Can you eat eggplant on keto?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat eggplant on keto?” and discuss eggplant nutrition and its recipes?

Can you eat eggplant on keto?

Yes, you can eat eggplant on keto. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a vegetable from the nightshade Solanaceae family that contains just 20 calories and 2.3 grams of net carbohydrates per 82-gram serving, making it a keto-friendly meal. 

What can you eat on keto?

A ketogenic diet is characterized by very low levels of carbohydrates (<50g CHO/day), low calories, moderate levels of protein and  high levels of fat (3). So you must avoid starchy vegetables such as potatoes and eat preferably green leaves, fish, meat, nuts, egg and avocado.  

Keto diet has been used as a nutrition therapy to treat epilepsy and nowadays it has been reported as an alternative for body weight loss and glycemic control for patients with Type II diabetes. When carbohydrates from a diet are scarce, the body uses fat as fuel to produce energy breaking it into cetonic bodies (3). That’s why it is necessary to drastically reduce the consumption of carbohydrates when doing a ketogenic diet.

Is Eggplant Allowed on the Keto Diet?

Yes, eggplant is allowed on a keto diet. You may be unsure whether eggplant is suitable for a keto diet since it has a thicker consistency than most other low-carb veggies, but when it comes to macros, eggplant definitely qualifies as a keto vegetable. There isn’t a specific recommendation on the amount of eggplant you may eat every day, but one serving (82g) seems to be safe. But it is important to have a varied food intake in order to get different vitamins and nutrients.

What are the benefits of eating eggplant on Keto?

The benefits of eating eggplant on a keto are many.It’s loaded with vitamins (C, K, A and rutin), minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron,) and antioxidants, all of which may help keep cancer and heart disease at bay . Because of its high fiber content, it may assist with weight reduction and blood sugar regulation (1, 4). 

What are the risks of eating eggplant on a keto?

There is no risk of eating eggplant on a keto unless you are allergic to it. Some people may present gastrointestinal symptoms as vomiting, nausea and diarrhea (2). These symptoms are more likely to occur in allergic people who eat eggplant raw because of the presence of solanine. This substance is more concentrated in eggplant peel and its content tends to decrease as the vegetable becomes more mature (5). So, if you are on a keto, you may include eggplant on your diet since it is a versatile vegetable. But you also may have in mind it is more appropriate to have it cooked.  

What is the Nutritional Value of Eggplants?

Most non-starchy vegetables, like eggplant, are low in calories, making them a healthy choice. Here’s how much of each macronutrient eggplant has according to USDA: 

The following nutrients are found in one cup (82g) of finely diced eggplant:

  • There are 20 calories in one serving.
  • at: 0.148
  • Carbohydrates: 4.82 grams
  • 2.46 grammes of dietary fibre
  • Carbohydrates in net form: 2.36 grammes

Besides low calorie, eggplant is also low in carbohydrate contents, being a good choice of vegetable to be included in a keto diet.

What are the safe ways to incorporate eggplant in your keto diet? 

There are many ways to incorporate eggplant in your keto diet, and heree are a few ideas. The following are some fantastic low-carb eggplant dishes to look for recipes and  try out:

Roasted Eggplant Chips , eggplant lasagna, eggplant fries, baby eggplants roasted in the Oven and Bruschetta with Eggplants are among popular keto-friendly dishes. 

Remember that associating eggplant with a good source of protein -lean meat or fish-  as well as with a good source of fat such as olive, you will be keeping the carbohydrate levels low and you will have a healthy meal that helps you with glycemic and appetite control.

To learn more about eating keto eggplant click here

Other FAQs about Eggplant that you may be interested in.

Can you eat eggplant raw?

Can you eat eggplant seeds?

Can you eat eggplant skin?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Can you eat eggplant on keto?” “What are the benefits of eating eggplant on keto”and “What are the risks of eating eggplant on keto?” 

Reference

Riyue Dong , Bingwei Yu , Shuangshuang Yan , Zhengkun Qiu  Jianjun Lei, Changming Chen, Ye Li,  Bihao Cao. Analysis of Vitamin P Content and Inheritance Models in Eggplant. Horticultural Plant Journal, 6, (4), July 2020, p. 240-246.

  1. Donald G. Barceloux MD. Potatoes, Tomatoes, and Solanine Toxicity (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanum lycopersicum L.) Disease-a-Month. Volume 55, Issue 6, June 2009, Pages 391-402.
  2. Chong Zhou , Meng Wang, Jiling Liang, Guomin He, and Ning Chen. Ketogenic Diet Benefits to Weight Loss, Glycemic Control, and Lipid Profiles in Overweight Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022, 19, 10429.
  3. Nergiz Gürbüz, Selman Uluişik, Anne Frary, Amy Frary, Sami Doğanlar. Health benefits and bioactive compounds of eggplant. Food Chemistry (2018) (268), p. 602-610.
  4. Riyue Dong , Bingwei Yu , Shuangshuang Yan , Zhengkun Qiu  Jianjun Lei, Changming Chen, Ye Li,  Bihao Cao. Analysis of Vitamin P Content and Inheritance Models in Eggplant. Horticultural Plant Journal, 6, (4), July 2020, p. 240-246.
  5. T C Cronk, G D Kuhn, F J McArdle. The influence of stage of maturity, level of nitrogen fertilization and storage on the concentration of solanine in tubers of three potato cultivars. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol. 1974 Feb;11(2):163-8.

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