You might not be familiar with these plants but you have been eating nightshades all throughout your life. Nightshades have actually been part of the human diet for eons but many health experts are advising to avoid them altogether.
What exactly is the truth about nightshades? Is there a way to positively link nightshades and health? To answer these questions, we must get the basics first.
What Are Nightshades?
Nightshades are actually a group of plants under the Solanaceae family. Most of the 2000+ species included here are not edible for humans but some are. The more notable nightshade plants that are edible include eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, sorrel, okra, and goji berries. Some spices and herbs are also included such as chili peppers, paprika powder, and cayenne. Tobacco, the main ingredient in cigarettes and similar products, is also a nightshade.
For all intents and purposes, these food items are naturally grown and are readily available in any grocery store or supermarket. In most cases, you might even have some of these stored in your fridge or cupboard right now.
What’s the Problem?
If they are plentiful and technically safe to eat, why are people up in arms when the topic of nightshades and health comes up? It all goes back to their cousins. The best-known example of a toxic nightshade is the plant called Belladonna. The compounds in this plant are so potent that it was used as a poison in medieval times.
Aside from the association with lethal plants, nightshades also produce a number of compounds believed to be dangerous for the body in the long term. Alkaloids like solanine, nicotine, and capsaicin act as a poison of sorts against any insect’s intent on gnawing at these fruits and vegetables. In other words, they were naturally designed to be toxic. In considerable doses even lethal.
Some side effects that these compounds can bring include cellular degeneration, migraines, stiffening and pain around the joints, and gradual degradation of bodily functions. In the case of the eggplant, there is an unverified claim that its compounds can lead to mental illnesses including Schizophrenia. Hence, it was called the Mad Apple several centuries ago.
The Truth about Nightshades
Despite all the negative press involving these food items, most experts agree that eating nightshades does not generally pose a threat to the body. Most of the claims linking these foods to various unwanted conditions have yet to be proven. Or as is the case in most claims, outright debunked. Experts, on the other hand, point to the inability of some digestive systems to process some compounds contained in these food items.
All in all, nightshades should be taken in moderation. Or avoided entirely if one has allergies to certain food groups or is suffering from an inflammatory or autoimmune condition like arthritis.
For those who don’t have any of these conditions, lumping nightshades and health together negatively means missing out on a myriad of benefits offered by these fruits and vegetables. They have been sufficiently proven to be safe over years of extensive research.
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Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
Amy Goodrich
Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
