In 2010, high cholesterol affected 17 percent of Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The human body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to make hormones and to provide a structural component to cell walls. When your blood cholesterol exceeds the normal range, however, it can accumulate on the walls of arteries, impeding blood flow and contributing to cardiovascular disease. Certain nutrients protect the body from cholesterol-related disorders. Foods that provide these nutrients include eggplant, a nightshade vegetable related to the tomato and pepper.
Fiber
One cup of diced eggplant provides 2.8 g of fiber, or 4 percent of the 25 g daily value recommended by the Food and Drug Administration. Fiber in your diet is important for reducing the amount of cholesterol in the body. It absorbs excess cholesterol-containing bile acids in the intestines, preventing them from re-entering the body through the small intestine wall.
Vitamin C
A cup of eggplant provides 1.8 mg of vitamin C, or 3 percent of the FDA daily value. Vitamin C protects the cholesterol that composes part of the blood vessel structure from oxidation. Oxidation results from the exposure of cholesterol to free radicals, which cause the lipid to become rancid, similar to the rancidification process that causes a bottle of olive oil to become rancid if stored improperly. Rancid cholesterol leads to the arterial plaque that contributes to the heart disease atherosclerosis.
Vitamin E
One cup of eggplant provides 0.34 IU of vitamin E. The daily requirement of vitamin E is 30 IU. Although eggplant provides only a trace amount of vitamin E, the nutrient is fat-soluble and accumulates in the body. Any excess amounts are stored for later use. Even the small contribution eggplant provides supports the health of your blood vessels by protecting cholesterol from the oxidation that causes arterial plaque and blocked blood flow, according to research in 2011 at the Kyoto Prefectural School of Medicine in Japan.
Fat
A 1-cup portion of eggplant provides 0.16 g fat, less than 1 percent of the daily value of 65 g. Saturated fat and cholesterol are associated with the development of atherosclerosis. Including foods that provide fat and cholesterol within the limits of established daily requirements supports normal cardiovascular health.
References
- The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; The Elegant Eggplant; Linda Trujillo; January 2003
- USDA: Nutrient Data Laboratory: Eggplant, Raw
- MayoClinic.com; What Does Percent Daily Value Mean on Food Labels?; Katherine Zeratsky; May 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Cholesterol; February 2010
- "Journal for Biochemical Chemistry and Nutrition"; Do Free Radicals Play Causal Role in Atherosclerosis? Low Density Lipoprotein Oxidation and Vitamin E Revisited; Etsuo Niki; January 2011
