A brief overview of the Nutritional quality and health benefits of Solanaceous vegetables is presented.

1. NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND HEALTH
BENEFITS OF SOLANACEOUS
VEGETABLES

2. Introduction
• Solanaceae is one of the biggest plant families among the angiosperms with a great potential for
providing food and medicinal security in the world.
• It comprises about 2300 species and is reported to be a significant source of phytochemicals and
nutritional compounds in the pharmaceutical and food industry.
• This family also contains several plants that are considered toxic to human beings such as the weeds
jimsonweed and black nightshade.

3. Tomato
• It is the 3rd most important vegetable crop next to potato and onion in India with respect to
area and production.
• Tomatoes are the 2nd highest produced and consumed vegetable in the world today.
• Tomato in being consumed in various forms like fresh or in processed forms like ketchup,
canned whole or in pieces, puree, sauce, soup, juice, or sun-dried.
• Tomato fruits are considered a low-energy-dense food with unique constituents that may
positively affect the health.

4. • The tomato fruit has a unique nutritional and phytochemical profile.
Major phytochemicals
in tomatoes
10% to
12%
phytoene
10% to 15%
carotenes
7% to 9%
neurosporene
60% to
64%
lycopene
The highest source of lycopene among
vegetable crops,
Second as a source of vitamin C (12.0%), pro-
vitamin A, carotene (14.6%), and other
carotenoids
Ranks third as a source of Vitamin E
(6.0%).
S. Clinton (1998)

5. • Lycopene is the main dietary carotenoid in tomato. Based on a fresh weight basis, tomato (on average) contains
about 35 mg/kg of lycopene, with red cultivars containing on an average 90 mg/kg of lycopene and yellow ones
only 5mg/kg (Scott, K. J, and Hartin, D. J. 1995)
• Lycopene consumption by humans has been reported to protect against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cognitive
function, and osteoporosis.
• Among the phenolic compounds present in tomato, quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, caffeic acid and lutein are
the most common.
• They increase the trapping reactive oxygen species and reducing oxidative damage to important biomolecules such
as membrane lipids, enzymatic proteins, and DNA, thereby ameliorating oxidative stress.
• Tomato fruits are also an excellent source of ascorbic acid, about 200 mg/kg, and are the major source of vitamin C
next to citrus (Rao, A. V., and Rao, L. G. 2007).

6. Brinjal
• Eggplant is ranked amongst the top ten vegetables that provide the healthiest food with low calories.
• Phytochemicals in brinjal include phenolic compounds like caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, such as
nasunin.
• Nasusin is the major phytochemical in brinjal. It is part of anthocyanin, a purple pigment found in the peel of eggplant
• It is an antioxidant that effectively scavenges reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl, and
superoxide, as well as inhibits the formation of hydroxyl radicals, probably by chelating ferrous ions in the Fenton
reaction (Noda, Y. et al., 1995; Noda, Y. et al., 2000).
• The predominant phenolic compound in brinjal fruit is chlorogenic acid, considered one of the most potent free radical
scavengers found in tissues.
• Chlorogenic acid acts as antimutagenic (anti-cancer), anti-microbial, anti-low density lipoproteins i.e. bad cholesterol
and antiviral activities (Matsuzoe, N. et al., 1999).

7. • Brinjal is an excellent source of digestion-supportive dietary fiber.
• Eggplant is also a good source of vitamins such as vitamin B (63.5%), vitamin C (3%), and vitamin K
(3.5%) which give nourishment to the scalp and keep it healthy (Ensminger, A. H. et al., 1986; Wood,
R. 1988). Hence it keeps the scalp-related problem at bay.
• Eggplants are a rich source of magnesium, manganese, potassium, and copper which are important for
healthy bones.
• Eggplant is also known as a Fe chelator that is suggested specially for pregnant females, and lactating
mothers. The Fe in eggplant has the ability to pact with pre-menstrual syndrome and antenatal anemia.

8. • Glycoalkaloids present in eggplant are anti-cancerous. Naturally happening aglycone compound
(solasodine) decreases human lung cancer cells.
• The skin of eggplant has high amounts of anthocyanins. These antioxidants act as anti-aging agents
and help in preventing skin cancer.
• White brinjal is highly beneficial for the regulation of blood sugar levels in the human body and also
controls the absorption of glucose. This makes them the best option for people suffering from diabetes

10. Peppers
• Fresh peppers are considered excellent sources of vitamins C, and K, carotenoids, and flavonoids (Bosland, P.
W. 1996).
• The major phytochemicals present in hot peppers are capsaicinoids. More than 20 capsaicinoids have been
identified that belong to two groups, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin.
• Capsaicin constitutes about 70% of the pungent flavor in hot pepper, while dihydrocapsaicin contribute 30%.
• The chief constituent of chilli fruit pericarp is a crystalline colorless pungent principle known as capsaicin or
capsicutin.
• Significant variations in the profile of capsaicinoids are found between and within pepper species that range
from about 220 ppm (3400 Scoville Heat Units, SHU) in Capsicum annum to 20,000 ppm (320,000 SHU) in
Capsicum chinense

11. • Green chillies are a rich source of vitamin A & C and the seed contain traces of starch (Thomas, B. V.
1998).
• The constituents (mean) of red chilli are as follows: dry matter (22.02%), ascorbic acid 131.06 mg/100
gm (fresh wt.), coloring matter 67.38 ASTA units, capsaicin 0.34% (dry wt.), crude fibre 26.73 % and
total ash 6.69 %.
• Chillies contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium; Potassium
is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
• Chillies have good amounts of B- complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine, riboflavin and
thiamin.
• Capsicum fruits have been used traditionally as flavoring agents and appetite stimulators, and also for
the treatment of muscle pain and toothache, parasitic infections, rheumatism, wound healing, coughs and
sore throat

12. Rivera et al 2020)

13. Potato
• Potatoes are considered comfort food which is mashed, baked, or roasted.
• Potato ranks third most important food crop after wheat and rice.
• In fact, potatoes have a more favorable overall nutrient-to-price ratio than many other vegetables and are
an important staple worldwide (Drewnowski 2013, IPC 2018).
• It is the number one vegetable crop in the world because it yields on average more food energy on a per
hectare and a per-day basis than either cereals or cassava.
• Potatoes are also often broadly classified as high on the glycemic index (GI) of any food, since
carbohydrates constitute about 75% of the total tuber dry matter

14. • Potato starch consists of amylopectin (branched chain glucose polymer) and amylose (straight chain glucose polymer) in a fairly
constant ratio of 3:1
• A small proportion of the starch found in potatoes is “resistant” to enzymatic degradation in the small intestine and, thus,
reaches the large intestine essentially intact.
• This “resistant starch” (RS) is extensively fermented by the microflora in the large intestine producing short chain fatty acids
which have been shown to lower the pH of the gut, reduce toxic levels of ammonia in the GI tract, and act as pro-biotics by
promoting the growth of beneficial colonic bacteria.
• Potato tuber also contains a small amount of protein (less than 6%), but the biological value of protein is considered the best
among vegetable sources and comparable to cow’s milk (McCay, C. M. et al., 1998; Friedman, M. 1996)
• Protein quality is often expressed in terms of its “biological value” (BV) which takes into account the amino acid profile of the
protein along with its bioavailability. Egg protein has a biological value of 100 and is considered the reference protein.
• Potatoes have a relatively high BV of 90 compared with other key plant sources of protein (e.g., soybean with a BV of 84 and
beans with a BV of 73) (McGill et al 2013).

15. • It is a common misconception that plant proteins are missing or lacking one or more essential amino acids. In fact,
potatoes contain all nine essential amino acids and, thus, are a “complete” protein (Woolfe 1987).
• In fact, a recent study examining the protein and amino acid content of commercially available plant-based protein
isolates found that potato protein was superior to other plant-based and was similar to animal-based proteins in terms
of essential amino acid content (Gorissen et al 2018).
• Chlorogenic acid, a colorless polyphenolic compound, is a secondary plant metabolite and constitutes up to 80% of the
total phenolic content of potato tubers (Brown 2005). It is distributed mostly between the cortex and the skin (peel).
• Potatoes also contain carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, and also a unique tuber storage protein called patatin,
which scavenges free radicals.
• In the institute for Food Research, the UK has identified blood pressure-lowering compounds in potatoes which are
called kukoamines.
• Potato contains a moderate amount of vitamin C (10 to 104 mg/kg) and its concentration depends on the cultivar and
the growing season, but it declines rapidly during storage and cooking.

16. • Glycoalkaloids are produced in potatoes during germination and serve to protect the tuber from
pathogens and insects (Woolfe 1987; Friedman 2006).
• The primary glycoalkaloids in domestic potatoes are α-chaconine and α-solanine and are found in the
highest levels in the outer layers of the potato skins (i.e., the periderm, cortex, and outer phloem)
(Friedman 2006).
• Glycoalkaloid levels can vary greatly in different potato cultivars and may be influenced postharvest by
environmental factors such as light mechanical injury, and storage (Friedman 2006).
• Small potatoes also tend to contain higher levels of glycoalkaloids (per unit weight) than larger ones.
• In high concentrations, glycoalkaloids are toxic to humans if ingested. A number of human case studies
have documented illness (most notably gastrointestinal effects such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal
cramping and diarrhea) and even death due to ingestion of significant amounts of potato
glycoalkaloids.

17. • In many countries, the acceptable level of glycoalkaloids has been set <200 mg/kg of fresh weight
(Friedman 2006)
• Glycoalkaloids not only have toxic effects but also beneficial effects including cholesterol-lowering, anti-
inflammatory, antiallergic and antipyretic effects (Friedman 2006).
• Research also suggests that glycoalkaloids have anti-bacterial and antiproliferative (cancer cells) properties
in vitro (Friedman 2006)

18. • Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk
of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
• Eggplant is a rich source of caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and flavonoids, such as nasunin.
• White brinjal is highly beneficial for the regulation of blood sugar levels and is highly recommended for people with diabetes.
• Hot peppers are known for the presence of secondary metabolites, capsaicinoids, and they are a rich source of Vitamin A, E and C and
also folic acid and potassium
• Potato tubers have a high glycemic index and they also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity.
• Solanaceous vegetables contributes to the overall health benefit, such as improving bowel transit, lowering cholesterol, helping manage
blood glucose concentrations, curbing ROS, and by transporting a significant amount of minerals and phytochemicals linked to the fibre
matrix through the human gut.
• Because these vegetables contain a unique combination of phytonutriceuticals (vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and phytochemicals), a
great diversity of these vegetables should be eaten to ensure that an individual’s diet includes a combination of phytonutriceuticals to get
all the health benefits.
Conclusion

19. Thank You