Can I Eat Eggplant Seeds? Are They Safe?

If you’ve ever cooked or cut an eggplant you might have noticed that there are lots of small seeds inside, you might be curious as to if you can eat these seeds or is it better that they are discarded? 

Eggplant seeds are indeed edible and are a great source of fibre, however, many people prefer to remove them since they can have a bitter taste, the choice is up to you.

To find out more about the nutritional benefits of eating eggplant seeds, and how to remove them, plant them and eat an eggplant we’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know down below.

Is The Skin & Seeds Of An Eggplant Edible?

Both the skin and seeds in eggplant flesh are edible, that being said, some people prefer to take out the skin when cooking dishes like pasta and lasagne since it gives a smoother texture, this can be done by simply peeling eggplant. 

The taste of eggplant seeds is also bitter which is why many people prefer to remove them, they are also technically poisonous since they contain a compound called solanine, you would have to eat a large portion of these for them to have any effect, however.

What Are The Benefits Of Eating Eggplant Seeds? 

Eggplant flesh, skin and seeds are very nutritious and have many benefits when consumed.

We’ve listed the benefits of eating this vegetable down below.

• Can help heart health and blood sugar – The high fibre in eggplants can slow down blood sugar absorption since it takes longer to pass through the digestive system. The antioxidants can also help with diseases such as heart problems.
• Helps weight loss – Thanks to them being high in fibre and low in calories eggplants are a great healthy food to incorporate into your diet for weight loss. Find out more here about Which Seeds Are Good For Weight Loss?
• High in antioxidants – Eggplants are high in anthocyanins and other antioxidants which are great for the body and can help to fight off free radicals which cause illness.

How To Remove The Seeds From An Eggplant 

If you’re not keen on the taste of eggplant seeds or maybe you don’t like the texture of cooked eggplant seeds, you might be wondering the best way to remove the while reserving the flesh. 

We’ve listed some steps below for removing seeds in this vegetable down below. 

1. Start by slicing your eggplant vertically or horizontally according to the shape and how you want to cook it. Take a spoon and scrape the seeds out of the vegetable. 
2. Drag the spoon through the soft flesh in order to remove the seeds, repeat on the other half then cook accordingly!

How To Plant The Seeds From An Eggplant

Once you have removed the seeds from your eggplant you might be curious as to what to do with them, should you just throw them in the bin or can you make use of them? 

We’ve listed below how to plant eggplant seeds so you can grow your own!

1. Begin by spooning out the eggplant seeds into a bowl of water, this will help to remove the seeds from any remaining flesh. 
2. Grab the flesh and rub it in between your fingers to help get any remaining seeds off the eggplant. 
3. Pour this water through a sieve, you can either pick out the pulp at this stage or use high-pressure water to further help separate the flesh from the seeds inside. 

How Do I Eat An Eggplant? 

If it’s your first time cooking with eggplants, you might be wondering the best way to cook these veggies for the top results. 

To help you out with some cooking inspiration we’ve listed out how to grill, roast and fry eggplant so you can add it to dishes easily. 

Grilling 

Grilling eggplant is very easy and gives a great smoky flavour to the veggies, simply cut your eggplant into slices, brush the skin with some olive oil then place it under a hot grill until the skin starts to become wrinkly. 

Roasting 

Roasting eggplants can be done either whole or sliced, to roast an eggplant whole simply place it in the oven at around 400F till the skin starts to become wrinkly and the veggie becomes soft, roasting eggplants this way makes them excellent for dips. 

Frying 

Frying eggplant is a little harder than grilling or roasting them, this is because eggplant skin and flesh tend to absorb a lot of oil, therefore, when frying them we suggest brushing the eggplant with olive oil first, only one side otherwise the veggie will soak up all of the oil. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Eating Eggplant Seeds 

What are the nutrients of eggplant? 

One cup of eggplant has 3 grams of fibre, 1g of protein, 20 calories and 5g of carbs.

How do I make a dip out of the baked flesh of eggplant? 

An eggplant dip can be made easily by combining the roasted flesh with tahini, olive oil, seasoning and lemon juice.

What can I use baked eggplant in? 

Eggplant when baked can be used in sauces, salads, and kinds of pasta or paired with cheeses such as mozzarella and goat’s cheese as a light snack.

Should eggplants have black seeds? 

If you cut an eggplant open only to find that it has black seeds then we would suggest discarding the eggplant, it is normal to find that fresh eggplant has brown or tan spots, however. 

Can you eat eggplant seeds raw?

Nothing bad will happen if you consume raw eggplant seeds, however, they do have a very bitter taste which can be unpleasant so roasting them will help to bring out the mature eggplant flavour.

If you are wondering What Seeds Are Edible? Then this article is for you!

Last Words

Overall, eggplant seeds are edible, they can be roasted to make them tastier, but some people do prefer to remove them since they can have a bitter taste and an odd texture. 

To remove seeds easily you can simply scoop them out with a spoon and put them in a cup of water to help separate them from the flesh.

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