BAD, GOOD, BEST

How to get the most out of food choices. This week: Aubergine

BAD: Aubergine tempura

AUBERGINE that’s coated in batter and deep-fried absorbs a lot of oil, especially if the oil’s not hot enough, and a serving of half an aubergine can contain more than 350 calories. Frying also lowers aubergine’s potassium content (needed for healthy blood pressure).

GOOD: Aubergine parmigiana

THIS Italian dish, made by layering up griddled slices of aubergine with tomato sauce and Parmesan, is a low-carbohydrate alternative to lasagne and counts as two vegetable portions. It also has about a sixth of your daily fibre, plus calcium from the cheese. It can be high in fat, however.

BEST: Aubergine ratatouille

SIMMERING aubergine with other chopped veggies, such as tomatoes and red peppers, along with herbs and olive oil, provides a wide range of plant chemicals and antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. An average serving is three of your five-a-day.