Eggplant is one of my favourite fruits! It's healthy and makes your meals look attractive with it's interesting shapes and colours!

If the term eggplant doesn't ring a bell, you may otherwise know it as brinjal, garden egg, melanzana or aubergine. Eggplants come in quite a variety of shapes and sizes and even colours. There are white, yellow, purple, dark purple, green and white eggplants. The most common ones I've seen are the dark purple ones which are elongated, stretching from the elbow to the wrist, and also roundish dark purple ones. The eggplant is actually a berry, and belongs to the nightshade family, of which includes potatoes and tomatoes.

Eggplants actually originated from India and have been cultivated there and in other Asian countries around that region like China since ancient times.

A major problem with eggplants is that they are perishable and become bitter with age. Hence, they should be stored in cool, dry places. Preferably refrigerate them at the higher shelf where it is not so cold. Store them in plastic bags if you refrigerate them. They should also be used within a day or two of purchase.

Eggplants are healthy because they are low in fat and contain virtually no calories. About 80g of eggplant contains just 20 calories. Furthermore, the eggplant is a nutrient-dense food, so it makes you feel full easily and therefore, you are less tempted to eat more. This helps in balancing your diet too!

Eggplants contains a lot of dietary fibre, vitamins and other minerals like potassium, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, magnesium, copper and folate. They are also rich in phytonutrients, which are the organic parts of plants believed to promote good health.