Nightshades
“If nightshades can be eaten or used sparingly, arthritis can be slowed in developing.” The Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation
Nightshades include over 2800 species of plants, herbs, shrubs and trees. Nightshades include numerous vegetables: potatoes, tomatoes, sweet peppers, hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarillos, pepitos, pimentos, paprika, and cayenne peppers.
Fun Fact: Every nightshade plant produces fruit that “wear” a little green elfish hat.
Although there is no solid evidence that nightshade plants can affect joint and nerve-muscle function in humans and animals, it actually has been shown that some people experience relief when they eliminate them from their diet. From what I understand at least one in three people suffering from arthritis would have a negative reaction to nightshades.
Personally, I have eliminated eggplant, peppers and mostly tomatoes from my diet. The reason for this is that I actually experience pain in my fingers within less than 10 minutes of eating them.
From what I have read, most nightshades contain a high level of alkaloids which affect the body’s chemistry. They induce inflammation through a specific chemical known as Solanine (a steroid Alkaloid).The Solanaceae family contains cholinesterase inhibiting glycoalkaloids and steroid alkaloids including, among others, solanine in potato and eggplant, tomatine in tomato, nicotine in tobacco, and capsaicin in garden peppers. It is believed that this chemical irritates the gastrointestinal tract and when absorbed into the bloodstream can cause the destruction of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
The list of plants listed as nightshades varies online depending on where you look.
The best way to figure out whether or not you are sensitive to members of the nightshade family is to remove them from your diet completely for at least 6 weeks. Then reintroduce one at a time to your diet over the course of a week or two. Keep track of what you are eating, so that you can identify if it does affect you.
Never buy a food that uses the generic term of seasoning or spices, because you won’t know what is really in your food.
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