Also known as Solanum melongena of the nightshade family and ‘egg plant’ in the USA..
In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals, aubergine also contains important phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant activity including phenolic compounds, such caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, such as nasunin.
Research on aubergine has focused on an anthocyanin phytonutrient found in the skin called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. Nasunin has also been found to protect the lipids (fats) in brain cell membranes.
Cell membranes are almost entirely composed of lipids and are responsible for protecting the cell from free radicals, letting nutrients in and wastes out, and receiving instructions from messenger molecules that tell the cell which activities it should perform. Thus aubergines are good for the brain cells.
Aubergines contain a predominant phenolic compound which is chlorogenic acid. This is one of the most potent free radical scavengers found in plant tissues. Benefits attributed to chlorogenic acid include antimutagenic (anti-cancer), antimicrobial, anti-LDL (bad cholesterol) and antiviral activities.
Nutritional compounds in aubergine
- Anthocyanins
- Caffeic acid
- Chlorogenic acid
- Choline
- Fibre
- Nasunin
- Nicotinoid alkaloids
Vitamins in aubergine
- Vitamin A (retinol)
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
- Vitamin B9 (folate)
- Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin K
Minerals in aubergine
Related subjects
- A-Z of natural foods and remedies
- Bacterial infections and natural antibiotics
- Bone and joint disorders
- Brain and mental health disorders
- Cancer
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Heart disorders
- High blood pressure
- Virus infections
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