Brinjal, known as baingan in Hindi, is known to be king of vegetables. High on nutrients, this vegetable has many health benefits and hence, you should consume it at least once a week. Although a lot of people don’t like the taste, if you cook it well, it can be extremely delicious. Here is why you should add this vegetable to your list of groceries the next time you shop for vegetables.
Prevent cancer
Fibre and antioxidants are just two of the nutrients that make brinjal a food that can keep cancer at bay. Fibre helps clear the toxins present in your digestive tract and has been found useful in the prevention of colon cancer. Additionally, the antioxidants help in fighting free radical damage to your cells which helps keep cancer at bay.
Great for weight loss
Brinjals are great for weight loss as they are low in calories with 100g of the vegetable containing just 25 calories. It is also rich in fibre which helps in promoting the feeling of satiety which means that eating a small serving will make you feel full and prevent you from overeating.
Prevent heart disease
Like most fruits and vegetables, brinjals too are great for your heart. Being rich in fiber, potassium, vitamin B-6 and phytonutrients like flavonoids, this vegetable lowers the risk of heart disease. The presence of antioxidants keeps your arteries healthy and prevents heart attack. Here are 6 heart-healthy diet tips for people with heart disease.
Controls blood pressure
Brinjal contains potassium, an important mineral, which plays a key role in maintaining electrolyte balance in the body. It also helps in neutralizing the effects of sodium on the body thereby aiding in blood pressure control. Apart from this, increased intake of anthocyanins that are present in high amounts in brinjal, also lowers your blood pressure.
Good for diabetics
As brinjals are low in carbohydrates and high in fibre content, they are known to be good for people suffering from diabetes. This is because, the high fibre causes helps in controlling blood sugar levels in the body by controlling the absorption of glucose from food.
Lowers cholesterol in the body
Brinjals is rich in chlorogenic acid that acts as a powerful antioxidant agent, lowering cholesterol levels in the body. It also contains high amounts of fibre that increases the absorption of blood cholesterol by the liver to produce bile.
Gives your skin a natural glow
As we age, our skin undergoes free radical damage which can cause the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on our faces. The antioxidants and vitamins present in brinjals can prevent this from happening. Additionally, it is also high in water which flushes toxins from your body and gives your skin a nice and healthy glow.
Good for your brain
Eating brinjals can prevent brain damage as it contains phytonutrients that can protect your cell membranes. These phytonutrients are also known to boost memory function and aid in transferring messages from one part of your body to another.
Help you to quit smoking
Apart from these benefits, brinjal is also known to have nicotine and thus helps in quitting tobacco. However, you’ll have to eat 10 kg of the vegetable to get as much nicotine into your body as a cigarette.
Tips you should follow while incorporating brinjal in your diet
- Instead of metal knife, use a stainless steel knife to cut the vegetable as it prevents the chemical reaction between pytochemicals present in brinjal and metal.
- As you cut brinjal, put them in salt water or sprinkle salt over the pieces. This removes the compounds that render bitter taste to the vegetable. It also makes your dish more tasty and palatable.
- Brinjal can be added to any dishes like sambhar, pizza or pasta or can be consumed even in fried, baked, sauted, grilled, roasted or steamed form.
src: yahoo.com
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