. Typically, round eggplants are used more for braising, while long eggplants are favored for cold dishes.
Fu Jinru points out that there are various ways to prepare eggplants, including frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying, but it's essential to choose healthier cooking methods. Many people enjoy deep-frying or "double-frying" eggplants, which, although delicious, can result in significant nutrient loss due to high temperatures. Additionally, the high calorie and high-fat content in deep-fried dishes can be detrimental to health. Therefore, among all the cooking methods for eggplants, eggplant mash is the healthiest.
Firstly, the preparation of eggplant mash involves minimal heating, only requiring steaming over high heat, which leads to minimal nutrient loss. Secondly, it uses the least amount of oil. After steaming the eggplants and mashing them into a paste, you only need to drizzle a small amount of seasoning sauce. Finally, the nutritional absorption is the most comprehensive when consuming eggplant mash since you don't need to peel the eggplants, and eggplant skin contains a large number of bioactive compounds. The sauce for eggplant mash is best made with olive oil, sesame paste, garlic paste, and a small amount of salt. It's worth noting that eggplants are cooling in nature, so if you're experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort, it's advisable to consume them in moderation, as excessive consumption can strain the digestive system.
After the Start of Autumn, the weather gradually becomes dry, and the lingering heat, often referred to as the 'Indian Summer,' can lead to various symptoms of excessive internal heat in many people. Folk wisdom suggests that "plant eggplants in the beginning of summer and eat them after the Start of Autumn." According to traditional Chinese medicine, eggplants have a cooling nature and a sweet taste. They are believed to possess functions like clearing heat, stopping bleeding, reducing swelling and pain, dispelling wind, promoting circulation, and aiding in digestion. Therefore, consuming eggplants during this season can help reduce internal heat and counter the effects of autumn dryness. Freshly harvested eggplants in autumn are known as "autumn eggplants" and have a unique fragrance and tender texture, making them superior in taste compared to regular eggplants.
Professor Fu Jinru, the honorary director of the Tianjin Nutrition Society, explains that eggplants are not only an affordable and nutritious vegetable but also a valuable therapeutic food. Besides being rich in vitamins and trace elements, eggplants stand out for their significant content of vitamin P. Vitamin P belongs to the flavonoid class of compounds and helps maintain the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, eggplants are beneficial for individuals with conditions like atherosclerosis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and hemorrhagic diseases. Furthermore, research conducted abroad has shown that eggplants are potent in fighting cancer. The alkaloid compounds in eggplants can inhibit the proliferation of tumors in the digestive system and have a certain effect in preventing and treating gastric cancer.
The most common eggplants seen in the market are long eggplants and round eggplants. What are the differences between them? According to Cui Yanling, a researcher at the Vegetable Research Center of Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, there is not much nutritional difference between long and round eggplants; the distinction lies mainly in their texture. Long eggplants have higher moisture content in their skin and finer fibers, making them softer in texture. On the other hand, round eggplants have less moisture in their skin and coarser fibers, resulting in a relatively firmer texture. Typically, round eggplants are used more for braising, while long eggplants are favored for cold dishes.
Fu Jinru points out that there are various ways to prepare eggplants, including frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying, but it's essential to choose healthier cooking methods. Many people enjoy deep-frying or "double-frying" eggplants, which, although delicious, can result in significant nutrient loss due to high temperatures. Additionally, the high calorie and high-fat content in deep-fried dishes can be detrimental to health. Therefore, among all the cooking methods for eggplants, eggplant mash is the healthiest.
Firstly, the preparation of eggplant mash involves minimal heating, only requiring steaming over high heat, which leads to minimal nutrient loss. Secondly, it uses the least amount of oil. After steaming the eggplants and mashing them into a paste, you only need to drizzle a small amount of seasoning sauce. Finally, the nutritional absorption is the most comprehensive when consuming eggplant mash since you don't need to peel the eggplants, and eggplant skin contains a large number of bioactive compounds. The sauce for eggplant mash is best made with olive oil, sesame paste, garlic paste, and a small amount of salt. It's worth noting that eggplants are cooling in nature, so if you're experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort, it's advisable to consume them in moderation, as excessive consumption can strain the digestive system.
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