Do you know how many calories are in an eggplant? Neither did us — until we did some research and crunched the numbers.
We’ll be looking at calorie counts for eggplant, including a wide array of sources in this post. In addition, we’ll take a look at other nutritional benefits of eggplant, such as vitamins, minerals, and the best way to cook eggplant.
One thing’s for sure: by the end of this post, you’ll have a much better idea of how many calories in an eggplant and if it’s food worth including in your diet.
So you want to know how many calories in an eggplant, but let’s be straight up, it’s not pretty.
Eggplants are incredibly versatile and extremely healthy. They’re a low-calorie vegetable packed with fiber, providing a wide array of benefits.
How many calories in an eggplant?
Eggplants are low in calories but high in nutrients, including fiber, folate, potassium, vitamins A, C, K, and manganese.
They also contain carotenoids, plant pigments that are antioxidants and may protect against some cancers and heart disease.
The calorie content of eggplant varies by variety but is typically 30 to 40 calories in an eggplant per cup. One cup of cooked eggplant has 12.4 grams of fiber, 1.1 grams of protein, and 2.1 grams of fat.
So, how much are 100 calories?
According to CalorieKing, 100 calories are equivalent to about 1.8 ounces of fat, 1.5 ounces of protein, 2.9 ounces of carbohydrates, and 1.3 ounces of fiber.
Of course, that doesn’t mean all 100 calories in an eggplant come from its nutritional properties. Cooking an eggplant increases the calorie content significantly.
What’s so great about them?
Eating eggplants can give your body many health benefits. Eggplants are low in calories and contain over 20 essential vitamins and minerals.
- The eggplant is a fruit that grows on a tree. It is used for coloring in food, medicine, and cosmetics. Eggplant is a great source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, manganese, potassium, fiber, and magnesium.
- Eggplants can be grilled, roasted, baked, boiled, and fried. Eggplants can also be added to soups, salads, pasta, and stews.
- Eggplants can be eaten raw, too. Sliced eggplants are dipped in vinegar and sprinkled with salt, then dipped in breadcrumbs. When cooked, eggplants become soft and can be eaten either mashed or sliced.
- Eggplants can be eaten either cooked or raw. Raw eggplants are dipped in vinegar and sprinkled with salt, then dipped in breadcrumbs. When cooked, eggplants become soft and can be eaten either mashed or sliced.
- Eggplants can be boiled, grilled, roasted, baked, or fried. Eggplants can also be added to soups, salads, pasta, and stews.
- Eggplants can be eaten either cooked or raw. Raw eggplants are dipped in vinegar and sprinkled with salt, then dipped in breadcrumbs. When cooked, eggplants become soft and can be eaten either mashed or sliced.
- Eggplants can be eaten either cooked or raw. Raw eggplants are dipped in vinegar and sprinkled with salt, then dipped in breadcrumbs. When cooked, eggplants become soft and can be eaten either mashed or sliced.
Eggplant is full of antioxidants
How much do you know about antioxidants, and how good eggplant is for them?
Antioxidants are substances that slow down the oxidation of other chemicals in the body. Oxidation is the process of chemical reactions that break down cell membranes, shorten lifespan and increase disease.
Eggplant is high in antioxidants, particularly the powerful antioxidant glutathione, which has been shown to reduce the effects of aging and protect against heart disease and cancer.
The 1.5 ounces of eggplant in 1/2 cup of mashed eggplant provides 25 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C.
Eggplant also is high in folate and manganese and a good source of potassium, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, niacin, and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).
Summary
Eggplant is a popular vegetable that has been around for hundreds of years. It’s part of the nightshade family and is often called an eggplant or aubergine.
Above, we have discussed calories in an eggplant but do you know does eggplant have protein?
