Eggplant: A Wonderfully Healthy Berry

The eggplant or aubergine is particularly rich in antioxidants. Learn everything about the health benefits, ingredients, cultivation, storage, or preparation of aubergines from us.

The eggplant comes from Asia

It was cultivated in China thousands of years ago. From there, the beautiful fruit, which is botanically a berry, made its way to India and Persia. The Arabs brought them to Spain in the 7th century – and for a long time, the Spaniards were the only ones who enjoyed the aubergine on European soil.

Because in the rest of the Mediterranean area, people reacted to the strange vegetable with great suspicion and grew the dark violet-colored aubergine mainly as an ornamental plant until the late Middle Ages. This is probably due to the fact that, like the tomato and potato, it belongs to the nightshade family and contains the toxin solanine, which has led to many a poisoning if other parts of the plant were eaten instead of the fruit.

The meaning of the name eggplant

This also explains why the Arabs called the fruit al-badingian, i.e. devil’s egg, which later gave rise to the French term aubergine. In Italy, however, they gave it the name Melanzana, which means unhealthy fruit, and in Germany, the aubergine was once called Doll Opffel (Tollapfel).

It was considered particularly suspicious that the pulp turned black after cutting. Incidentally, this happens because contact with oxygen produces substances that protect the injured fruit from pathogenic microorganisms.

No wonder that all sorts of dark stories about the nightshade plant were soon entwined at that time. For example, it was firmly believed that the Arabs had brought this fruit to Europe to poison the Christians and that the aubergine caused all sorts of diseases such as epilepsy and hysteria.

Nightshade eggplant is non-toxic!

Only over time did Europeans realize that only the green parts of the plant, the flowers, and the unripe fruit are poisonous, while ripe aubergines are safe to eat. Solanine is one of the alkaloids and is used by plants to protect themselves against insects.

In relation to humans, however, it is a comparatively weak toxin because its bioavailability is low. Although solanine causes gastrointestinal problems even in small doses, the content in ripe aubergines is still too low and therefore poses no risks. In addition, the solanine content in aubergines is much lower today than it used to be, so they can even be eaten raw, even if they don’t taste particularly good in this form.

If you are still worried about the solanine, you cannot remove it by frying or grilling, since solanine is heat-resistant. The solanine content can only be reduced if the fruit is boiled in water and the cooking water is discarded, as part of the substance passes into the water.

However, various studies have shown that such an effort is not necessary at all, since solanine can also have advantages in small quantities. For example, depending on the dose, it has an anti-inflammatory, fever-reducing, and cholesterol-lowering effect. It also has an antifungal and antibacterial effect. Moreover, according to a study at the Western Regional Research Center, eggplant alkaloids have anti-carcinogenic properties, inhibiting the growth of both in-vitro cancer cells and tumors in the living organism.

Nicotine in the eggplant

The nicotine content in nightshade plants, i.e. not only in aubergines but also in tomatoes, peppers, etc., ranges between undetectable and 5 to 7 µg per kg of vegetables, which is negligible, especially since very few people eat kilos of nightshade plants every day.

On the other hand, smoking a single cigarette absorbs 1,000 to 3,000 µg of nicotine.

Another difference is that vegetables are not smoked but eaten. This means that the nicotine goes straight from the intestine to the liver and can be detoxified there. If, on the other hand, it is inhaled, it first ends up in the lungs, damaging them in the process, from where it immediately gets into the blood and can then be distributed wonderfully throughout the body.

Conclusion: The minimal amounts of nicotine in the vegetables mentioned are so unproblematic that the vegetables in question can even be given to small children without fear of any health disadvantages. Otherwise, one could simply advise smokers to eat a tomato instead of lighting a cigarette.

How to remove the bitter substances from the eggplant

Another reason why aubergine was avoided for a long time was its bitter taste, for which the alkaloids (more precisely glycoalkaloids) and other substances are responsible. But clever chefs found a trick to skilfully reduce the number of bitter substances: they simply sprinkled salt on the aubergine slices and washed it off again after about 30 minutes. This was a key factor in the aubergine becoming one of the most important ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine.

This step is still warmly recommended today but is actually no longer necessary since varieties that contain hardly any bitter substances have been bred since the 18th century. Apart from removing the bitter substances, salting has another advantage: the vegetables lose water and soak up less fat when they are fried in oil.

The different colors of the eggplant

In some parts of central and northern Europe, it took until the 1970s for the aubergine to make a name for itself. It was only when the so-called Mediterranean cuisine became modern that interest in the nightshade plant could be stimulated. This is also the reason why so far only so few varieties have made it onto the market.

Maybe you only know the elongated or oval-shaped aubergine with dark purple skin? In fact, fruits come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors. A basic distinction is made between three main varieties: round and ovate (var. esculentum), elongated and slender (var. serpentinum), and small (var. depressum). And whether in white, yellow, orange, red, green, or marbled: In countries like Italy, the choice is beguiling!

For some time, however, well-stocked shops in this country, e.g. B. small white or white-purple speckled aubergines. Do you think that these are cutting-edge breeds? Not even close! Because the first aubergines that came to Europe were probably white. For this reason, they are still referred to as eggplant or eggplant.

The nutritional value of the eggplant

Aubergines consist of 93 percent water and are very low in calories at only 17 kilocalories per 100 g. Make sure to save on fat when preparing it, otherwise, the slimming fruit will quickly become a calorie bomb because it absorbs fat.

Nutritional values ​​per 100 g of raw eggplant

• Energy 17 kcal
• water 93 g
• Fiber 3g
• Carbohydrates 2.2 g (of which 1.1 g glucose and 1.1 g fructose)
• protein 1 g
• Fat 0.2g

The dietary fiber of the eggplant

The high fiber content of aubergine for a vegetable is also particularly noteworthy. Dietary fiber is an important part of a healthy diet because it promotes satiety, stimulates intestinal movement, and thus counteracts constipation. They also bind toxins, remove them from the intestines and lower cholesterol levels.

A Canadian study at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto showed that eating high-fiber vegetables lowers bad LDL cholesterol and can help prevent cardiovascular disease and colon cancer. Patients with type 2 diabetes may benefit from eggplant, according to Japanese researchers, as high-fiber vegetables and fruits lower their risk of a heart attack.

The vitamins and minerals of eggplant

The table refers to 100 g raw eggplant:

• vitamins
• Beta carotene 43 μg (2000 μg)
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 38 μg (1100 μg)
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 45 μg (1200 μg)
• Vitamin B3 (niacin equivalent) 783 μg (15000 μg)
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) 230 μg (6000 μg)
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) 68 μg (2000 μg)
• Vitamin B7 (Biotin) 0.8 μg (100 μg)
• Vitamin B9 (folic acid) 31 μg (300 μg)
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) 0 µg (3 – 4 µg)
• Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 50 mg (100 mg)
• Vitamin D (Calciferols) 0 µg (20 µg)
• Vitamin E 30 mcg (12000 mcg)
• Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 0 µg (70 – 80 µg)
• minerals
• Potassium 203 mg (4000 mg)
• Chloride 55 mg (2300 mg)
• Sulfur 29 mg (no daily requirement known)
• Phosphorus 21 mg (700 mg)
• Magnesium 14mg (350mg)
• Calcium 12mg (1000mg)
• Sodium 4 mg (1500 mg)

Trace elements

• Iron 420 µg (12000 µg)
• Zinc 280 µg (8500 µg)
• Copper 90 µg (1250 µg)
• Manganese 190 µg (3500 µg)
• Fluoride 20 µg (3800 µg)
• Iodide 0.8 mcg (200 mcg)

In terms of vitamin and mineral content, aubergine is not exactly one of the so-called superfruits. With regard to the secondary plant substances, however, hardly any other vegetable can hold a candle to the aubergine, as you can read in the next section.

The cultivation of eggplant

From an economic point of view, aubergines are one of the most important nightshade plants after potatoes, tomatoes, pepper, and tobacco. Around 50 million tons of aubergines are harvested worldwide every year. With around 32 million tons, China is clearly the main growing country. The largest European growing countries are Italy and Spain.

While aubergine can be grown perfectly outdoors in Mediterranean areas, it is usually cultivated in greenhouses in cool temperate regions. However, if there is a wine-growing climate or a sunny, sheltered, and windless location, an outdoor culture can also be used, e.g. B. brings in a very high harvest in German-speaking countries.

So if you have a house garden in a suitable location or a greenhouse, there is no problem in growing eggplants yourself. The pretty nightshade plant even looks good as a container plant on the balcony or terrace. The decisive factor here is that the pots contain at least ten liters of soil and that they are sufficiently watered and fertilized.

Aubergines are grown here

In Central Europe, the main season for aubergines is between August and September. So that the delicious fruit can be offered all year round, it is imported from other countries. The world’s most important exporter in Spain with over 150 million kg per year, followed by Mexico and the Netherlands.

The sun-loving aubergines are grown practically all year round, mostly in gigantic greenhouses, where not a ray of sunshine touches the fruit. Of course, this also has a negative effect on the content of secondary plant substances such as anthocyanins.

Around 80 percent of Spanish export aubergines come from Almeria. In the so-called plastic sea, which now covers an area the size of around 50,000 soccer fields, mainly African migrants work, around 80,000 people.

Most of them have neither a residence permit nor an employment contract and live under catastrophic conditions in camps made of self-made plastic huts without electricity and water, which are rightly called slums. The hourly wage is often only 3 euros.

That’s why you should better buy regional eggplants

This naturally raises the question of where all the EU funding has ended up! According to research by Bayrischer Rundfunk ( BR ), a single vegetable producer in Almeria has received 3.4 million euros in the past three years – despite violations of wage and occupational safety regulations, wage dumping, and fraud. EU Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan sees no need for action when asked by BR.
It should not be forgotten that it is the large supermarket chains that are contributing to this situation as they are the big price depressors. The aid organization Oxfam said that cost pressures are being ruthlessly passed on to farm workers and are a major reason for their exploitation.

So you see that ultimately you as a consumer are also in demand. Find out from your retailer where your aubergines (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) come from and, if possible, use seasonal vegetables from your region.

Are Eggplants Contaminated With Pesticides?

Also, keep in mind that the harvest workers are also in poor health terms, as said plants are heavily contaminated with pesticides. Of course, these poisons also end up on your plate. But the pesticide club is by no means only being wielded in Spain, but also in this country.

Fruit vegetables such as aubergines are among the most contaminated vegetables after leafy greens – if they come from conventional cultivation.

This was confirmed by analyzes by the chemical and veterinary investigation office in Stuttgart in 2017: like peppers, courgettes and tomatoes, aubergines contained numerous pesticides. 27 of 28 eggplant samples contained residues, 24 of which even contained multiple residues.

The permitted maximum quantity was exceeded in 8 samples. 6 cases involved chlorate, which has not been permitted in the EU since 2008 – a herbicide that can inhibit iodine uptake. They were joined by the growth regulator chlormequat, which has a mutagenic effect, and the fungicide cyflufenamid, which endangers aquatic organisms.

That is why organic eggplants are healthier

With this in mind, we recommend that you buy organic aubergines, as they are not contaminated with pesticides, or only in small traces. According to Ökomonitoring, a monitoring program for organically produced food in Baden-Württemberg, and Austria’s leading environmental movement Global 2000, organic fruit and vegetables are 40 to 200 times less polluted.

In addition, organic aubergines are also healthier because they contain more bioactive substances. The Turkish study already mentioned showed that

these contain almost twice as many phenolic substances as conventionally grown vegetables. So there is no question that organic aubergines are healthier.

This is how aubergines should be when you buy them: plump and ripe

With regard to their health value, aubergines should of course be as fresh as possible, ripe but not overripe when they end up in the pan. Therefore, when buying, make sure that the fruit looks plump, that the skin is shiny, and has no damage or stains. The stalk should look fresh and green: a brown cut surface indicates that a long time has passed since harvest.

You can recognize a ripe eggplant by the fact that the skin feels taut but gives slightly when pressed with a finger. However, if the skin gives way a lot, the fruit is already overripe and should not be put in the shopping basket. If the pulp and seeds are brownish, this is an indication that the fruit has been stored for too long.

If aubergines are overripe, they are not poisonous – as is read in some places – but the flesh is spongy and they taste stale. However, you should not buy very firm, unripe aubergines either, as they only ripen slowly. Unripe eggplants also contain much more bitter substances, which has a negative effect on the taste.

There are also varieties with and varieties without seeds. Seedless eggplants contain less starch, sugar, and protein, but fewer calories and higher phenolic compounds, according to a study at the Agricultural University of Athens. In terms of antioxidant capacity, purple aubergines are preferable to all others, as they contain the highest levels of phenolic substances, such as anthocyanins.

Eggplants are properly stored in the vegetable drawer

Since aubergine can also be negatively affected by storage, you should also know a few things in this regard. It is interesting that the antioxidant power increases if the fruit is stored at 0 °C for the first three days, but then immediately decreases again.

The ideal storage temperature is 10 °C, as the antioxidant potential then increases slowly and continuously. Storage in a cold store at 4 °C does not reduce the antioxidant activity. Aubergines can be kept in the vegetable drawer for about a week. If you can’t use the whole fruit at once, simply squeeze a little lemon juice on the cut side to keep the flesh from turning dark, then cover with cling film and place in the crisper.

Since aubergines are sensitive to the ripening gas ethylene, they should not be stored next to apples or tomatoes, which emit this gas, especially when ripe. But both apples and tomatoes should not be kept in the vegetable drawer anyway. However, if you bought unripe eggplants, exposure to ethylene can motivate them to ripen.

You can freeze aubergines to extend their shelf life by 9 to 12 months.

How to freeze eggplant

You can also freeze raw eggplants. However, only use fruits that are plump, as this will have a positive effect on the consistency during preparation. Before you put the aubergines in the freezer, you should wash and dry them well, then cut them into cubes or slices, immediately fill them into freezer bags, and, ideally, vacuum them.

If you blanch the aubergine slices or cubes for about 4 minutes before freezing and immediately let them cool in ice water for about 5 minutes, this also has a good effect on the consistency, color, and taste. Always add lemon juice to the cooking water to prevent the flesh from turning dark. Frozen aubergines are best processed when frozen.

This is how eggplants are prepared

Compared to the Mediterranean countries, India and China, the aubergine is rarely used in central and northern Europe. Eggplant is an integral part of Italian and Turkish cuisine. Every German eats only 300 g of it per year. This is because the dark purple fruit does not have a long tradition in this country and is a completely new territory for many.

Eating aubergine raw is not recommended. Although modern breeds are not poisonous, the fruits simply taste best when cooked. Whether steamed, stewed, marinated, grilled, fried, or in the form of puree: there are many ways to prepare delicious aubergines.

Aubergines, for example, taste wonderful. B. be filled with rice or couscous. Round fruits are better suited for this than those that are oblong. Aubergines fried crispy in a pan taste particularly hearty.

You can also brush the aubergine slices with olive oil and prepare them on the grill. The aubergine slices are then salted with coarse sea salt, which ensures a special taste experience. The southern fruit can also be cooked and then processed into a puree.

How cooking affects the components of the eggplant

Unlike tomatoes, aubergines are usually cooked because they taste much more aromatic then. It is often reported that the preparation of vegetables, e.g. B. generally has a negative effect on the ingredients due to heat. However, studies have shown that cooking processes can definitely have a positive effect.

For example, analyses by Japanese researchers have shown that the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant power of aubergines decreases at temperatures below 65 °C, but increases at temperatures between 65 °C and 95 °C. According to an Italian study, chlorogenic acid is increased by grilling aubergines.

A Mexican study found that roasted and fried eggplants contain more fat but higher phenolic content, while fruits cooked in water are lower in calories but lower in antioxidants. Of course, it must not be forgotten that toxic substances such as acrylamide are produced when deep-frying fat is heated to over 175 °C. The respective cooking method, therefore, has a major influence on the advantages and disadvantages of cooking.