The spongy eggplant is classified as a berry or fruit but is typically used as a vegetable in dishes around the world. For centuries, people have relied upon this food for its nutritional and medicinal value.
An encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine from China’s Ming Dynasty, the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” claims that the eggplant uniquely treats fever accompanied with chills, enhances blood circulation, relieves pain, reduces swelling, and broadens the intestines (to prevent constipation).
