Eggplant Extract - A Natural Way to Reduce Cholesterol
Eggplant extract is a drink prepared with the skin of the vegetable and mixed with a little lemon juice (to give it a touch of flavor). This drink hydrate you and thus, favor the fulfillment of multiple indispensable processes in your body.
Some people say it could be useful to reduce cholesterol. However, researchers point out that it’s still necessary to go deeper into this matter since although it’s true that the skin of the vegetable contains a substance with antioxidant potential (nasunin), it’s necessary to determine under what conditions it can provide benefits.
According to 5 al día Association:
“Eggplant, in the skin, contains an anthocyanin, nasunin (delphinin-3-(p-coumaroylrutinoside))-5-glucoside, with antioxidant action, which protects against oxidation of blood lipids (involved in cardiovascular disease).”
Below, we’ll tell you more about eggplant and its health benefits.
The eggplant, a very healthy vegetable
Eggplant is an ancient food that’s been used since at least 2000. C. in Asia. During its expansion around the world, it had a bad reputation at times. This may be because people did not know how to eat it correctly and it, therefore, caused indigestion and other problems. For this reason, we emphasize that you should always eat it cooked.
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According to experts from the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (FEN), eggplant is a source of protein and flavonoids. It’s composed mostly of water and fiber, although it can provide a certain amount of phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. This means that, in general terms, it’s a low-calorie food.
According to Carlos Baixauli Soria, Doctor of Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, eggplant is a food that has an easily digestible vegetable fiber (when cooked well) and is one of the vegetables with the highest antioxidant activity, due to its content of polyphenols and other compounds. On the other hand, he says that this food is considered “laxative, diuretic, stimulates biliary secretion, facilitates digestion and reduces the cholesterol index in the blood”.
Eggplant extract: reduce cholesterol with a healthier diet
Since high cholesterol leads, over time, to clogged arteries and other health problems, it’s increasingly the goal of many people who want to be healthier and reduce the medications that they are taking, or will have to take. However, to achieve this we have to make important changes in our lifestyle.
Your diet plays a very important role here. It should be as balanced as possible, including fruits and vegetables, legumes, oily fish, lean meats, whole-grain bread and cereals, low-fat dairy products, and unsaturated vegetable oils.
You should stay away from unhealthy foods such as pastries, high-fat dairy products, oils high in saturated fats, red meat, sausages, beverages, and industrial foods.
The hidden factor: stress
A good diet and adequate natural remedies are the basis for reducing cholesterol and obesity. It’ll also help you enjoy a good quality of life.
However, you shouldn’t underestimate the damage that stress causes your body. Among the damage, it has the ability to increase our cholesterol levels. This would explain why many people have high levels despite eating very healthy or following a treatment.
Read about how Work Stress is Associated with Risk of Heart Attack
Eggplant extract
Ingredients for the eggplant extract
- The juice of 1 lemon
- 2 eggplants (just the skin)
- 2 c. of water
Preparing and consuming the eggplant extract
- First, wash the eggplants thoroughly and peel them
- Put the peels in a bowl together with the lemon juice and water
- Cover and let sit for 24 hours
- Then, strain the liquid and drink throughout the day, outside of your meals
- Never replace any main meal with this drink. It’s a dietary supplement, not a substitute.
To reduce high cholesterol, you shouldn’t just drink this eggplant extract, but also maintain a whole set of good lifestyle habits. Therefore, it’s necessary to take care of your diet, keeping it balanced and varied.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Maldonado, O., Ramírez, I., García, J. R., Ceballos, G. M., & Méndez, E. (2012). Colesterol: Función biológica e implicaciones médicas. Rev Mex Cienc Farm.
- Pérez-Jiménez, F., Ros, E., Solá, R., Godás, G., Pérez-Heras, A., Serra, M., … Pintó, X. (2006). Consejos para ayudar a controlar el colesterol con una alimentación saludable. Clínica e Investigación En Arteriosclerosis. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0214-9168(06)73670-1.
- Pérez-Jiménez, F., Ros, E., Solá, R., Godás, G., Pérez-Heras, A., Serra, M., … Pintó, X. (2006). Consejos para ayudar a controlar el colesterol con una alimentación saludable. Clínica e Investigación En Arteriosclerosis. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0214-9168(06)73670-1.
