Can eating raw eggplant help you lose weight?

Many people think that eating raw eggplant can help you lose weight, but can eating raw eggplant really help you lose weight?

Many citizens eat eggplant raw to lose weight

Nowadays, there is a health theory circulating among many citizens, that is, eating raw eggplant can help lose weight. In fact, the idea that eating raw eggplant can help lose weight appeared a few years ago.

The reporter searched the Internet and found that two years ago, there was a post online saying that eggplant contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron and other nutrients. The content of vitamin P is even higher. "Vitamin P can keep the elasticity and physiological function of blood vessel walls and prevent hardening and rupture. Therefore, eating eggplant regularly can help prevent and treat high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, arteriosclerosis and hemorrhagic purpura." Finally, this sentence was also extended to "eggplant can lose weight."

Eating too much raw eggplant may cause poisoning

Regarding the theory that eating raw eggplant can help lose weight, Han Ting, director of the Nutrition Department of the 10th People's Hospital of the city, said that eggplant is just an ordinary vegetable and has no specific weight loss effect. Eating raw eggplant may be harmful to the body. "The key to weight loss is that energy intake is less than energy expenditure. Generally speaking, eating vegetables is beneficial for weight loss because vegetables are rich in dietary fiber. After drinking water, the volume of dietary fiber expands, which can increase the feeling of fullness in the stomach. Then, through proper exercise, energy consumption is greater than intake, and the weight loss effect is achieved."

It is reported that compared with other vegetables, eggplant does absorb oil better, but this means that it can absorb oil when cooked at high temperature, not that it can absorb more fat in the body after being eaten raw at room temperature. "Furthermore, absorbing fat in the body and excreting it are two different things. It has to undergo metabolic decomposition before excretion, so the amount absorbed is not equal to the amount excreted," said Han Ting.

It is worth noting that since raw eggplant contains a toxin called solanine, eating too much may harm the body. If you eat too much solanine at one time, you may experience symptoms such as itching in the mouth and throat and upper abdominal pain after 15 minutes to 3 hours. If the symptoms are mild, they will heal themselves through their own detoxification function after 1-2 hours. If the amount eaten exceeds the range of the self-detoxification function, you may experience fever, repeated vomiting, and even difficulty breathing, low blood pressure and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Eggplant is cool in nature and not suitable for everyone

Dou Danbo, director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Shuguang Hospital, told reporters that some patients have experienced diarrhea and other symptoms after eating raw eggplant. "There is indeed a theory that medicine and food have the same origin, but Chinese medicine emphasizes individual differences. Each food has its own cold and cool five flavors. How can the same method be suitable for everyone?"

Dou Danbo said that eggplant, for example, is cool in nature and is not suitable for people with a yin constitution. "It's okay to eat it in small amounts, but eating it every day or in large quantities will definitely cause problems. The same is true for mung beans, which are not suitable for everyone."

Zhou Yinghao, director of the TCM Demonstration Pharmacy at Longhua Hospital, said that TCM emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment: "How can we all eat mung beans and eggplants in the same way? If we are not careful, it may even endanger our lives." As for the claim that eating raw eggplant can lower blood pressure, lower blood lipids, and even treat diabetes and inhibit the growth of cancer cells, there is currently no clear scientific basis.