Eggplants or aubergines, can be a bit intimidating for the uninitiated. You may be wondering if it is worth the risk to try them. If this is you, I can relate, as these were my thoughts for a long time, until I finally started eating them. There are definitely good ways to eat them and not so good ways to eat them, but that is the same with most things we cook or prepare to eat.

If you are just starting out on your food exploring journey and you are someone who likes smooth creamy food, then you could begin with the Eggplant Dip, also known as Melitzanosalata (Greek) or Baba Ganoush (Lebanon). It is full of flavour and a nice way to start with eggplant. Plus the cooking experience is quite unique if done over an open flame. You can find my recipe here.

Botanically speaking, Aubergines are part of the nightshade family, the same as capsicum, potatoes and tomatoes (1)

Do Eggplants cause inflammation?

You may have heard that night shade foods are bad for you or that they cause inflammation. The evidence around this is not strong and the only people that may benefit from avoiding these foods are those with Rheumatoid Arthritis (2). A 2020 research article by Gioia et al. (2) points out that the effect these foods has on the permeability of the gut may be why this potentially could be a problem. Even the evidence for this is limited, but it is one of those situations where if you feel that these foods have an inflammatory effect on you, leave them out for a time and gradually re-introduce them to see if you notice any changes. Keep a food and symptom diary to help with this. A food and symptom diary can also help you identify how much is tolerated and how much is not. But for most people Nightshades have many health benefits and anti-inflammatory components.

A typical Western diet has more evidence to show an increase in inflammation than eggplant and tomato has(3). So if you are serious about reducing inflammation, try minimising added sugars, highly processed foods, processed meats, fried foods, and alcohol. Then eat more fresh fruit and veg, oily fish, whole-grains, legumes and extra virgin olive oil. You will get more benefits for your overall health as well.