If there was ever a vegetable that was forced on me it is the brinjal. I never liked the mushy content inside, but over the years my mother found a way to make me fall in love with her curry. Well, to be fair, I will eat moju anytime, but that is one unhealthy dish! Here is a list of health benefits that you get from a brinjal! And if you are anything like me and has a strong dislike for brinjals, this list will change your mind. 

1. It helps with digestion: Eggplants, like many other vegetables, are great sources for dietary fibre, a necessary element in any balanced diet. fibre is essential for gastrointestinal health, as well as for the regular movement of the bowels. fibre bulks up your bowel movements so they pass more easily through the digestive tract and stimulates the secretion of gastric juices that facilitate absorption of nutrients and the processing of foods. 

2. Helps with weight loss: Since eggplants contain almost no fat or cholesterol, it is a very healthy food for people trying to lose weight, or battle obesity problems. The fibre content is also very filling. By filling us up and reducing our appetite, the chances of overeating are greatly reduced, so weight loss attempts are more successful. 

3. Prevents cancer: Along with the beneficial effects of fibre, eggplants are also great sources of antioxidants, one of the body's best lines of defense against a wide variety of diseases and conditions. Eggplants contain vitamin C, which is a key part of the immune system, since it stimulates the production and activity of white blood cells. Also, eggplants contain manganese, a natural antioxidant and essential mineral. Having high levels of antioxidants in your body will make sure that organ systems throughout your body are protected from harmful infections and diseases, including cancer and heart disease. 

4. Helps with bone health: There are a number of benefits to bone health that come from eggplants, which is very good for those who are at high risk for bone degradation and osteoporosis. Eggplants also have significant amounts of iron and calcium, which are integral to bone health and overall strength. Finally, the amount of potassium in eggplants helps in the uptake of calcium, making eggplants a comprehensive and highly useful booster for osteoporosis and bone health. 

5. Helps prevent anaemia: A deficiency in iron can be very dangerous to overall health, and it can manifest in anaemia. anaemia is characterized by headaches and migraines, fatigue, weakness, depression, and cognitive malfunction. Therefore, eating food that is high in iron can combat anaemia, and eggplants have a decent amount of iron in their meaty, edible fruit. 

6. Improves brain function: Eggplants are wonderful sources of phytonutrients, which have long been known as boosters for cognitive activity and general mental health. They not only defend against free radical activity and keep your body and brain safe from toxins and diseases, but they also increase blood flow to the brain. By delivering more oxygen-rich blood to the brain, it stimulates neural pathways to develop, boosting the powers of memory and analytic thought. The vegetable should definitely be called "brain food". 

7. Improves cardiovascular health: There are a few different ways that eggplants benefit your heart health, including fibre, which was mentioned earlier. Secondly, they have been known to reduce the presence of "bad" cholesterol in the body, and stimulating the uptake of "good" cholesterol. The balance of cholesterol in the body is always fluctuating based on the food we eat, but the more HDL cholesterol we have, the better. Reducing LDL cholesterol can prevent heart attacks, strokes, and atherosclerosis. Finally, eggplants are great for reducing blood pressure, which reduces the strain and stress on the cardiovascular system, greatly improving the health and durability of your heart. 

8. Helps with managing diabetes: Due to its high fibre content and low amounts of soluble carbohydrates, eggplants are an ideal food for managing diabetes. The qualities of eggplants make it useful as a regulator of glucose and insulin activity within the body. When insulin levels are stable, and the body isn't experiencing drastic plunges and spikes in blood sugar, the potentially dangerous side effects of diabetes can be avoided. 

9. Birth defect prevention: Folates are essential parts of any diet, and folic acid is particularly beneficial for pregnant women. It directly protects infants from neural tube defects, which can manifest in a number of ways. Therefore, it is always recommended that expecting mothers increases their folic acid intake to account for their other dependent mouth inside! 

It is important to know when cooking eggplants, many people make the mistake of frying them. Although this is a delicious way to cook vegetables like eggplants, it also counteracts a number of the health benefits, and can cause weight gain and negatively impact heart conditions. When you fry eggplants, they absorb a large number of fat, whereas baking an eggplant will hold many of the nutrients in without adding any negative factors like excess fat. Other than that, this powerful and potent vegetable is one of the best ways to guarantee your long-lasting health! 

Here is a simple recipe for roasted brinjals! 

All you need is: 

4 or 5 eggplants, halved 
5 fresh green chillies, halved lengthwise 
1/4 cup honey 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 
1 teaspoon of chillie powder 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 

Toss eggplants with the green chillies, chillie powder, honey, and oil to coat. You can avoid adding the honey if you want it to be more spicy. 

Roast eggplants (skin sides up) and chillies on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is golden, about 20 minutes and then flip, and roast until eggplant softens, another 10 minutes. 

Season with salt and pepper.