Mostly water and fibre — and a sponge for however much oil you give it.
Aubergine is low in calories and reasonably high in fibre, with anthocyanins in the purple
skin.
Its defining kitchen property is that it absorbs oil extraordinarily well. The
flesh is full of air pockets that collapse under heat and draw in fat. A fried aubergine can
carry several times the oil of any other vegetable cooked the same way.
That is the
whole nutritional story: the vegetable is light, and what you cook it in decides
everything.
Per 100g raw. Fried aubergine can carry 5–10 times the calories.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Salt it first if frying. Thirty minutes salted, then patted dry, collapses
the air pockets so it absorbs far less oil.
Or roast it. Roasting or
grilling uses a fraction of the oil and gives better flavour than frying
anyway.
Keep the skin on — that is where the anthocyanins
are.
Baingan bharta over fried slices, if you are choosing. Charred
whole, then mashed, uses very little fat.
The oil absorption is mechanical. Aubergine flesh is a foam of air-filled cells; heat
collapses them and capillary action pulls oil in. Salting draws out water and partially
collapses the structure in advance, which is why the old technique works.
Nutritionally
the vegetable itself is unremarkable but useful: high fibre, very low calorie, and a
carrier for whatever you cook with it.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.