You may be confused as to whether or not it’s OK to eat raw eggplant.
You’re not alone.
Eggplants are a nutritional powerhouse and can be a terrific part of a healthy diet.
Photo: Getty Images / Poh Kim Yeoh / EyeEm / kyoshino
So, you may ask yourself, “can I eat eggplant raw?”
Or they might think, “can eating raw eggplant make me sick?”
Read on to find out.
(Spoiler: everyone’s going to be OK!)
Can You Eat Eggplant Raw?
Luckily, the answer is yes!
You would have to eat more than a dozen whole eggplants (at least!)
in one sitting before reaching potentially toxic levels of solanine.
(Read about solanine in sprouted potatoesfor more information on the topic.)
In fact, the compound can also be present in cooked eggplant.
However, while it is present in eggplant that has been boiled, frying eggplant destroys solanine.
But there are ways to mitigate the bitterness or make it work for you.
Then, be sure to peel them, because a lot of the bitterness is held in the peel.
Can You Eat Eggplant Raw in a Salad?
Try adding it to vegetable and grain salads with punchy dressings, like tabbouleh.
What Else Can I Do with Raw Eggplant?
It’s also relatively inexpensive and packs a wallop in the nutrition department.
Don’t be afraid.
