Name

The  Italian name “melanzana ” likely derives from a corruption of the Latin mela insana (“unhealthy apple,” or “crazy apple”), an archaic term born from the false belief that the raw fruit caused madness, due to its high solanine content. Evolving from the Arabic badinjian, the term was later reinterpreted by assonance.Aubergine in French, German, and British English, or eggplant in American-as the first plants in America where little white vegetables looking like hard boiled eggs- and  also beringela in Portuguese.

Properties

Eggplants are low-calorie vegetables (about 18-24 kcal/100g), rich in water (93%), fiber, and potassium, making them ideal for weight-loss diets thanks to their satiating properties. They promote liver health, reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol, and have diuretic properties. Rich in antioxidants, they protect cells from aging.

Here are the main benefits and properties of eggplants:

Cardiovascular Health: Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, while fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Antioxidant Action: The purple color is due to anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals and prevent cellular aging.

Purification and Diuresis: The high water and potassium content provides diuretic properties, useful for fighting water retention and cleansing the body.

Bowel Regularity: The fiber, particularly in the peel, aids intestinal function and combats constipation.

Liver Support: They contain substances similar to cynarin, which stimulate bile production and improve liver function.

Low Glycemic Index: They are suitable for those following a diet to control diabetes or glycemia.

Recipes

Here some recipes, click on the names and enjoy them

Light Rolled Eggplant

Caponata

Pasta alla Norma

Traditional Eggplat,Aubergine Parmigiana

Pasta Parmigiana

Baked Pasta with Eggplant and Dried Tomato 

Eggplant small pizzas

Italian Eggplant cream

Eggplant and Spaghetti Rolls 

Tips

*How to choose eggplant :pay attention to the vegetable’s overall appearance, ensuring it is shiny and has firm, not yielding flesh. You should also carefully observe the stem, which should still be well attached to the eggplant itself and not dry at all, but still green and turgid.

*Do not eat raw eggplants : they contain solanine, a toxic substance that is neutralized by cooking.

*It’s often better salt-treat the aubergines even if it means waiting an hour before cooking them to avoid their acidity

*Be careful with oil: Being spongy, they absorb a lot of seasoning. To maintain their low-calorie properties, prefer baking, steaming, or grilling.

*Cooking the peel: To benefit from the antioxidants, it is advisable to eat eggplant with the peel.

*Not  cook them in metal, for example a metal baking tray, because the reaction can even be negative  even for the colour.