Myth Or Fact: Raw Eggplants Are Not Safe For Consumption
Eggplants can be eaten in numerous ways but they are commonly consumed, cooked. This seems to support the common saying that raw eggplants are toxic. However, scientists say this is far from the truth; while eggplants indeed contain a chemical compound that may be toxic, there are special conditions that have to be met for it to pose harm to human health.
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Eggplants belong to the Nightshade family alongside eggplants, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos. All these crops contain solanine, an alkaloid that is toxic when consumed in large doses.
According to experts, an average adult would need to consume 400 mg of solanine to experience any lethal effect. That means you can almost never get solanine poisoning by eating any raw vegetable from the Nightshade family as they contain from 2 to 13mg of solanine.
So, NO. Eating raw eggplants won't pose any harm to you; they specifically contain 11mg at the most so you would have to eat 36 raw eggplants to cause any harm!
Not to totally abolish the idea, but eggplants and potatoes are nowhere near tasty — so you should probably stick to eating only your tomatoes raw!
WARNING
Be wary of potatoes that have turned green over time and after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Although natural, the change signals an increase in the solanine levels and possible toxicity. So, don't eat green potatoes — and the leaves of any nightshade plant.
Also, keep in mind that albeit rare, there are people that are allergic to nightshade vegetables. You may also develop mild allergic reactions i.e. a skin rash that can be accompanied by itching when you brush up against the plants.
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