17. BRINJAL

                                                           BRINJAL

Nutrition in 100 gm
Energy: 20 kcal
Carbohydrates Sugar Dietary fibre	5.7 gm 2.35 gm 3.4 gm
Fat	0.19 gm
Proteins	1.01 gm
Vit B1 (Thiamin)	0.039 mg
Vit B2 (Riboflavin)	0.037 mg
Vit B3 (Niacin)	0.649 mg
Pantothenic acid (Vit B5)	0.281 mg
Vit B6	0.084 mg
Vit B9 (Folate)	22 µ gm
Vitamin C	2.2 mg
Calcium	9 mg
Iron	0.24 mg
Magnesium	14 mg
Phosphorus	25 mg
Potassium	230 mg
Zinc	0.16 mg
Manganese	0.25 mg

Commonly available brinjal or ‘egg plat’ is generally green, white or purple from outside and white from inside with small seeds that are edible. But brinjals of different colours and sizes are available. It is used as a vegetable to prepare curry. The seeds are bitter because they contain a large amount of nicotinoid alkaloids. However the nicotine you might get from eating brinjal is negligible as compared to passive smoking.

Brinjal is not eaten raw due to the bitter taste but when it is cooked it tastes very good. So many dishes are prepared with brinjal and hence it is called ‘king of vegetables’. It begins to become brown as soon as it cut due to the effect of oxidation. The cut pieces are put in salt water so that the colour can be retained.

Benefits:

1. Brinjal is useful in the treatment of high blood cholesterol.

2. Brinjal helps to block the formation of free radicals and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.