Eggplant - Nutrition

Pesticide-free Eggplant at Beasley Farm

Despite all the myths and urban legends about its "toxic poisons", Eggplant is a power house of helpful nutrients. It possesses important antioxidants which protect cell membranes. It also scavenges for free radicals, in addition to providing important vitamins and minerals.  


World's Healthiest Foods says:

Researchers at the US Agricultural Service in Beltsville, Maryland, have found that eggplants are rich sources of phenolic compounds that function as antioxidants. Plants form such compounds to protect themselves against oxidative stress from exposure to the elements, as well as from infection by bacteria and fungi.

The good news concerning eggplant is that the predominant phenolic compound found in all varieties tested is chlorogenic acid, which 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.

World's Healthiest Foods . org

Beasley Farm Eggplant Field

For more outstanding information regarding Eggplant at World's Healthiest Foods, please click here.


At LiveStrong.com, even more compelling information is shared:

Eggplant is loaded with vitamins and minerals, but its health benefits extend beyond just adding vital nutrients to a meal. Eggplant contains other compounds that promote good health as well, even to the point of helping to prevent cancer and lowering cholesterol. Once you realize how beneficial eggplant is to your health, you may want to give more consideration to it becoming a regular part of your diet.

Chlorogenic Acid

Chlorogenic acid is a plant compound that is known for its high antioxidant activity. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service found chlorogenic acid to be the dominant antioxidant compound in eggplant. They report that this is significant because chlorogenic acid has a great capacity to fight free radicals, and is also able to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Chlorogenic acid is also antimutagenic, which means it can protect cells from mutating into cancer cells; and it is also antiviral.

Nasunin

Nasunin is an antioxidant compound found in the peels of eggplant. The August 10, 2005 issue of the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" reports that a study shows the nasunin in eggplant has antiangiogenic abilities. The Cancer Center at the Angiogenesis Foundation explains that when something is angiogenic, it stimulates new growth of blood vessels and blood supply. While that sounds like it could be a good thing, when it comes to cancer, it is not. Cancerous cells can gain angiogenesis ability, which means they can develop a means to increase their own blood supply, which can cause a cancerous mass or tumor to grow rather quickly. Nasunin in eggplant has the ability to prevent angiogenesis from occurring.

Fiber, Vitamins and Minerals

Eggplant is also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which can help protect against colon cancer and keeps the digestive system regular. The vitamins in eggplant consist primarily of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), B vitamins, folate and vitamin C. Eggplant is also rich in minerals, boasting a large quantity of potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorous. With no fat, six carbs and 27 calories in a 1-cup serving, eggplant makes an excellent addition to any diet.

References

• USDA: Eggplant
• "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry": Nasunin
• Angiogenesis Foundation: Cancer Center

Beasley Farm 2011

So Eggplant fights LDL (that's the Lousy Cholesterol), promotes HDL (our essential cholesterol), provides nutrients for a healthy brain, heart and body, helps fight cancer, and is an inexpensive way to bring interesting, delicious vegetables to your family.

Let's talk about Nightshade vegetables and fruits:

Edible Nightshade Foods

Let's talk about Nightshade vegetables and fruits.

The Nightshade vegetables/fruits include:

Alkaloids (ie: tobacco)

Sweet and Hot Peppers

Eggplant
Okra

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Many people grow other Nightshade vines and plants for their beautiful flowers and decorative berries, which are highly toxic.

To see a more comprehensive listing of these vegetables-fruits-flowers-berries, and how they are used in our daily lives, please click here.

True or False: Raw or Undercooked Eggplant is poisonous and unhealthy to consume. At one time my husband and I adhered to that school of thought, until we did further research. It appears that age, preparation, and frequency of consumption all play a part in when and how much Eggplant, or any Nightshade produce, to eat. 

Woody Nightshade-Flower

According to the Huffington Post, the answer is FALSE.

False, raw eggplants are not poisonous. However, the leaves and flowers of the plant can be toxic. Plants in the nightshade family -- which includes eggplants, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos -- contain an alkaloid called solanine, which in very large doses can be poisonous. For the average adult, 400 mg of solanine would be life-threatening. Vegetables in the nightshade family contain anywhere from 2 to 13mg of solanine and eggplants contain 11mg at the most. So you would have to eat 36 raw eggplants to cause any harm.

Therefore, there's no need to be concerned about eating reasonable amounts of raw eggplant. You should, however, be wary of green potatoes. They turn green when they're exposed to the light, skyrocketing their solanine levels -- so eating green potatoes is not recommended. Neither is eating the leaves of any nightshade plant.

There are some people -- a very small percentage of the population -- who are allergic to nightshade vegetables and cannot eat them. Other people might find that brushing up against the plants causes skin irritation, but it's no more than itching. As we know, these vegetables are not poisonous, otherwise we wouldn't be eating potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.

We of course do enjoy fresh tomatoes raw, but potatoes and eggplants? They're not so tasty raw, but that doesn't mean they can't be eaten raw. So the moral of the story is ... keep eating eggplant! It's delicious in many forms.

Woody Nightshade Berries

According to Answers.com, Eggplant and all Nightshade plants should be used with caution:  

Eggplants, like tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are members of the nightshade family. 

All eggplants contain certain amounts of the toxin Solanine but younger fruit has higher concentrations. Reactions to this poison are usually gastrointestinal and range from mild nausea to severe and convulsive vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms have been reported such as burning of the throat, cardiac dysrhythmia, headache and dizziness. 

Hallucinations, loss of sensation, paralysis, fever, jaundice, dilated pupils and hypothermia have been reported in more severe cases. In large quantities, solanine poisoning can cause death. One study suggests that doses of 2 to 5 mg per kilogram of body weight can cause toxic symptoms, and doses of 3 to 6 mg per kilogram of body weight can be fatal. Symptoms usually occur 8 to 12 hours after ingestion, but may occur as rapidly as 30 minutes after eating high-solanine foods. 

The lowest dose to cause symptoms of nausea is about 25 mg solanine for adults, a life-threatening dose for a regular-weight adult ranges about 400 mg solanine. 

The first post to this answer was completely erroneous as it stated that heat neutralises Solanine. This was dangerously misleading and I have deleted it. Heat has absolutely no effect on solanine. 

Nightshade Berries

The best way to avoid poisoning is to: 

1)choose only very ripe eggplants/aubergines, 

2)soak for a couple of hours in very salty warm water, rinse and soak again in tap water, 

3)cook until the eggplant is very well-done (this has nothing to do with exposure to heat but rather to the breakdown in fibers and leeching out of poison this causes). Another precaution is to peel the skin. 

Solanine is also present in large quantities in potatoes which appear green below the skin. Some people are fine with peeling away this green bit but the safest thing is to not use them at all. It has been reported that deep frying causes solanine to leech out of the food and into the oil. So if you insist on eating green potatoes, frying is perhaps the best option. Solanine is also present in tomatoes but recordings of reactions are very limited. 

Some interesting Solanine trivia... 

Sir Walter Raleigh brought potatoes to Ireland and gave a potato plant to Queen Elizabeth I as a present. However the cooks at the royal banquet, unfamiliar with the plant, threw out the edible tubers and cooked the stems and leaves which contain high volumes of Solanine. Everyone fell deathly ill, prompting potatoes to be banned from the court. It would be two centuries before Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, gave potatoes to the poor who (with the help of Prussian soldiers) agreed to eat them.

According to Wikipedia, "Eggplant was once thought to be extremely poisonous".

Tasty and Healthy - March 29, 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter! We're continuing our "freezing" tips and suggestions, and offering some great recipes for side dishes for Easter, including an inexpensive alternative to traditional ham. Recipes are shown below. Some canning information is mentioned below as well.


Joann and Rolo are doing the usual - harvesting, weeding, and planting! 
In addition to the items listed below, the pesticide-free Spinach is trickling in (at this time, you might want to phone to reserve it). We also have a very small field of Flat Leaf Kale. Reservations are suggested for this pesticide-free crop as well. Usually we plant only the curly leaf. We have found that the Flat Leaf wilts a little more quickly. When you get it home, please plop it in cold water. It will come back as vigorously as our other greens, ready for cooking or back in the refrigerator.

We're still busy harvesting pesticide-free cruciferous vegetables! To read all about Cruciferous Veggies and see our farm photos, just click here.

Please phone ahead if you are interested in canning tomatoes. We will purchase your produce when the prices are best.


Please phone if you would like us to bring greens to the satellite locations. It's our way of ensuring the freshest, best quality produce available.

The Red Rhubarb Swiss Chard have proven very popular. Slightly milder than the "White" Chard, this will prove to be a short-term crop with the way the warm temperatures are going. 





Preparing fresh beets is a colorful experience, so you may wish to use gloves when peeling them. Click here for how to process beets and to learn a little about their nutritional qualities. 

Time's Moneyland Magazine wrote an article last August explaining the pros for freezing meals in advance - for convenience, nutritional value, and to save money. Would you like to learn about freezing or canning meats, poultry, fruit and vegetables? "Food-Skills-for-Self-Sufficiency.com" has some great tips. Click Here to get started.


To freeze greens, please check out the "pick your own" website by clicking here for a brief tutorial. Do you enjoy video "how-to's"? Then please click here for a great three and a half minute home movie. Here is one more person's take on freezing Chard. These tips are great for any of the greens we sell on the farm.


For more information about freezing vegetables, please see our page here. Joann also offers Bargain Boxes - these are flats of vegetables ready for someone to dice, chop, or slice and place in baggies for the freezer. For more information about these flats please phone the farm.

Thanks for always brightening our days by visiting one of our locations every week. It's so good seeing familiar faces, sharing recipes, and hearing about your lives. Please feel free to phone the farm for special requests or special orders. We'll do everything we can to accommodate you. If you need something from the Farmers Market in Plant City, it is best to phone by Wednesday afternoon.

Did you know the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regularly makes "surprise" visits to our farm to test our soil and plants? We always pass with flying colors and tests reveal no trace pesticides. For more information about our farming techniques, and the testing we undergo, please click here.

Gran'ma Angie thanks you for the bags! She hopes you will keep on bringing 'em. Thanks for "recycling" your plastic bags with us! It helps us keep prices down.

From the Farmers Market:

Florida tomatoes
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Beautiful HUGE Red Peppers 
and
Red and Green Bell Peppers
Red and Green Jalapenos (be sure to remove the seeds!)
Sweet Cubanella Peppers
Poblano Peppers
Radishes
Carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Baking Potatoes
Florida Red Skin Potatoes
Red and White onions
Celery
Romaine (sweet and super fresh!)
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Lemons
Strawberries
Nice Honey Tangerines
Wonderful Fresh Herbs in 4" pots


Beasley's Pesticide Free Spinach
Beasley's Pesticide Free Flat Leaf Kale
Beasley's Pesticide Free Savoy Cabbage
Beasley's Pesticide Free Beets
Beasley's Pesticide Free Swiss Chard
Beasley's Pesticide Free Collards

Where we will be this week:

Monday - we will be at the Cloverleaf location. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with us.

Friday - Rolo will be at the Spring Hill location. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with him.

Saturday - Rolo and Joann will be at the Hernando County Farmers Market on Hwy 19 with nearly 80 other vendors! Come browse, shop, and visit with your neighbors - it's an all 'round enjoyable time. You'll also be supporting local businesses by visiting their booths. If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with us.

Saturday and everyday - Gran'ma Angie, Nana Phyllis, Joann and Rolo will be at the Produce Barn until 6PM. Fresh Cut Pesticide-free Greens will be eagerly awaiting you in their little wading pool.


Sunday - Rolo will be at the Towne Square Market Place in Spring Hill near Chili's on Hwy 19 from 8AM-3PM.  If you would like any of the pesticide-free greens, please phone to reserve them, so that we know to bring them with him.

For our Calendar of Locations, and special times and dates for March, please click here, or click on the Calendar Tab at the top of this page.

Some of our favorite "freezeables" are shown below.

Freezer Ideas:

Mac N' Greens

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Beet Top and Tomato Casserole

Meal Ideas

Boston Butt with special rub recipe

Sautéed Red Skin Potatoes

The following recipes may be made in advance and frozen.

Scalloped Potatoes with Celery, Onions, Peppers

Simple Recipe Scalloped Potatoes

Quotes for this week:

“Wake up every morning with the thought that

something WONDERFUL

is about to happen."

~ Unknown 

“Life is full of beauty. Take time to notice it. Notice the bumble

bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell

the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the 

fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."

~ Ashley Smith.”

As always, thank you for your encouragement and support. Without you, we wouldn't be able to do what we love most - FARM!


Looking forward to seeing you soon,

Roasted Vegetables - Easy Recipe

Super Easy Recipe for those who enjoy using their ovens.


Integrating that lone potato, pepper, carrot or squash in a meal isn't that hard. Why not try oven-baked vegetables to bring out new textures and flavors, inexpensively and easily, without boiling, frying or microwaving. 

Invite family members to choose which vegetables they would like to have roasted to suit their tastes.

Sometimes asking children to prepare and select 2 or 3 different veggies helps get that "magical five" into their daily dose.

Surprisingly, all the vegetables "finish" cooking at the same time, but if you prefer much crunchier peppers, celery or squash, add them to the oven about half way through the baking time.




Ingredients:

• Favorite vegetables (root vegetables are excellent, however we enjoy just about all our vegetables in this manner).
• Olive Oil (or Grape Seed Oil)
• Italian Herbal Seasonings (OR your family's favorites OR seasoning packets such as Ranch, Taco, Asian, Herbal for a change in flavor)
• Salt, Pepper as desired
• Cookie Sheet and Parchment Paper (this prevents sticking and burning  - and helps with clean-up, too!)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop Vegetables into desired shapes and sizes. 

The smaller the sizes, the shorter the cooking time.

Place into plastic bag.

Add oil and Italian Herbal Seasoning (or seasonings of your choice. Substitute with seasoning packages if desired).

Twist top of bag, and shake well so that all the pieces are coated.

Place parchment paper on baking sheet, spread out vegetables, add a tiny amount of kosher or sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.

Bake at 400F for about 40 minutes, depending on chopped sizes, and desired doneness.

Roasting cauliflower produces a rather nutty taste. 


Sometimes we leave out the oil in order to achieve a different flavor and/or texture.

Vegetables which are roasted have a richer flavor, enhancing meals and providing interesting tastiness when preparing them for soups or side dishes such as mashing or served with sauces. 

Roast Eggplant, Sweet Potatoes, or Potatoes may be sliced lengthwise, in disks or cubed to create finger food, or prepare for layering in casseroles, as an alternative to frying or boiling. 

Oven-baked Peppers are excellent additions for omelettes, sides, or garnish.

Jack’s Simple Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 can cream of celery soup

1 onion, diced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup milk

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp pepper (or to taste)

2 cups grated extra sharp cheese (try the Vintage White from Cabot YUM!)

2 scallions, chopped (if desired)

6-8 baking potatoes, thinly sliced

Hint: Place sliced potatoes in ice water to prevent discoloration prior to baking.

2 quart casserole (sprayed with cooking oil)

Method:

1. Sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil. Set aside.
2. Alternate layers of potato, onion and cheese. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over layers. 
3. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, uncover and bake 30 minutes longer until potatoes are tender.
4. Garnish with scallions if desired.

More Scalloped Potato Ideas: