Nightshades… what are they, what do they do, and what should you be aware of? 

Nightshades are a family of plants that include tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes (not sweet potatoes), and peppers (and any spice that comes from peppers, like paprika, cayenne, chili powder, red pepper flakes). Some common nightshade-based sauces are hot sauce, ketchup, marinara sauce, tomato or tomatillo-based salsas. Tobacco is also a nightshade. Nightshades are part of the Solanaceae family, and this group of plants contains high amounts of alkaloids. Alkaloids are nutrient-containing substances that naturally occur in these plants.

Some people choose to avoid nightshade vegetables because they assume that the high levels of alkaloids cause inflammation and can lead to conditions such as arthritis. However, medical evidence does not support this as fact.

If you find that your body doesn’t respond well to nightshades, by all means you should try to eliminate them from your diet and see if you feel better. If you do eliminate nightshades and feel better, great! If you don’t see much change, you may try eliminating something else from your diet to see if it’s something else that’s not making you feel well.

What we don’t want you to do is completely eliminate an entire group of vegetables that may be beneficial to you. There are plenty of health benefits that come with consuming nightshades. You don’t need to abandon the fajita veggies at Chipotle or say goodbye to your beloved tomato slices on your homemade turkey sandwich. Because of their high nutrient density, nightshades are a hearty, filling option that can help you feel full and satiated with a relatively low calorie count. If you’re looking for a lower calorie or plant-based option to “beef up” a pasta dish, eggplant is your best friend!

If you do find that you’re sensitive to nightshades, here are some health-conscious switches you can make:

· Switch white potatoes for sweet potatoes

· Use pesto instead of marinara sauce in pasta dishes

· Boost up your citrus intake – many nightshade veggies contain a lot of vitamin C, and eating more citruses can ensure that your vitamin C levels don’t dip

· Up your leafy green intake – this is a good rule of thumb when eliminating any food group from your diet, as leafy greens are rich in many vitamins and minerals that your body may be lacking.

For more information regarding nightshades read What’s the Deal With Nightshade Vegetables? by Cleveland Clinic’s