Keto Foods

Is Eggplant Keto? Net Carbs and Keto-friendly Alternatives

By Bree

Last updated on September 6, 2022

It’s so important to make sure that you’re eating a variety of well balanced meals while still keeping the carb content in mind. In the keto diet, we know that most green leafy veggies are fairly safe bets, while certain fruits and starchy vegetables can be a bit more confusing. For example, is eggplant keto? Let’s take an in-depth look to find out.

What Makes Eggplant a Popular Choice for Low Carb Diets

Many people following the keto diet love making use of eggplant to make a variety of tasty low carb dishes. Here are just a few of the reasons it’s such a popular choice amongst low carb dieters.

Eggplant is low in both calories and carbs (approximately 50% of the carb content found in a serving of eggplant is from dietary fiber, leaving an overall net carb count that’s quite low).
Eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber, which promotes satiety,
Eggplant is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals.
Eggplant is high in disease-fighting antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory compounds.
Eggplant can be used to make a wide variety of tasty low carb recipes (casserole dishes, stuffed eggplant, oven roasted eggplant, etc).

Is Eggplant Keto?

Yes, eggplant is 100% keto-friendly and can be safely included as part of your keto diet meal plan. You don’t have to shy away from eggplant due to its carb count; as discussed above, it’s rather low in net carbs thanks to the fact that it’s so rich in dietary fiber.

As with any carb source though, it’s vitally important that you keep track of your daily macros to make sure that you aren’t accidentally going over and knocking yourself out of ketosis.

All things considered though, if consumed in moderation, and when used to make low carb and keto-friendly dishes, eggplant makes for a fantastic dietary addition that can help cover a variety of nutritional bases.

Eggplant Nutrition Facts

Eggplant is obviously incredibly nutrient-dense, providing you with a wealth of essential vitamins and minerals. Here’s the approximate nutrition breakdown for about 100 grams of eggplant:

25 calories
0.2 grams fat
1 gram protein
6 grams carbs
3 grams dietary fiber
3 grams sugar
0 mg cholesterol
2 mg sodium
229 mg potassium

Eggplant Health Benefits

Eggplant is a surprisingly versatile fruit when it comes to nutrition. Here are a few of the main health benefits you can get by including eggplant in your diet.

Rich in dietary fiber. As eggplant is an excellent source of dietary fiber, it provides many great digestive benefits. Fiber helps with keeping bowel movements regular, populating your gut with beneficial bacteria, and relieving common digestive issues.
Excellent source of antioxidants. Eggplants are also a great source of disease fighting antioxidants. Studies have indeed proven that eggplant fruit protects against DNA damage, which in turn directly helps to prevent diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. (1)
Great for heart health. Another great benefit that eggplant provides thanks to its high concentration of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants is the fact that it’s cardioprotective. What this means is that studies have found that by including eggplant in your diet, you can help to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. (2)

Keto Eggplant Alternatives

If you would rather use something else besides eggplant but you don’t want to miss out on any of those yummy keto-friendly eggplant recipes, then we’ve got you covered. Try one of these eggplant alternatives. They’re all low carb and have a similar texture and/or taste, making them ideal replacement options.