Eggplant goes by several names such as Garden Egg, Aubergine, Melongene, and Guinea Squash. The vegetable is known as an eggplant in North America because it has an egg-like shape and has a vibrant purple color.
If you are a big fan of Eggplant and it regularly features on your plate, it will not take a lot of time before your dog wants to try it.
Can Your Dog Eat Eggplant?
Yes, dogs can eat Eggplant as it is not poisonous or toxic to the majority of dogs. However, there are certain dogs that should not be fed Eggplant.
First of all, if your dog is allergic to Eggplant, you should avoid it for obvious reasons as it is likely to cause an adverse reaction.
A second reason is that if your dog suffers from inflammation problems like arthritis, you may want to avoid Eggplant.
The key reason behind this recomendation is that Eggplant can have inflammatory effects that could worsen your dog’s condition. While this effect is not guaranteed, it would be wise to avoid the risk.
Lastly, you may want to avoid Eggplant if your dog suffers from kidney problems. The reason behind this last exception is that Eggplant has a high content of oxalate that can worsen existing kidney issues for some dogs.
If you are interested in some additional research, we’ve done around Eggplant and Dogs, be sure to check out some of the content below.
Nutritional Value of Eggplant
Eggplant is considered to be nutritious and contains a wide range of beneficial vitamins and minerals. See the below breakdown for some of the nutrition Eggplant can provide.
99 grams of Eggplant contains the following nutrition:
- 0.82 grams of Protein
- 0.23 grams of Fat
- 35 Calories
- 8.64 grams of Carbohydrates ( 3.17 grams are Sugars)
- 188 milligrams of Potassium
- 2.5 grams of Dietary Fiber
- 6 milligrams of Calcium
- 0.12 milligrams of Zinc
- 1 milligram of Sodium
- 0.25 milligrams of Iron
- 1.3 milligrams of Vitamin C
- 15 milligrams of Phosphorus
- 11 milligrams of Magnesium
- 85 micrograms of Vitamin B6
- 14 micrograms of Folate
- 2.9 micrograms of Vitamin K
Eggplant also contains flavonoids like anthocyanins. Flavonoids are a pigment which some believe can provide some health benefits, and it gives Eggplant its distinct dark purple color.
What Type of Eggplant Should You Feed Your Dog?
If possible, it is a good idea to feed your dog with an organically grown Eggplant. The main reason why you should aim to feed your dog with organically grown Eggplant is that artificially grown Eggplant often contain pesticides. These pesticides are often under-researched, and many believe they can cause adverse health effects.
However, organically grown Eggplant may be more expensive than non-organic Eggplant. However, many consider it to be a price worth paying as they pose less of a risk to dogs.
How to Feed Your Dog With Eggplant
While some will choose to do otherwise, it is strongly advised to feed your dog with Eggplant that is thoroughly cooked. Feeding your dog with raw Eggplant should be avoided if possible.
The primary reason why you should provide cooked Eggplant over raw Eggplant is that the cooking process will destroy any harmful components which may be found in a raw eggplant.
There are many different ways you can prepare Eggplants such as grilling, baking, or boiling. However, we would advise against frying Eggplant if you’re going to feed it to your dog, even if your dog loves the taste.
The reason behind this is that fried Eggplant will contain a large portion of oil and fat, which is not a beneficial addition to your dog’s diet.
Reasons Why Eggplant is Good For Your Dog
One reason that Eggplant is good for dogs is that some of the nutrition within Eggplant can help prevent Heart Disease.
Potassium, fiber, phytonutrient, vitamin B6, and vitamin C are all found in Eggplant, and each of these can help in preventing heart disease.
Also, an increased intake of anthocyanins, which are also found in Eggplant, can help in lowering your dogs’ blood pressure.
Eggplant has a high content of chlorogenic acid, which research has shown helps in preventing cancer, harmful bacteria, bad cholesterol levels, and viral infections.
Eggplant contains an anthocyanin phytonutrient known as nasunin. While the claims have not been substantiated, some believe Nasunin helps in enhancing your dogs’ brain function as well as preventing brain damage.
Lastly, Eggplant is relatively low in calories, which can make it an excellent option to feed to your dog if they are overweight or looking to avoid weight gain.
Many other vegetables that are closely related to Eggplant have high-calorie content in comparison to Eggplant, which can make Eggplant the first choice.
Risks of Feeding Your Dog With Eggplant
As we briefly discussed earlier, Eggplant does pose the risk of inflammation. Eggplant is classified under the nightshade family.
This branch of plants contains alkaloids such as solanine, which may cause your dog to suffer from inflammation or arthritis.
There are also some risks associated with Iron Absorption and Nasunin: Nasunin in eggplant plants binds with iron content, thus removing it from cells. This reduction in Iron could worsen pre-existing conditions like Anemonia,
Lastly, there are risks with the fact that Eggplant has a high content of oxalate. Oxalate can lead to an increased risk of kidney stone formation. Kidney stones can, in extreme cases, lead to kidney death or acute oxalate nephropathy.
In conclusion, it is safe to feed your dog with Eggplant as long as it is prepared correctly. The critical reason that Eggplant is safe to eat is that it is neither poisonous nor toxic when ingested by a dog.
For those who are conscious of pesticides, consider feeding your dog with organically grown Eggplant.
