What is the difference between aubergine, brinjal and eggplant?
They are describing the same fruit (vegetable) as the generic descriptor of all the variations in shape, size and color.
‘Aubergine’ is a French word, and is used in Europe and UK. ‘Egg plant’ is used in North America, because the original fruits brought there by immigrants looked like white eggs (white brinjals; this variant was overshadowed by the larger size and higher yield of purple and green – oval and long – varieties).
Brinjal is colloquially used in the Indian sub-continent. In the Far East and SE Asia, depending on which world region where most tourists come there from, aubergine / egg-plant / brinjal appears in the English menu. For example, in Philipines one would find the word ‘egg plant’, and ‘aubergine’ in Vietnam / Cambodia. In Malaysia and Singapore, its known as “brinjal”.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BRINJAL
Because of nutritional value of brinjal, it helps in maintenance of good health. Let’s find out health benefits of this vegetable.
1. It is very effective too, when used externally in a fat or oil-based preparation to relieve haemorrhoid discomfort.
2. It is very nutritious.
3. It is an anti-diabetic and to keep a check on diabetes.
4. It reduces swellings of legs; its decoction is applied gradually over the affected parts.
5. Crush the fruit and squeeze juice. Apply juice on palm and sole. It will control perspiration acting as sweat preventive.
6. The fruit of the plant is used as an antidote in cases of mushroom poisoning.
7. If eggplant is taken in its mashed form or as soup with asafoetida and garlic, it cures flatulence.
8. Taking soft and baked eggplant with honey in the evening helps in having a sound sleep. You can use it to cure insomnia.
9. Eating eggplants roasted on fire after putting some salt into it cures excessive phlegm and wind humor of the body.
10. Eating soft eggplant after baking it on fire and with raw sugar on empty stomach in the morning cures the enlarged spleen due to malaria.
NOTE –
• Brinjal is not beneficial for person having excessive bile humor and one who has acidity problem.
• Pregnant woman should avoid its use.
• In Traditional Chinese Medicine, all parts of the plant can be used to stop intestinal bleeding.
