INTRODUCTION
Eggplant (Solanum melongena), or aubergine, is a species of nightshade, grown for its edible fruit. Eggplant is the common name in North America, Australia and New Zealand, but British English uses the French word aubergine. It is known in South Asia and South Africa as brinjal.
There are around 770 varieties of eggplant that can be found in tropical and sub-tropical areas around the world. People cultivate eggplant as a source of food. Other than that, eggplant can be cultivated as ornamental plant.
INTRESTING FACTS ABOUT EGGPLANT
1. Eggplant has spiny stem that can grow from 16 to 57 inches in height.
2. Eggplant develops large green, deeply lobed leaves.
3. Eggplant produces star-shaped, white or purple flowers. 4. They contain both types of reproductive organs (pistil and stamens) and can perform self-pollination.
5.Fruit of eggplant belongs to the group of berries. The most popular types of eggplant are oval shaped and covered with smooth, glossy, purple colored skin. Flesh is whitish or creamy colored and has spongy texture.
Some varieties of eggplant produce white, lavender, green or red-striped fruit that can be elongated, rounded or pea-shaped.
Size of the eggplant (fruit) depends on the variety. It ranges from 1.2 to 12 inches in length.
Eggplant contains numerous miniature seed. They have bitter taste due to high content of nicotine (substance that belongs to the group of alkaloids).
Eggplant contains the highest level of nicotine compared to other edible plants. Luckily, consumption of eggplant does not produce harmful effect on the human health (20 pounds of eggplant contains same amount of nicotine as one cigarette).
HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGGPLANT
1. Eggplant is also good for weight loss, managing diabetes, reducing stress, protecting infants from birth defects, and even preventing cancer.
2. The wonderful health benefits of eggplants are primarily derived from their vitamin, mineral, and nutrient content.
3. Eggplants are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, thiamine, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, dietary fiber, folic acid, potassium, and manganese. They also contain almost no cholesterol or saturated fat.

http://www.agricinfo.com/2018/02/8-reasons-you-must-start-eating-eggplant.html?m=0
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