Bell Pepper vs Eggplant – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing bell pepper to eggplant, we picked the eggplant.

Why?

First, you might remember that different color bell peppers have different nutritional profiles. So, you might be wondering why we didn’t specify the color. The reason is: the things that differ from one color to another are important differences between the respective bell peppers, but they make no difference to this comparison, as for any given nutrient that changes from one color to another, it doesn’t change whether or not it beats eggplant (in fact, for all the things that change, the weakest bell pepper for each one still beats eggplant).

With that latter comment in mind, you might be wondering how eggplant wins overall. It’s because…

In terms of macros, eggplant has notably more fiber for approximately the same carbs and protein, making it the winner in this category.

In the category of vitamins, bell pepper (of any color) has more of vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, and K, while eggplant has more of vitamins B1, B5, and B9, meaning bell peppers win this round. Notably, the things that vary by color here are vitamins A, B6, and C. However, the color doesn’t change whether or not it beats eggplant; it only changes the amount (and in the case of vitamin A, the order of magnitude) by which it beats it.

When it comes to minerals, bell peppers have more iron and zinc, while eggplant has more calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium. A clear win for eggplant here.

Adding up the sections gives an overall win for eggplant, but by all means enjoy either or both; they both have their merits and diversity is good!

Want to learn more?

You might like:

Which Bell Peppers To Pick? A Spectrum Of Specialties ← for the differences between the different colors

Enjoy!