What is a nightshade?

And should you be eating it?

If you are like most people, the word “nightshade” leads to a raised eyebrow and a look of utter perplexion.

A nightshade is a flowering plant in the Solanaceae family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tobacco. Many of us who have inflammatory or autoimmune disorders are highly sensitive to nightshades. For years, I indulged in chilis, curries, stews, and parms that were laden with nightshades, unwittingly making my autoimmune symptoms much worse. Nightshades add so much flavor to food that their elimination can often be more distressing than removing gluten and dairy (the first two foods I eliminated on my journey towards wellness).

Unfortunately, nightshades exacerbate a wide range of conditions from arthritis to rosacea. There is emerging evidence that for many of us, the benefits of nightshades may be offset by their contrition to inflammation. While tomatoes are often listed as one of the top “Foods that Fight Cancer,” due to the high levels of antioxidants like lycopene and beta-carotene, nightshades are alkaloids that contain solanine (a chemical that has pesticidal properties) which can increase inflammation that is already present in the body.

If you do not have an inflammatory condition or autoimmune disease, you can probably safely continue to eat your stews and chilis. However, for those of us who are already battling high inflammation, it may be better to pass on the curries and parms.

By: Stefanie Billette, M.S. – Certified Health Coach