1. Eggplant is part of the nightshade family, along with tomatoes and potatoes, and all edible members of that family are actually fruits.
2. Tobacco is also a member of the nightshade family and eggplant, like tobacco, contains some nicotine (although in a much smaller amount). Eggplant has the highest level of nicotine of any vegetable, but you would still have to eat 20-40 pounds of eggplant to equal the amount of nicotine you would get from one cigarette.
3. It is called “eggplant” in three countries, the US, Australia, and Canada, because the first varieties of eggplants in those countries were smaller and were a white or yellow color and shaped like an egg.
4. Salting and rinsing eggplant is a process used to remove some of the bitterness in the eggplant. Today’s varieties are less bitter so this isn’t as necessary, but most people still practice it.
5. 1 cup of chopped eggplant only has 20 calories and 11% of your daily fiber needs! Eat up!
Information gathered from the following sources:
http://indianapublicmedia.org/eartheats/eggplant-facts/
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2443/2
