Eggplant, grown for thousands of years in its countries of origin, namely China and India, is now available throughout the world. Did you know that this widely consumed vegetable is actually a fruit? If you have high cholesterol, you may want to consider adding this fruit to your diet. When you find out all the reasons why you should eat eggplant, you will probably be surprised.
ContentImportance of Controlling Blood Cholesterol Why You Should Eat Eggplant: Benefits You Didn't Know How to Eat Eggplant to Lower Cholesterol
Eggplant is a rich source of healthy nutrients. WomanEL talks about antioxidants (like vitamin C), vitamin K, fiber, manganese, folic acid, potassium and more. Some of them may help improve cholesterol levels.
The importance of controlling blood cholesterol levels
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is produced by the liver and comes from food. It can be found in the fats (lipids) in your blood. High cholesterol is when you have a large amount of cholesterol in your blood.
Cholesterol is essential for your body to continue building healthy cells, but high cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease. This is because it can cause fatty deposits to build up in the blood vessels, which over time can make it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries and therefore to the heart.
What types of cholesterol are there?
- “Good cholesterol.” High-density lipoproteins or HDL.
- “Bad cholesterol.” Low-density lipoproteins or LDL.
Why you should eat eggplant: benefits you didn't know about
Most healthy adult women should aim to consume 25 grams of fiber per day (38 grams for men). And eggplant can help you with that: a cup of diced eggplant will provide you with 2.5 grams of fiber.
Using plant sources (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) is beneficial for maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and gut microbiome function. Eating 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day can help lower cholesterol.
Regular consumption of eggplant also helps reduce LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as it contains nasunin and anthocyanins. They are powerful antioxidants and help prevent heart problems such as atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attack.
Other benefits:
- Improved blood circulation.
- Promotes weight loss.
- Prevents anemia.
- Regulates blood sugar levels.
- Improves memory and brain function.
How to eat eggplant to lower cholesterol
Many cooks are wary of cooking eggplant, often under the misconception that it is a finicky vegetable that requires many steps of preparation and can leave it tasteless, bitter, or too soft. But fear not, it's not as difficult as it sounds.
Eggplant is a vegetable with a dense, creamy texture, making it ideal for baking, frying, breading, sauteing, pureeing and more. With an endless variety of colors (from purple to white), size (from large to small), shape (from coarse to thin) and flavor (from savory to sweet), there is no end to the recipes you can use.
It's also good as a side dish, especially if it's filled with other healthy ingredients such as couscous, lentils, beans, cheese, nuts, meat or other vegetables. But don't stuff your eggplants with deli meats, fatty meats, or any other sources of saturated or trans fats if you want to keep your cholesterol levels under control.
And remember, exercise helps your heart health. But how long should you exercise to balance cholesterol? Here's the answer.