Eggplant - A Nutritious and Versatile Vegetable

Eggplant is a commonly seen vegetable in our daily lives, deeply loved by people. It is rich in protein and trace elements, and regularly eating eggplant brings many benefits to one's health. However, not everyone can eat eggplant freely. For some patients who have undergone surgery, special attention should be paid to eating eggplant, especially for those with gastrointestinal diseases or esophageal malignancies, as they should avoid eating eggplant after surgery.

Can Post-Operative Patients Consume Eggplant?

Situation 1: If a patient has undergone a radical tumor resection due to gastric or esophageal malignancies, and postoperatively experiences complications such as abdominal infection, effusion, and incomplete recovery of gastrointestinal function, eating eggplant may burden the gastrointestinal system and hinder a speedy recovery. Therefore, it is not recommended for these patients to consume eggplant.

Situation 2: If a patient undergoes surgical treatment for paronychia with local abscess formation, including abscess incision and drainage as well as nail removal, and postoperatively experiences rapid absorption and resolution of local inflammation without severe infection and with faster recovery of gastrointestinal function, a small amount of eggplant can be consumed without causing significant harm to the patient's condition. Eggplant is rich in nutrients, which can aid in a speedy recovery.

Benefits of Eggplant

1. Antiscorbutic and Cardiovascular Protection: Purple eggplant is rich in vitamins, including vitamin C and vitamin P. 100 grams of purple eggplant contains 750 milligrams of vitamin P. Vitamin P, a flavonoid compound, can enhance the adhesion between cells in the human body, improve the elasticity of capillary walls, and reduce capillary permeability and brittleness. This can prevent the rupture and bleeding of capillaries, maintain normal cardiovascular function, and soften the blood vessels. Additionally, vitamin C can prevent scurvy.

2. Anti-Aging: Purple eggplant is rich in vitamins C and E, which have strong antioxidant properties and can help delay aging.

3. Prevention of Gastric Cancer: Purple eggplant contains various alkaloids, including solanine, which can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in the digestive system. Therefore, it has a mitigating effect on the prevention of gastric cancer.

4. Clearing Heat and Activating Blood: In traditional Chinese medicine, purple eggplant is considered to have a cooling nature and can clear heat and activate blood. It is suitable for consumption during summer. However, due to its cooling nature, it is generally not recommended to eat it raw, as it may cause diarrhea and poisoning. Its cooling nature also has a mitigating effect on constipation caused by excessive heat.

5. Lowering Cholesterol: Purple eggplant contains vitamin C and saponins, which can help inhibit the deposition of cholesterol in the blood vessels. It also contains choline and trigonelline, which can help the body excrete excess cholesterol in the small intestine. Therefore, eating purple eggplant can help lower cholesterol levels.

6. Promoting Digestion: Eating purple eggplant can promote the release of acetylcholine in the human body, thereby stimulating the secretion of more digestive juices and aiding in digestion.

7. Beauty and Skin Care: The skin of purple eggplant is rich in vitamin B, which works synergistically with vitamin C to support its metabolism and enhance its absorption and utilization by the body. Vitamin C has strong antioxidant properties that can delay aging and inhibit the deposition of melanin in the skin, resulting in lighter skin tone. Therefore, eating purple eggplant can help with beauty and skin care.

8. Weight Loss: Purple eggplant is rich in dietary fiber and various vitamins, while having a low fat content and low caloric value. With only 23 kcal per 100 grams, it is considered a good food choice for weight loss. Additionally, certain components in purple eggplant can inhibit the absorption of fat by the body, allowing it to be excreted, further contributing to weight loss. There are many ways to cook purple eggplant, and choosing to eat it cold as a salad can be an effective way to achieve weight loss benefits.