I was always a little afraid of eggplant as a kid. It was such a strange looking purple entity and I could never quite figure out if it was an alien or a vegetable. Since my family was big on eggplant I had to learn to get over my fear and discovered that it tasted great. I also learned that it is not technically a vegetable but actually in the fruit family like tomatoes. I knew then that fruits and vegetables were important for good health but, I have recently discovered that eggplant may play a special role in the prevention of serious health conditions.
Reduced Risk of Cancer
When used properly, eggplant can provide many health benefits, including being important in the prevention of some types of cancer. Eggplant has been found to be useful in the treatment of colon cancer due to the high amount of fiber, especially in the skin because it contains more fiber that the eggplant itself.
Weight Loss
Since eggplant contains fiber it can be a useful tool for people who are trying to lose weight. Fiber is "bulky", taking up a lot of room in the stomach. Eggplant can give you a greater feeling of fullness for a longer period of time and may prompt you to eat fewer calories overall. Have grilled eggplant in your salads or prepare a low-fat eggplant appetizer.
Improved Skin Tone
Eggplant contains a high amount of water which is especially important in the maintenance of healthy skin and hair. Drinking an adequate amount of water and also ingesting it through foods such as eggplant can improve the quality of your hair and skin. Eat the eggplant raw for best results since cooking removed most of the water. If you can't stomach raw eggplant, make sure you don't over-cook it (i.e. MUSH).
Include eggplant in your diet with this simple, low-fat recipe:
EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
2 medium Eggplants
2 tbsp. Wheat Flour
2 cans Stewed Tomatoes
1/2 tsp. Salt
3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. Basil
1/2 tsp. Oregano
1/2 tsp. Parsley
1 tsp. Paprika
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Pepper
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray casserole dish with PAM
- Wash eggplant and cut into cubes (leave skin on)
- Simmer covered in boiling, salted water about 6 minutes
- Drain
- Sauté drained eggplant in a PAM sprayed pan
- Add garlic and spices and sauté about 3 minutes
- Add stewed tomatoes and flour. Heat until mixture boils and slightly thickens
- Pour mixture into casserole dish and top with Parmesan cheese
- Bake 20 minutes
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