Can dogs eat eggplant (aubergine)?

Eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers all belong to the nightshade family. The green parts of the eggplant plant, including leaves, stems and the calyx cap on top of the fruit, contain solanine. Ripe cooked flesh contains very little.

Some dogs appear more sensitive to nightshades than others, showing mild vomiting or loose stools after eating them. If your dog has a history of food sensitivities, eggplant is an easy vegetable to skip.

Cut off the green cap and stem. Peel the eggplant if the skin is thick, then cube and steam or bake the flesh without oil until soft, about 15 minutes. Cool and serve a small cube or two. Raw eggplant is spongy, bitter and harder to digest.

One or two small cubes is plenty for a medium dog. Eggplant has around 25 calories per 100 g raw, but it soaks up oil like a sponge, so fried eggplant is very high in fat.

Ratatouille, moussaka, baba ganoush, aubergine parmigiana, curries and stir-fries usually include garlic, onion, cheese, tahini or plenty of oil. Baba ganoush in particular is mostly garlic and tahini blended with the flesh. None of these suit dogs.

Because eggplant offers little that other vegetables do not, many owners simply pick something easier. Courgette has a similar soft texture when cooked, no nightshade concerns and even fewer calories. Cooked pumpkin or green beans are also well tolerated by most dogs and can be prepared in the same pan without any fuss.

Eggplant plants grown in greenhouses or pots have fuzzy leaves and purple flowers that puppies may chew. Keep them out of reach along with tomato and potato plants.