For most people Nightshade Vegetables and Fruits are very nutritional and offer protective properties to the human body. As someone who lives with hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) I have made a decision to research different kinds of foods that I should limit or remove from my diet. Unfortunately for me, tomatoes are not on the list of foods I get to enjoy anymore, but that just leaves more room for beets, pumpkin and carrots…
Nightshade fruits and vegetables belong to the family of Solanaceae plants of the Solanum genus; a group that includes more than 2,500 species that are widely used in food and medicine. Many of these plants are not edible, but there are a good number of Nightshades: tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant, to name a few, that have become a staple to diets for many years.
Nightshades are nutrient rich and have antibiotic and anti-cancer properties. Nightshade plants are high in antioxidants, which actually help reduce inflammation in a healthy person’s body. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a strongly anti-inflammatory compound; Bell peppers are an amazing source of vitamin C; Tomatoes are a concentrated source of biotin and lycopene. While the vast majority of people have no problems with nightshades, they can cause serious problems for anyone living with autoimmune disease and digestive concerns.
Nightshades contain saponins, glyco-alkaloids in particular, which keep bugs and insects from eating them while they grow. Most people will never have a problem with this, however for people who are not able to digest Nightshades properly, they might experience diarrhea, gas, bloating, nausea, painful joints, headaches and depression when they consume them. There are studies that show that people living with arthritis may see a reduction in symptoms by removing Nightshades from their diet.
It has been found that as potatoes are baked that the alkaloid content diminishes. Storing uncooked potatoes in a cool, dark place can also lessen the development of alkaloids. Since most of the alkaloids in potatoes are found in the skin and sprouting spots, peeling potatoes can substantially lower their alkaloid content.
List of Nightshade Fruits & Vegetables
- Ashwagandha
- Bush Tomatoes (native to Australia)
- Cape Gooseberries (or ground cherries, different from regular cherries)
- Capsicums
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili Pepper Flakes
- Chili powder
- Chinese Five-Spice Powder
- Cocona
- Curry Powder
- Curry spice powder
- Eggplants/aubergines
- Garam Masala spice
- Garden Huckleberries (different from regular huckleberries)
- Goji berries, also known as wolf berries
- Hot Sauce
- Ketchup (and BBQ Sauce)
- Kutjera
- Most spice blends
- Naranjillas
- Paprika spice
- Pepinos
- Peppers (including bell peppers, sweet peppers, chili peppers, jalapeños, pimentos)
- Pimentos
- Potatoes (yams and sweet potatoes are not Nightshades)
- Red Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Steak Seasoning
- Tamarillos
- Tobacco
- Tomatillos
- Tomatoes
What people don’t consider, at times is that if you are sensitive to these fruits and vegetables, you need to avoid prepared foods with these items in them.
Common Ingredients that Contain Nightshades Include:
- Ketchup
- Sambal
- Shichimi
- Tabasco
- Hot sauce
- Salsa
- Salsa verde
- Steak seasoning
- Many marinades
- Curry powder
- If a label lists the vague ingredient “spices”, that almost always includes paprika
- Potato salad
- French fries
- Mashed potatoes
- Traditional marinara sauce
- Spaghetti sauce
- Lasagna
- Eggplant parmesan
- Smoothies with goji berries
If you find that you are unable to digest Nightshades remind yourself to read ingredients always to see if you should not consume them.
Like a little heat in your cooking? Even people who are sensitive to Nightshades can enjoy black pepper. Fresh ground organic black pepper has stomach soothing properties and adds a delightful kick to your food; not your tummy.
To sum it up, for most people Nightshades are delicious and nutrition and a welcome part of any diet. It is only for people with gut problems – autoimmune disease, leaky gut and related issue that should avoid Nightshades and foods that contain them. For most healthy people there are more benefits to eating Nightshades than not.
Need help creating your wellness plan? Contact Wellness Works NW to schedule your free consultation. Karen G Clemenson would love to help you with your Weight Management needs.
What are your favorite Nightshades? Make sure to comment below…
Read more at:
- Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation: An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis
- Diagnosis Diet: How Deadly Are Nightshades?
- Live Strong Foundation: List of Nightshade Vegetables & Fruits
- Paleo Flourish Magazine: List of Nightshades Foods and Why You Might Want to Avoid Them
- Paleo Leap: All About Nightshades
- QuickAndDirtyTips.com: What are Nightshades and Do They Cause Inflammation?
- The Paleo Mom: What are Nightshades?
- The World’s Healthiest Foods: Which foods are classified as “nightshades,” and is it true foods from this group can potentially contain problematic substances?
Summer D Clemenson co-owns Clemenson Enterprises and Wellness Works NW with her wife, Karen G Clemenson. Their personal motto is Creativity, Honesty & Positivity are a must! This mantra helps them stay community and wellness minded in all they do. Summer also writes poetry and inspirational blogs @ ClemensonEnterprises.com. Her crochet art can be viewed and purchased @ KnottyWares.com & she loves special orders!
