10 Lesser Known Facts About Eggplant

Here are 10 lesser-known facts about eggplant.

Grilled, stewed, or served layered with gooey, delicious melted cheese, eggplant is an immensely versatile and tasty vegetable.
Its unique and wonderful characteristics, uses, and history go so much deeper than menu offerings, though.

Here are 10 lesser-known facts about eggplant.

Number 10. It isn't all purple. Turkish eggplant, which can be found in many markets, is orange. Also available are varieties in white, yellow, and greens ranging from lime to forest.

Number 9. Eggplants are between 90 and 95 percent water. That's good news for people who struggle to meet their recommended 2-quart a day intake, as liquids are vital to human survival.

Number 8. It was used to beautify smiles. At one time, shiny black teeth were fashionable among high-society women in China. The eggplant was turned into a paste that would darken them to the desired shade while imparting a sought-after luster.

Number 7. There are over a hundred varieties of eggplant. They all vary in shape, size, color, and markings. Some grow to be 2 feet long, while others stay as small as peas.

Number 6. Eggplant can exacerbate kidney problems. They can also aggravate gallbladder conditions. On both counts it's due to their higher than usual amounts of oxalates, organic acids that can crystallize and form solids, resulting in stones.

Number 5. They have deadly relatives. As they belong to the poisonous nightshade family of plants, they were long considered to be dangerous themselves. They do contain solanine, the toxin the plant group is known for, but in very low quantities.

Number 4. Eggplant makes for a good cocktail. Bartenders at New York's Hudson Hotel shake some puree with fine rum, Lillet Blanc and an egg white to make a frothy adult treat.

Number 3. It has a dark history. Eggplant used to be very bitter and for centuries it was blamed for all sorts of disastrous conditions including insanity and leprosy. It was even said to cause nasty dispositions.

Number 2. The word "eggplant" was coined by the British. During the days the country occupied India, the smaller white version of the vegetable was popular. It earned it's rather unimaginative English name because it looked like an egg and grew on a plant.

Number 1. Eggplants contain nicotine. About 20 pounds of them have an amount equivalent to one cigarette.