A friend is currently avoiding and eliminating “nightshade” plants from her diet based on medical advice. Since I want to have her over for dinner, I have been thinking about what to cook, and realized that many of the world’s cuisines, and some of my everyday dishes, contain those plants, or use spices derived from those plants. Here is what I have found out about nightshades.
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Nightshades Plants
Remember I am only a cook and not a medical doctor, dietitian, or nutritionist. You should speak with your medical advisor on any issues affecting your health.
Nightshade vegetables and fruit belong to the family of plants called Solanaceae. This plant family, according to HealthLine is a: family containing over 2,000 varieties of plants, but very few of them are actually eaten as food. Some, such as belladonna, are even poisonous… nightshades also include vegetables that have been staple foods of many societies for hundreds of years.
Positive
These foods contain many healthy nutrients and substances that are often recommended as part of a healthy diet.
- Fiber
- Vitamins such as Vit A and C
- Antioxidants
- Many are very nutrient dense
Studies have not found proof for all the statements made about nightshade foods. But we do know that our bodies have commonalities, yet are very individualistic and react to different food-stuffs uniquely. So if any of these foods bother your body, do not eat them. However, many dietitians and nutritionists also claim these foods are the healthy stuff that we should be consuming.
Concerns
What makes nightshade plants interesting, nutrition-wise, is that while they are eaten all over the world, and make up key ingredients in many cuisines, they also contain chemicals or cause reactions that are of concern.
- Almost every nightshade contains a bit of nicotine (1), which means given how distributed these plants are, are we enjoying those catsup-covered fries or are we addicted? (Tobacco is a nightshade plant.)
- Lectins are in most plant-based foods, but especially high in nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes and eggplant.
- Nightshades also contain oxalates; these are compounds that bind to calcium in the digestive tract, and reduces calcium absorption by the body. But, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to say that nightshades contribute or worsen osteoporosis (2).
- The alkaloids in these foods are nitrogen-containing substances that are bitter and act like a natural insect repellent. Many consider these contribute to health problems, but research does not yet show they contribute to autoimmune diseases (3). The specific alkaloid in nightshade food is solanine, toxic in high doses (4).
Human Disease
The alkaloids and lectins in nightshades may affect those with irritable bowel syndrome or leaky gut (5, 6).
HealthLine further notes that there may be some effects on those with autoimmune conditions like celiac disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The ClevelandClinic adds psoriasis to this list.
WebMD writes specifically about solanine consumption. You may feel some effects if you eat between two to five milligrams of solanine per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh around 150 pounds (68 kilograms) you would need to consume a minimum of 136 milligrams of solanine to feel ill.
Nightshade Fruits + Veggies
Eggplant
Eggplants contain lots of fiber, but also have solanine, and when raw, histamines are in these fruits. Some people even report getting contact dermatitus from just touching this plant’s leaves.
Dr. Gundry suggests that if you are going to eat a bit of eggplant, then be sure to peel and de-seed as well as cook it in a pressure cooker.
Some claim that this fruit is very healthy and that all that fiber may lower heart risk and increase intestinal health (7). Eggplants are also good sources of potassium, Vitamin B and K.
Peppers
All peppers from jalapeño to bell peppers and pimento have capsaicin. This is one of the strongest alkaloid substances in food and some believe it triggers bodily irritation. The list of peppers is very large, here are just a few:
- Thai peppers
- Sweet peppers
- Habaneros
- Chipotle
- Pepinos
- Poblano
- Serrano
- Banana peppers
Peppers also have anti-inflamatory properties and are used in pain-relieving creams. They also have large amounts of vitamin C, which can provide many health benefits. Some claim it helps enhance iron absorption (8) and alleviates heart burn (9).
Peppercorns are not nightshades.
Potatoes
Potatoes (white, red, yellow, and blue-skinned potatoes) are nightshades. There are already a few cautions regarding potatoes. For instance, due to solanine:
- Never eat green colored potatoes
- Do not eat sprouting potatoes
- Never eat raw potatoes
- If sensitive to solanine, always peel potatoes first
But those same skins contain big amounts of potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese. In fact, some studies show eating yellow or purple potatoes may relieve inflamatory responses (10).
Tomatoes or Tomatillo
This fruit is probably the most used nightshade plant and is critical for many condiments, sauces, and cuisines, so I will spend some time discussing this. Two major areas of concern are that tomatoes contain solanine and tomatine.
- Solanine is a toxic alkaloid that is part of the tomato plants’ defense mechanism, to prevent animals from eating them. While all parts of the plant contain solanine, the heaviest concentrations tend to be in the leaves and stems.
- Tomatine is also a toxic glycoalkaloid found in the tomato plant. Scientists call it a glycoalkaloid and refer to its antifungal properties. The riper the fuit, the lower the levels of tomatine. Studies seem to indicate the fruit has very little of the alkaloid, and rarely makes a person sick. The ripe red tomato has only very minimal levels of tomatine and is generally safe for human consumption.
Tomatoes also are considered a very healthy food source due to their high concentrations of antioxidants, called lycopene. And are high in vitamins and minerals, including biotin, potassium, iron, and zinc.
- Lycopene may reduce the markers of inflammation, and perhaps lower the risk of several diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration (11). But if consumed in excessive amounts can cause intestinal problems.
- Recommendation is no more than 22mg/day or 2T tomato puree (12).
When I cook with tomatoes I prefer to have them skinned and deseeded. The main reason is I find the skin and seeds can be hard to digest for some people. But also, from a cook’s viewpoint, they can leave a bitter taste (due to flavonols) and uneven texture when pureed or cooked. Especially the skins. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I buy Italian Pomi tomato products, they do this process with their tomatoes.
Others
Tamarillo (south American berries), Ashwagandha, and Goji berries are in the nightshade family. Others include:
- Gooseberries
- Garden Huckleberry
- Jerusalem Cherries
- Pepino
Nightshade Herbs + Spices
The list of fruits and veggies above are all nightshades, but also consider all the herbs and spices derived from these plants:
- Cayenne pepper
- Crushed red pepper
- Chili powder
- Paprika
- Curry powder
- Garam marsala
- Chipotle chili powder
- Taco seasoning mixes
- BBQ rubs
- Chicken rubs
- Most Indian spice blends
Nightshades are Hidden + Everywhere
Potato flour can be in pasta, bread, pizza dough, and other hidden places.
- Move from eating potatoes to sweet potatoes or yams which are not nightshades.
- Do not eat green potatoes at any time, let them sprout and plant in your garden.
Tomatoes are everywhere.
- Mix it up: skip Italian red sauces and use green sauces, like pesto.
Instead of pepper or tomato spices, use other herbs and spices to up flavor or add heat.
- For heat use peppercorns (black, white, or pink), horseradish or wasabi, as they are all not nightshades.
- Be cautious with Mexican and Mediterranean foods — make sure you know the ingredients of what you are ordering.
- Paprika is used in many processed foods for color (soups, hot dogs, etc) so check ingredients. Considering using turmeric and other spices for color instead of paprika.
Store broth often will have nightshades (paprika, tomato flakes) for coloring and flavor.
Other condiments or processed food with nightshades include:
- All hot sauces
- Ketchup
- BBQ sauces
- Red pasta sauces
- All red and green salsas
- Guacamole that has tomatoes or peppers in it
- Pico de gallo
- Mole sauce
- Some noodles have potato starch
In Closing
Frankly, for me, I would have to completely redo my diet to accommodate removing these foods. But again I go back to one of my everyday sayings, all things in moderation. I do not eat nightshades everyday and I mix up sauces and flavors constantly to avoid over indulging on one type of food.
For many of us without irritated bowels or intestines, eating these foods in moderation will not create a problem according to all that I have read and heard. But knowing what is in the foods, the good and bad, should help up explore other aspects of some of our favorite cuisines. Try different sauces on your pasta next time. Use herbs instead of heat to add flavor and aroma. Explore other cuisines that do not rely on potatoes or tomatoes.
By the way, I did have this friend over for dinner and I did a mixed veggie roast, a feta-spinach soufflé-type dish, and a red cabbage side dish.
—Patty
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