Eggplant: Benefits, Effects, Dietary Taboos, and Fast Seed Germination Methods

Eggplant is a delicious dish that can be steamed and served cold with dressing, or stir-fried. It is deeply loved by everyone. Eggplant originated in tropical Asia, and it is cultivated in every province of China. So what are the benefits, effects, and dietary taboos of eggplant? How do you quickly germinate eggplant seeds?

I. Benefits, Effects, and Dietary Taboos of Eggplant

Benefits and Effects of Eggplant

When eating eggplant, it is recommended not to peel it, because its value lies in the skin. The skin of eggplant contains vitamin B, and vitamin B and vitamin C are a great pair. When we take in sufficient vitamin C, vitamin B is needed to support the metabolism of this vitamin C.

Eggplant is also fairly rich in nutrients, containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and various nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Every 100 grams contains 2.3 grams of protein, 0.1 grams of fat, 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 22 milligrams of calcium, 31 milligrams of phosphorus, 0.4 milligrams of iron, 0.04 milligrams of carotene, 0.03 milligrams of thiamine, 0.04 milligrams of riboflavin, 0.5 milligrams of nicotinic acid, and 3 milligrams of ascorbic acid. In addition, it also contains vitamin 3. Anti-aging: eggplant contains vitamin E, which has the function of preventing bleeding and resisting aging. Regularly eating eggplant can help keep blood cholesterol levels from rising, and has positive significance for delaying human aging.

1. Protecting the cardiovascular system and resisting ascorbic acid: eggplant is rich in vitamin P. This substance can enhance the adhesion between human cells, strengthen the elasticity of capillaries, reduce the fragility and permeability of capillaries, prevent microvascular rupture and bleeding, and keep the cardiovascular system functioning normally. In addition, eggplant also has the effect of preventing and treating scurvy and promoting wound healing.

2. Preventing and treating stomach cancer: eggplant contains solanine, which can inhibit the proliferation of tumors in the digestive system and has a certain effect on preventing and treating stomach cancer. In addition, eggplant also has the effect of clearing away cancer-related heat.

3. Clearing heat and detoxifying. Used for heat-toxin carbuncles and sores, skin ulcers, mouth and tongue sores, hemorrhoid bleeding, blood in the stool, nosebleeds, and so on.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that eggplant is a cold-natured food. Therefore, eating it in summer helps clear heat and relieve summerheat, and it is especially suitable for people who are prone to prickly heat and boils. People with indigestion who are prone to diarrhea should not eat much of it, just as Li Shizhen said in the Compendium of Materia Medica: “Eggplant is cold and purgative in nature; eating too much will inevitably cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.”

Dietary Taboos of Eggplant

1. Eggplant can be eaten with meat or vegetables. It can be stir-fried, braised, steamed, or boiled, and can also be deep-fried, served cold with dressing, or made into soup. When eating eggplant, it is best not to peel it, because the skin of eggplant contains vitamin B, and vitamin B and vitamin C are a great pair. The metabolism of vitamin C requires the support of vitamin B, and eating eggplant with the skin helps promote the absorption of vitamin C. Never eat eggplant raw, to avoid poisoning.

2. Although there are many ways to eat eggplant, most methods use higher cooking temperatures and longer times, which is not only greasy but also causes great nutrient loss. The vitamin loss from frying eggplant can reach more than 50%. Among all the ways of eating eggplant, mashed eggplant salad is the healthiest.

3. Eggplant and crab meat are both cold-natured foods. Eating them together often makes the stomach and intestines feel uncomfortable, and in severe cases can lead to diarrhea. People with weak and cold spleen and stomach should especially avoid eating them together.

4. Eating raw eggplant will cause poisoning. Raw eggplant contains a toxin called solanine (also called eggplant alkaloid). There is relatively more solanine in sprouted potatoes, and it is toxic! Solanine is not only found in potato sprouts; raw eggplant also contains it. You can see that even the name is “eggplant alkaloid.”

5. When choosing eggplant during pregnancy, friends should also choose fresh eggplant. It is best not to choose old eggplant, especially old eggplant after autumn, which contains more solanine and is harmful to the human body, so it should not be eaten much.

II. How Do You Quickly Germinate Eggplant Seeds?

1. Seed treatment

First, expose the eggplant seeds to the sun for a few hours, then soak them in warm water at about 30 degrees for half an hour, then rub and wash the seeds several times until the leathery and pectin substances on the seed surface fall off. After cleaning them thoroughly, you can proceed to the next step.

2. Soaking seeds

Soak the seeds in cold water, then add hot water so that the water temperature stays between 55-75 degrees. Note that when pouring in the hot water, you must stir constantly, otherwise the seeds will be scalded directly. When the water temperature drops, continue adding hot water. Keep this up for 5-8 minutes. When the water temperature drops below 50 degrees, place them in a warm environment to continue soaking. This can quickly soften the seed coat and is beneficial for germination.

3. Alternating-temperature germination

After the first two steps, the seed surface will also have wrinkles. Remove the seeds and gently rub them with gauze so that the seed coat is completely loosened, then wrap them in gauze and place them in a container. It is best to put some wooden strips or a rack at the bottom of the container so that the gauze bag touches the bottom as little as possible. Cover the gauze bag with several layers of wet towel to maintain humidity, then place it in an environment of 20-30 degrees, that is, around 30 degrees during the day and around 20 degrees at night. In about a week or so, they will sprout. During germination, turn the seeds once or twice a day, which is beneficial for the seeds' respiration, and wash them once a day. After washing, squeeze out the excess water.

4. Chemical germination

Chemical germination is faster and more convenient. Soak the soaked seeds in diluted trisodium phosphate solution for 10-20 minutes; this can prevent and control TMV virus. Then soak the seeds in carbendazim plus thiophanate-methyl for about 1 hour, then place them in water to soak for 2-3 hours, and they can be germinated.