Brinjal or egg plant is known by different names in different parts of India and is a favorite food of the vegetarians. It is used to make various dishes and also has a lot of benefits for your health, skin and hair.
Benefits of Eggplant/Brinjal for Skin:
Anti-aging:
Brinjal is rich source anthocyanins. These are antioxidants which fight against the harmful actions of free radicals in the body, which cause aging of the skin. So, consuming brinjal is an excellent way to prevent aging of the skin and keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay.
Flawless skin:
Eggplant is full of minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber useful for your skin. This helps in cleaning your system from within. This is reflected on your skin also. So, you will have a flawless and glowing skin.
Glowing skin:
As mentioned earlier, eggplant has high contents of water, which keeps your skin and body well hydrated. The minerals and vitamins in this vegetable plays a great role in giving you a clear skin with a smooth tone.
Prevents skin cancer:
Eggplant is a good source of certain antioxidant that helps in preventing skin cancer.
Soft and supple skin:
Brinjal is a rich source of water and this helps in providing you a soft skin that is smooth and supple.
Benefits of Eggplant/Brinjal for Hair:
Hair growth:
Some of the enzymes present in eggplants help in stimulating the hair follicles. This leads to better hair growth and healthier hair.
Hydrated scalp:
Eggplants contain minerals and vitamins that help in providing nourishment to your scalp, thus keeping it healthy. So, you can prevent various problems of the scalp by consuming brinjal.
Hair texture:
If you have a rough and dry hair, you must consume more brinjals. It provides you hair that is shiny and improves the texture of your hair.
Strong hair:
Presence of high amounts of water ion eggplants help in nourishing your hair roots deeply. As a result your hair will grow strong and healthy.
Health and Medicinal Benefits of Egg Plant/Brinjal:
Antibacterial properties:
Eggplant has antibacterial and anti-viral properties because of the presence of Vitamin C in it. So consume it regularly for making your body immune to the harmful attacks of bacteria.
Controls diabetes:
Egg plants contain very less amount of carbohydrates but are rich sources of fiber. So, this vegetable is great for regulating the blood sugar levels in your body. It also controls the absorption of glucose by the body. As a result, people suffering from Type 2 diabetes benefit a lot by consuming brinjal.
Facilitates weight loss:
Egg plant contains high amount of water but it is low in calories. So, if you are on a weight loss diet, this is an ideal food for you. You must try to consume it in the natural form as far as possible.
Good for your heart:
Consuming brinjal or eggplant is an excellent way to bring down the level of cholesterol in the body. It also helps in maintaining normal levels of blood pressure. All these help in lowering the risk of heart diseases. Presence of potassium in brinjal helps in keeping your body well hydrated. This makes sure that the body does not retain any fluids and thus helps in preventing coronary heart diseases.
Helpful to the brain:
Phytonutrients contained in egg plants protect the brain from all kinds of damage. It improves the transfer of message from one part to the other part of the body and also helps in improving your memory power.
Helps to quit smoking:
If you want to quit smoking gradually, you can do so by consuming eggplant. This is because this vegetable contains a small amount of nicotine in it.
Improves digestion system:
Brinjal is a good source of fiber and as a result your digestive system is kept healthy and safe. It is good for preventing constipation as well. The risk of colon cancer is also reduced by consuming brinjal.
Improves iron production:
Iron is essential for various functions of the body. But too much of this mineral is not good for the body. Egg plant contains nasunin, which has the capacity to remove the extra iron that is present in the body. As a result, the risk of heart attack is reduced.
Keeps you safe from chronic diseases:
Consuming eggplant is a good way to avoid cardiovascular diseases and strokes.
How to Select Eggplant/Brinjal?
Choose brinjals that have a smooth and shiny skin and make sure that the color is bright and shiny. It should be firm and heavy and should not have any patches on them. The skin of the eggplant must be thin. If the skin is wrinkled, it means that it is not fresh. Such eggplants will have a bitter taste also. Similarly, if the skin is too soft, that also means that the eggplant is old and it will also be bitter to taste. When you select the eggplants, press against its skin a little. If an impression of your finger is formed on it, it means that the eggplant is ripe. Always choose eggplants that have less seeds in them. To know this, you can check the blossom ends of the eggplant. If the scar is large, it means that they have less seeds.
Usage Tips:
- Use a stainless steel knife to cut brinjals. Otherwise it will react with the nutrients in the eggplant and as a result it will turn black.
- It is better to use it along with its skin as you will get all the nutrients present in the skin as well.
- When you cook eggplants, cut them to the size you desire and then sprinkle some salt on the pieces. Leave it for 30 minutes. This will remove the water from it and so when you cook it, it will absorb less water.
- Salting helps in removing the bitter taste from eggplants. Rinse them in water to remove excess salt.