Let's Chat About Nightshades
and no I am not talking about the 'wearing your sunglasses at night' kind.
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What are Nightshades?
Nightshades is the name given to a group of vegetables that possess plant toxins called glycoalkaloids that can be inflammatory to our bodies. There are 2500 different plant species that belong to the SOLANACEAE family. Common edible nightshades are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers and spices like chili pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper. There are others but these are the most commonly used is our daily diets. These foods can cause inflammatory conditions such as GI issues, joint pain, arthritic symptoms, autoimmune conditions and allergic reactions such as itching, hives, asthma or other skin flare ups. A hot topic of debate, these foods are known to contain nutritional benefits to reduce inflammation but can also be toxic to some people and cause inflammation.
The nightshade term comes from how these plants prefer to grow and flower at night and in the shade.
Let’s Look at Plant Chemistry
These vegetables contain vitamins C, vitamins K and minerals like potassium and magnesium as well as fiber. All nutrients that our bodies require. But they also contain alkaloids which are chemicals these plants produce to deter predators. ( I wrote about this in another posts - What if Superfoods were Actually Super Villians).
Solanine/Tomatine - an alkaloid known as glycoalkaloid (an alkaloid that is merged with a natural sugar). When we eat foods that contain this plant chemical, the body metabolizes the solanine and separates the sugar, leaving the residue called solanidine. Solanidine can be stored in the body and is released periodically into the body during times of stress causing issues.
Where does solanine hide in our foods? Solanine is mostly found in potatoes and are in higher concentration in the green of the potato. When potatoes begin to sprout, they produce green spots on the potatoes. This is where it hides. So to reduce your consumption of this toxin, throw those potatoes away once they start to sprout and go green.
Tomatine is the tomato counterpart of this alkaloid. Green tomatoes would be high in tomatine. So no fried green tomatoes.
Capsaicin - found in peppers is also an alkaloid. Its irritant properties release a neuropeptide that causes pain. We have all felt it when eating a hot pepper or a spicy salsa or hot sauce. After the initial reaction, there is a refractory period of deadened sensation. After the first bite socks you, the 3rd and 4th aren’t as bad, and then you keep eating it. This property is is why capsaicin is often used topically as an analgesic for osteoarthritis.
Should I Remove Nightshades from my Diet?
It is important to note that not everyone will have a reaction to these foods. If you already struggle with some food sensitivity, leaky gut symptoms, autoimmune conditions or arthritic joint pain, it may be worth your while to remove these foods for a 3 month trial and see what your body does. Remember, we store solanine in our bodies.
For me, I found that removing these foods made a big difference in my rosacea symptoms and redness of my face. The telling tale was the morning after I had made and eaten eggplant parmesan. I woke up to a very red and hot reactive face. And once I figured out it was the eggplant and that eggplant was a nightshade vegetable, I removed tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and eggplants from my diet. I can eat them sparingly now, with no major reaction. Sometimes all our bodies need is some time to heal. And sometimes it is just that we need to consume less of them. I was a heavy consumer of tomatoes and peppers.
There are many studies for removing nightshades for the benefit of reducing inflammatory issues and there are studies that show removing them does nothing and the nutritional benefit of these foods outweigh the possibility of causing inflammation. But because we are all different, the best thing to do is listen to our bodies. If you remove the food and it does not help the issue, then I guess that is not the culprit. But you won’t know until you try.
Would love to hear if you have removed these foods from you diet and the response that you had.
Danni
I noticed a big change when I eliminated nightshades for a few months and then slowly reintroduced them. It seems like my insides healed up a bit and can now handle things again, at least in smaller doses.
Capsicum is a pain reliever I use it topically and internally in small dosage with other herbs for pain.